SEMMOZHI POONGA
CHENNAI, INDIA
RAJENDRA ASSOCIATES
ROOPENDRA KUMAR 101117025
SEMMOZHI POONGA
CHENNAI, INDIA
RAJENDRA ASSOCIATES
DOCUMENTATION REPORT ON THE
CONTEMPORARY LANDSCAPE PROJECT
BY
ROOPENDRA KUMAR ,101117025
DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE,
NIT TRICHY
I WOULD LIKE TO DEDICATE THIS DOCUMENTATION REPORT TO
THE ARCHITECT'S COMMUNITY, HONOURING THEIR SERVICE TO
THE SOCIETY.
CONTENTS
1 ABOUT PROJECT
2 CONCEPT
3 DETAILS
4 APPENDIX OF FLORA
5 BIBLIOGRAPHY
ABOUT PROJECT
SEMMOZHI POONGA (TRANSLATED : CLASSICAL LANGUAGE PARK) IS A
BOTANICAL GARDEN IN CHENNAI SET UP JOINTLY BY THE
HORTICULTURE AND AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING DEPT.
OF THE GOVERNMENT OF TAMIL NADU. THE GARDEN WAS
OPENED ON 24 NOVEMBER 2010 BY THEN CHIEF MINISTER
[Link] AND IS THE FIRST BOTANICAL GARDEN IN
THE [Link] GARDEN IS LOCATED IN THE CATHEDRAL ROAD,
ANNA SALAI JUNCTION, OPPOSITE THE AMERICAN
CONSULATE, ON THE ERSTWHILE DRIVE-IN WOODLANDS HOTEL.
ENCOMPASSING AN AREA OF 20 ACRES (320 GROUNDS),
IT WAS BUILT AT A COST OF 80 MILLION RUPEES.
MORE THAN 500 SPECIES OF PLANTS ARE BEING GROWN
IN THE AREA, IN ADDITION TO THE 80 TREES THAT WAS
ALREADY IN EXISTENCE DURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE
PARK, SOME OF THEM BEING MORE THAN 100 YEARS OLD.
THE GARDEN HOUSES SOME OF THE POPULAR EXOTIC
FLORA AND RARE PLANT SPECIES, MEDICINAL AND
AROMATIC HERBS. MANY OF THE EXOTIC PLANTS ARE IMPORTED FROM
COUNTRIES LIKE CHINA AND THAILAND, INCLUDING A PLETHORA
OF BONSAI VARIETIES OF FICUS MICROCARPA AND FICUS GINSENG.
CONCEPT
EIGHT SUBGARDENS
THE GARDEN FEATURES EIGHT SUBGARDENS DISPLAYING
FLORA OF DIFFERENT VARIETIES, SUCH AS A TREE
COURT, MURAL WALK AND BONSAI, HERBAL AND
EXOTIC GARDENS, IN ADDITION TO AN ARTIFICIAL DUCK POND.
INDIAN-BUDDHIST GARDEN
INCORPORATING ELEMENTS OF AN INDIAN-BUDDHIST GARDEN, THE
GARDEN HAS A WIDE VARIETY OF INDIGENOUS SPECIES ACROSS
22 EXCLUSIVE AREAS INCLUDING PALM COURT, TREE COURT,
GOLDEN GARDEN (FEATURING PLANTS THAT FLOWER IN DIFFER-
ENT SHADES OF GOLD), WATER AND ROCK GARDEN, BUTTERFLY
GARDEN, FERN GARDEN, SUNKEN GARDEN AND THEME GARDEN.
TWENTY-FIVE THEMATIC GARDENS
TWENTY-FIVE THEMATIC GARDENS, INCLUDING HERBAL,
AROMATIC, MAZE AND CASCADE ADORN EVERY CORNER OF
THE PARK. THE GARDEN BOASTS SEVERAL EXOTIC HERBAL
SPECIES AND 90-ODD SPIRAL-SHAPED AND MULTI-BRANCHED
MINIATURE TREES GROWN IN [Link] BONSAI GARDEN
IS DOTTED WITH TREES WHOSE HEIGHT RANGE FROM 1 FOOT TO
4 FEET. AT THE FAG END OF THE PARK IS THE CASCADE GARDEN.
OASIS OF PEACE
“The idea was to maximise utilisation of space and so, the themes are all based on
gardening concepts. They can be huge gardens on their own but we’ve fitted var-
ious garden themes into this area,” says B. Chandra Mohan, Director, Horticulture
and Plantation Crops.
