This month,a weekend drive to Panvel holds an indisputable treat for plant and flower enthusiasts. A bougainvillea exhibition,showcasing more than 40 varieties of the plant,is currently on display at the 1-acre garden of Go Green Nursery in Karnala (Panvel taluka),off the Mumbai-Goa expressway. This month-long exhibition is on till January 31 and displays several neglected and unusual bougainvillea varieties,assembled from different parts of the country. Organisers say that among the most neglected varieties,one called Dr Bhabha,consisting of green and white leaves and reddish pink bracts is also available. Ramchandra Patil,chief horticulturist of Go Green Nursery which is organizing the exhibition said that of the 40 varieties,13 are new and yet unidentified. According to the organizers,though crowds have not begun pouring in yet,but around 1,500 bougainvillea saplings have already been sold. The exhibition began on January 1 and so far we have seen a crowd of about 800 people only. However,the demand for our saplings is high, Suhas More,exhibition in-charge explained. The price range is quite wide: from Rs 20 for small potable saplings of common varieties to as much as Rs 2,500 for rare varieties. The most expensive plant in the collection is the thermosa variety with light pink,variegated bracts. The leaves of this particular variety are smaller in width than the regular bougainvillea. The particular plant we have is a common type but is very old with large bracts and flowers, explained Patil.
