Basit Zargar/Srinagar

Srinagar got its first Waste Wonder Garden, where discarded garden materials and old objects are being transformed into colourful installations and decorative attractions.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah inaugurated the garden. He too looked happy to see the an old refrigerator, a dead scooter, a discarded wooden almirah and even a snow shoe that had been thrown away turned into flower pots and beds.

The initiative, being developed by the Floriculture Department at Polo Ground Park in the heart of the city, aims to give a second life to materials that would otherwise be discarded.

More than 35 installations have been created using waste collected from gardens and departmental offices. These include a miniature train made from fallen wood, planters fashioned from old tyres, flower vases made from discarded electric kettles, and artistic figures of insects such as spiders and caterpillars.

Old wheelbarrows, poles, wooden logs, seed bins and even discarded vehicles have also been incorporated into the garden, turning everyday waste into objects of visual interest.

Director Floriculture Kashmir, Mathoora Masoom, said the project was conceived after the department noticed that several materials generated during routine gardening and maintenance were being discarded despite their potential for reuse.

“Nothing has been purchased from the market. Everything has been reused from our gardens and offices,” Masoom said.

She said the initiative seeks to demonstrate that waste can be transformed into something useful and attractive rather than simply discarded.

“We observed that items such as old tyres, fallen trees, seed bins and wooden logs were being discarded. Instead of treating them as waste, we decided to convert them into useful and attractive installations,” she said.

The project also aims to raise awareness, particularly among children, about recycling and responsible waste management. By combining flowers, greenery and recycled objects, the garden is designed to offer visitors an experience different from that of a conventional urban park.

Officials said materials have been sourced from gardens and tourist locations including Nishat, Shalimar, Pahalgam and Baramulla and creatively incorporated into the new space.

The initiative comes as cities increasingly explore ways to reduce waste while improving public spaces. In Srinagar, the department hopes the project will demonstrate how discarded materials can be integrated into the urban landscape instead of ending up in landfills.

“People should experience something different. The idea is that waste should not simply be collected but reused,” Masoom said.

The garden is expected to become an additional attraction for residents and tourists visiting the city centre while promoting the message of reuse and environmental responsibility.

J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah going around the waste to wonder garden

The project is part of the Floriculture Department’s broader efforts to introduce innovative themes and improve public gardens across Kashmir. If successful, the Waste Wonder concept could serve as a model for similar environmentally conscious projects in other public spaces across the Valley.

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With flowers emerging from old tyres and discarded objects taking on new forms, the garden carries a simple message: what is considered waste can, with imagination, be given a new life.