The 7.96-crore project has up to 300 different varieties of plants, a cascade water-
fall, an amphitheatre and a sequence fountain. “The plants have been sourced from
all over the country, and even from China. They were handpicked based on how
they adapt to Chennai’s climate,” he points out.
The golden garden is a short canopy of yellow flower and leaf plants after which
comes the children’s play area. There is a readymade gazebo put up at the corner
and another one being constructed at the other end of the park.
As you pass the calming yellow shade, the perfume from the flowers in the
aroma garden wafts through. Lavender, rose, gardenia and plumeria are a few of
the scented plant varieties, including the night queen and day queen, in this space.
The shade garden is home to varieties of indoor plants. “This is the first time such
indoor potted plants will be showcased in open shade,” says Vijay Ram, the hor-
ticulture officer in-charge. The butterfly garden is a haven of netted plants with a
small bunch of symbolic Oxalis triangularis , a plant that looks like a spread-winged
butterfly from the top.
Walk further down the cobblestone pathway and you’ll find the falls that opens into
a big pond spread across the park. Hardy plants come up next to the falls. Cactii
and pachipodium are varieties that don’t need much water. The fern garden which
houses non-flowering plants and an exotic garden with rare Indian plant species is
up next. The herbal garden holds 25 varieties of herbal plants such as lemongrass,
philanthus, gooseberries, vasambu and thulsi among others.
There is a theme garden that has about 14 varieties of bamboo. This leads straight
to the pond garden, a melange of water plants and palms.
On the other side of the pond is a mural walk, a coarse pebble bed that branches
out in the shape of a large tree. Then comes a spiral pathway with plants on either
side. “This is a maze garden. These plants will grow and cover the entire space and
people will be allowed in and asked to find their way out,” Vijay says.
The moss-covered swamp and the bonsai garden come next.
“The entire garden concept took about three months to decide upon. A garden is not
like a building, which is complete when it has been inaugurated. Over time, the gar-
den will grow to its glory and the ecosystem will flourish,” explains Chandra Mohan.
(AN PORTION FROM THE HINDU, METROPLUS - CHENNAI EDITION
BY ANUSHA PARTHASARATHY. DATED- 22ND NOVEMBER 2010)
DETAILS
VERTICAL GARDENS
THE ARCH NEAR THE ENTRANCE PLAZA IS A VERTICAL GARDEN WHICH
IS A UNIQUE FEATURE OF THE BOTANICAL GARDEN. THE VERTICAL
GARDEN, WITH AN INBUILT IRRIGATION AND DRAIN SYSTEM FOR EASY
MAINTENANCE, IS 22 FEET LONG AND 14 FEET HIGH INTENDED TO
IMPROVE THE SCENIC BEAUTY OF THE PARK AT THE ENTRANCE.
THE ARCH IS COVERED BY 7,000 PLANTS FROM 35 DIFFERENT
SPECIES INCLUDING DRACENA, LILIES, OPHIOPOGON,
SCHEFFLERA, PHYLLODENDRON AND FLOWERING PLANTS
LIKE KRISHNAGANTHA. THE 10-FEET-HIGH GREEN WALL HAS
PLANTS RAISED IN A POLY TRACE IMPORTED FROM CANADA.
MICRO-TUBE IRRIGATION HAS BEEN ARRANGED FOR
WATERING THE PLANTS. THE PLANTS CLING TO THE 700-
[Link]. WALL, WHICH SERVES AS THE ENTRY POINT.
BUTTERFLY GARDEN
A BUTTERFLY GARDEN NEAR THE CASCADE FOUNTAINS ALONG THE ANNA
FLYOVER HAS BEEN CARVED UP INTO THE SHAPE OF A BUTTERFLY, WITH
FLOWERING PLANTS OF MORE THAN 30 SPECIES COMPLETELY FENCED.
