New Delhi, Feb 17 (IANS): Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Friday inagurated the 35th Garden Tourism Festival, being held at the Garden of Five Senses, by the Tourism Department.

The three-day festival will showcase over 300 species of plants. This year the Garden of Five Senses has been decorated as the 'Garden of Unity' for G20 by the Delhi Tourism Department.

Inaugurating the festival, Sisodia said: "This is a very prestigious annual garden festival for the people of Delhi. The beauty of Garden of Five Senses is further enhanced during this annual garden festival when plants from the world over are showcased here. After a break of two years, this festival is being organised with high fervour again."

He also said that the government is planning to add more features to the Garden of Five Senses and to make it an international festival. He also urged the people of Delhi to visit the annual garden festival with their families to spend quality time and enrich themselves with knowledge about nature.

The Tourism Department has put various topiary shapes of birds and animals on the display in the garden. Additionally, terrariums, topiary, potted plants, leaves, medicinal and herbal plants, hanging baskets, cut flowers, and nursery stalls will also be displayed.

To create an interactive platform for environmentalists and citizens, this festival will host a variety of competitions. Along with cultural programmes, food stalls from different states of the country have also been set up at the festival. This will provide an immersive experience to the visitors.

The maple from Canada, iris from France, cornflower from Germany, tulip from Turkey, chamomile from Russia, and lily from Italy, and many other flowers will be the centre of attraction. The festival is being organised from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and the government has also started a free shuttle service from Saket metro station to the garden.