From wedding garlands and celebratory bouquets to ceremonial showers for revered guests, the fragrant blooms of Pakistan's gardens touch every corner of daily life. Flowers are also the raw material for perfumes, essential oils, and decorative exports, making them a versatile and economically valuable resource.
Amid this rich floral culture, 28-year-old plant seller Qadir Shah tends to rows of young Gul-e-Dawoodi saplings glistening under the mild winter sun at a small nursery in Tarnab, Peshawar's floriculture hub.
Qadir, inherited the family business, is busy watering, trimming, and preparing thousands of plants ordered by educational institutions — including schools, colleges, universities — and public offices across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for December's Gul-e-Dawoodi exhibitions.
With the annual flowers exhibition at historic Islamia College Peshawar around the corner, Qadir and his two helpers have little room for pause. "All the ordered stock will be ready by the end of this month," he says, brushing soil off his hands. "We even import Gul-e-Dawoodi saplings from Pattoki, Kasur district, to meet winter demand."
Read more at The Express Tribune