AROMA GARDEN
THE AROMA GARDEN ACTS AS A WELCOMING GREENHOUSE FOR
WINGED VISITORS, WITH SPECIES LIKE PARIJATHAM AND PAVALAMALLI
(NYCTANTHES ARBOR-TRISTIS) FOUND TO FLOCK THE PLACE IN BULK.
AMPHITHEATRE
AN AMPHITHEATRE WITH CONCRETE BENCHES AND COVERED BY FERNS
HAS BEEN BUILT ON THE REAR SIDE OF GARDEN TO HOST SOCIAL AND
CULTURAL FUNCTIONS. OTHER FEATURES OF THE GARDEN INCLUDE
DISABLED-FRIENDLY RAMPS, A MURAL WALK-THROUGH, AND AREAS
DOTTED WITH FOUNTAINS, VERTICAL GARDENS, PONDS AND CASCADES.
CONSTRUCTION AND SPECIFICATION
IN THE COURSE OF THE CONSTRUCTION, THE GARDEN HAS
RECEIVED NEARLY ₹ 800,000 WORTH PLANTS FROM CHINA. THESE
INCLUDE FLOWERING CACTI THAT HAVE A VELVETY, LIGHT PINK AT THE
TOP, NON-FLOWERING CACTI WITH DIAMETERS UP TO ABOUT 45 CM,
‘LUCKY’ BAMBOO, FICUS AND BONSAI VARIETIES. THE CACTI WERE
PLANTED IN THE CACTI GARDEN DECORATED WITH WHITE MARBLE
CHIPS, PEBBLES AND ROCKS FROM PORBANDAR. THE GARDEN ALSO
RECEIVED WATER LILIES FROM THAILAND AND 12 VARIETIES OF ORCHIDS.
IT WAS PLANNED TO BE SET UP AS A BOTANICAL GARDEN, A RE-
SEARCH CENTRE AND A GREEN HOUSE FOR DEVELOPING RARE SPE-
CIES OF MEDICINAL AND NON-MEDICINAL PLANTS AND FLOWERS. ON
13 NOVEMBER 2009, THE SUPREME COURT GAVE ITS CONSENT TO THE
STATE GOVERNMENT TO SET UP THE [Link] GARDEN HAS BEEN
CHRISTENED SUCH TO COMMEMORATE THE CLASSICAL TAMIL CON-
FERENCE, WHICH WAS HELD EARLIER IN 2010. THE COST OF THE LAND
WAS VALUED AT MORE THAN ₹ 10,000 MILLION AT THE TIME OF OPENING.
THE GOVERNMENT APPOINTED A CITY-BASED FIRM OF ARCHITECTS
RAJENDRA ASSOCIATES—AS CONSULTANT TO DESIGN, SUPERVISE AND
MANAGE THE PROJECT.T
APPENDIX OF FLORA
CHINESE BANYAN
FICUS MICROCARPA, ALSO KNOWN AS CHINESE BANYAN,
MALAYAN BANYAN, INDIAN LAUREL, CURTAIN FIG, OR GAJUMA-
RU IS A TREE IN THE FIG FAMILY MORACEAE. IT IS NATIVE IN A
RANGE FROM CHINA THROUGH TROPICAL ASIA AND THE CAROLINE
ISLANDS TO AUSTRALIA. IT IS WIDELY PLANTED AS A SHADE TREE AND
FREQUENTLY MISIDENTIFIED AS F. RETUSA OR AS F. NITIDA (F. BENJAMINA).
LAVENDER
LAVANDULA (COMMON NAME LAVENDER) IS A GENUS OF 47 KNOWN
SPECIES OF FLOWERING PLANTS IN THE MINT FAMILY, LAMIACEAE. IT
IS NATIVE TO THE OLD WORLD AND IS FOUND FROM CAPE VERDE AND
THE CANARY ISLANDS, EUROPE ACROSS TO NORTHERN AND EASTERN
AFRICA, THE MEDITERRANEAN, SOUTHWEST ASIA TO SOUTHEAST INDIA.
THE MOST WIDELY CULTIVATED SPECIES, LAVANDULA
ANGUSTIFOLIA, IS OFTEN REFERRED TO AS LAVENDER, AND THERE
IS A COLOR NAMED FOR THE SHADE OF THE FLOWERS OF THIS
SPECIES. DESPITE ITS USE OVER CENTURIES IN TRADITIONAL MEDICINE
AND COSMETICS, THERE IS NO HIGH-QUALITY CLINICAL EVIDENCE THAT
LAVENDER HAS ANY EFFECTS ON DISEASES OR IMPROVES HEALTH.
ROSE
A ROSE IS A WOODY PERENNIAL FLOWERING PLANT OF THE GENUS ROSA,
IN THE FAMILY ROSACEAE, OR THE FLOWER IT [Link] ARE OVER
THREE HUNDRED SPECIES AND TENS OF THOUSANDS OF CULTIVARS.
THEY FORM A GROUP OF PLANTS THAT CAN BE ERECT SHRUBS, CLIMBING,
OR TRAILING, WITH STEMS THAT ARE OFTEN ARMED WITH SHARP PRICK-
LES. FLOWERS VARY IN SIZE AND SHAPE AND ARE USUALLY LARGE AND
SHOWY, IN COLOURS RANGING FROM WHITE THROUGH YELLOWS AND
REDS. MOST SPECIES ARE NATIVE TO ASIA, WITH SMALLER NUMBERS
NATIVE TO EUROPE, NORTH AMERICA, AND NORTHWESTERN AFRICA.
GARDENIA
GARDENIA IS A GENUS OF FLOWERING PLANTS IN THE COFFEE
FAMILY, RUBIACEAE, NATIVE TO THE TROPICAL AND SUBTROPICAL
REGIONS OF AFRICA, ASIA, MADAGASCAR AND PACIFIC ISLANDS.
THEY ARE EVERGREEN SHRUBS AND SMALL TREES GROWING TO 1–15 ME-
TRES (3.3–49.2 FT) TALL. THE LEAVESARE OPPOSITE OR IN WHORLS OF THREE
OR FOUR, 5–50 CENTIMETRES (2.0–19.7 IN) LONG AND 3–25 CENTIMETRES
(1.2–9.8 IN) BROAD, DARK GREEN AND GLOSSY WITH A LEATHERY TEXTURE.
THE FLOWERS ARE SOLITARY OR IN SMALL CLUSTERS, WHITE,
OR PALE YELLOW, WITH A TUBULAR-BASED COROLLA WITH 5–12
LOBES (PETALS) FROM 5 TO 12 CENTIMETRES (2.0 TO 4.7 IN) DIAM-
ETER. FLOWERING IS FROM ABOUT MID-SPRING TO MID-SUMMER,
AND MANY SPECIES ARE STRONGLY SCENTED. MANY OF THE NA-
TIVE GARDENIAS OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDS AND ELSEWHERE IN THE
PALEOTROPICS POSSESS A DIVERSE ARRAY OF NATURAL PRODUCTS.
FRANGIPANI
PLUMERIA IS A GENUS OF FLOWERING PLANTS IN THE FAMILY
APOCYNACEAE. MOST SPECIES ARE DECIDUOUS SHRUBS OR SMALL
TREES. THE SPECIES VARIOUSLY ARE ENDEMIC TO MEXICO, CENTRAL
AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN, AND AS FAR SOUTH AS BRAZIL AND
NORTH AS FLORIDA, BUT ARE GROWN AS COSMOPOLITAN ORNAMENTALS
IN WARM REGIONS. COMMON NAMES FOR PLANTS IN THE GENUS VARY
WIDELY ACCORDING TO REGION, VARIETY, AND WHIM, BUT FRANGIPANI OR
VARIATIONS ON THAT THEME ARE THE MOST COMMON. PLUMERIA IS ALSO
USED AS A COMMON NAME, ESPECIALLY IN HORTICULTURAL CIRCLES.
FALSE SHAMROCK
OXALIS TRIANGULARIS, COMMONLY CALLED FALSE SHAMROCK, IS A
SPECIES OF EDIBLE PERENNIAL PLANT IN THE FAMILY OXALIDACEAE. IT
IS NATIVE TO SEVERAL COUNTRIES IN SOUTHERN SOUTH AMERICA. THIS
WOODSORREL IS TYPICALLY GROWNASAHOUSEPLANT BUT CAN BE GROWN
OUTSIDE IN USDA CLIMATE ZONES 8A–11, PREFERABLY IN LIGHT SHADE.
THE DEEP MAROON LEAVES ARE TRIFOLIATE, LIKE SPECIES IN
THE CLOVER GENUS TRIFOLIUM WHICH ARE COMMONLY CALLED
SHAMROCK, HENCE THE NAME “FALSE SHAMROCK”. AN INTERESTING
FEATURE IS THAT THE LEAVES CLOSE LIKE AN UMBRELLA AT NIGHT
(SEE THE TIMELAPSE VIDEO BELOW) OR WHEN DISTURBED. THE
WHITE OR PALE PINK FIVE-PETALLED FLOWERS ALSO CLOSE AT NIGHT.
PACHIPODIUM
ALL PACHYPODIUM ARE SUCCULENT PLANTS THAT EXHIB-
IT, TO VARYING DEGREES, THE MORPHOLOGICAL CHAR-
ACTERISTICS OF PACHYCAUL TRUNKS AND SPINES-
CENCE. THESE ARE THE MOST GENERAL FEATURES OF THE
GENUS AND CAN BE CONSIDERED DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS.
THE PACHYCAUL TRUNK IS A MORPHOLOGICALLY ENLARGED TRUNK
THAT STORES WATER SO AS TO SURVIVE SEASONAL DROUGHT OR IN-
TERMITTENT PERIODS OF ROOT DESICCATION IN EXPOSED, DRY, AND
ROCKY CONDITIONS. WHEREAS THERE IS GREAT VARIATION IN THE
HABIT OF THE PLANT BODY, ALL PACHYPODIUM EXHIBIT PACHYCAUL
GROWTH. VARIATION IN HABIT CAN RANGE FROM DWARF FLATTENED
PLANTS TO BOTTLE SHAPED SHRUBS TO DENDROID-SHAPED TREES
LEMONGRASS
CYMBOPOGON, ALSO KNOWN AS LEMONGRASS, BARBED WIRE
GRASS, SILKY HEADS, COCHIN GRASS, MALABAR GRASS, OILY
HEADS OR FEVER GRASS, IS A GENUS OF ASIAN, AFRICAN,
AUSTRALIAN, AND TROPICAL ISLAND PLANTS IN THE GRASS
[Link] SPECIES (PARTICULARLY CYMBOPOGON CITRATUS) ARE
COMMONLY CULTIVATED AS CULINARY AND MEDICINAL HERBS BECAUSE
OF THEIR SCENT, RESEMBLING THAT OF LEMONS (CITRUS LIMON).
GOOSEBERRY
THE GOOSEBERRY WITH SCIENTIFIC NAMES
RIBES UVA-CRISPA (AND SYN. RIBES GROSSULARIA), IS A
SPECIES OF RIBES (WHICH ALSO INCLUDES THE CURRANTS).
IT IS NATIVE TO EUROPE, THE CAUCASUS AND NORTHERN AFRICA.
THE SPECIES IS ALSO SPARINGLY NATURALIZED IN SCATTERED LOCA-
TIONS IN NORTH [Link] BUSHES PRODUCE AN EDIBLE
FRUIT AND ARE GROWN ON BOTH A COMMERCIAL AND DOMESTIC BASIS.
VASAMBU
ACORUS CALAMUS (ALSO CALLED SWEET FLAG OR CALAMUS, AMONG
MANY COMMON NAMES) IS A SPECIES OF FLOWERING PLANT, A TALL
WETLAND MONOCOT OF THE FAMILY ACORACEAE, IN THE GENUS
ACORUS. ALTHOUGH USED IN TRADITIONAL MEDICINE OVER CENTU-
RIES TO TREAT DIGESTIVE DISORDERS AND PAIN, THERE IS NO CLINICAL
EVIDENCE FOR ITS SAFETY OR EFFICACY – AND INGESTED CALAMUS MAY
BE TOXIC – LEADING TO ITS COMMERCIAL BAN IN THE UNITED STATES.
THULSI
OCIMUM TENUIFLORUM (SYNONYM OCIMUM
SANCTUM), COMMONLY KNOWN AS HOLY BASIL OR TULSI, IS AN
AROMATIC PERENNIAL PLANT IN THE FAMILY LAMIACEAE. IT IS
NATIVE TO THE INDIAN SUBCONTINENT AND WIDESPREAD AS A
CULTIVATED PLANT THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHEAST ASIAN TROPICS.
TULSI IS CULTIVATED FOR RELIGIOUS AND TRADITIONAL MEDICINE
PURPOSES, AND FOR ITS ESSENTIAL OIL. IT IS WIDELY USED AS A
HERBAL TEA, COMMONLY USED IN AYURVEDA, AND HAS A PLACE
WITHIN THE VAISHNAVA TRADITION OF HINDUISM, IN WHICH DEVO-
TEES PERFORM WORSHIP INVOLVING HOLY BASIL PLANTS OR LEAVES.
DRACENA
DRACAENA IS A GENUS OF ABOUT 120 SPECIES OF TREES AND
SUCCULENT [Link] THE APG IV CLASSIFICATION
SYSTEM, IT IS PLACED IN THE FAMILY ASPARAGACEAE, SUBFAMILY
NOLINOIDEAE (FORMERLY THE FAMILY RUSCACEAE). IT HAS ALSO FOR-
MERLY BEEN SEPARATED (SOMETIMES WITH CORDYLINE) INTO THE FAMILY
DRACAENACEAE OR PLACED IN THE AGAVACEAE (NOW AGAVOIDEAE).
.
OPHIOPOGON
OPHIOPOGON (LILYTURF) IS A GENUS OF EVERGREEN PERENNIAL
PLANTS NATIVE TO WARM TEMPERATE TO TROPICAL EAST, SOUTH-
EAST, AND SOUTH [Link] THEIR GRASSLIKE APPEARANCE,
THEY ARE NOT CLOSELY RELATED TO THE TRUE GRASSES POACEAE.
PHYLLODENDRON
PHILODENDRON IS A LARGE GENUS OF
FLOWERING PLANTS IN THE FAMILY ARACEAE. REGARDLESS OF
NUMBER OF SPECIES, THE GENUS IS THE SECOND-LARGEST-
MEMBER OF THE FAMILY ARACEAE. TAXONOMICALLY, THE GENUS
PHILODENDRON IS STILL POORLY KNOWN, WITH MANY UNDESCRIBED
SPECIES. MANY ARE GROWN AS ORNAMENTAL AND INDOOR PLANTS.
SUMMARY
PROJECT NAME : SEMMOZHI POONGA
LOCATION : CHENNAI, TAMIL NADU, INDIA
CLIENT : TAMILNADU AGRICULTURE AND HORTICULTURE
DEPARTMENT
TYPE : TENDER
YEAR OF COMPLETION : 2010
COST : 7.96 CRORE RUPEES
AREA : 20 ACRES
ARCHITECTURE : RAJENDRA ASSOCIATES
SPECIES : 300 IN TOTAL
SITE :
BIBILIOGRAPHY
THE CONTENTS OF THESE REPORT HAVE BEEN
ADAPTED ,AFTER HAVING UNDERSTOOD THE PROJECT FOR
DOCUMENTATION PUPOSE THROUGH VARIOUS MATERIALS
AVAILABLE ONLINE TO MENTION ARE, THE
TAMIL NADU AGRI-HORTICULTURE DEPARTMENT
PORTAL , THE WEBSITE OF RAJENDRA ASSOCIATES, THE HINDU
ONLINE ARCHIEVES AND SEVERAL OTHER ENCYCLOPEDIA PORTALS.
BY
ROOPENDRA KUMAR ,101117025
DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE,
NIT TRICHY
