Srinagar, March 10 -- Kashmir's iconic and Asia's biggest Tulip Garden is expected to open for public from next week, at-least 7-10 days ahead of its usual schedule, while almond blossoms are in full bloom at Badamwari (the almond garden) in Srinagar marking the early arrival of spring this year amid a surge in tourist queries. "The Tulip Garden, most probably, would be opened next week. As the weather is hot, the garden opening will be opening ahead of its usual time by a few days," said director of the floriculture department, Mathoora Masoom. In 2025, garden was thrown open on March 26. Masoom said that preparations are underway with workers and gardeners working round the clock to ensure a major portion of the Tulip bulbs start blooming in the garden on the foothills of Zabarwan mountain range and overlooking the serene Dal lake. "This year 1.8 million tulips will bloom and besides that we have also increased the spring flowers which will also be an added attraction," she said. Alongside the tulip bloom, there are daffodils, hyacinths, roses, ranunculi, muscaria, and iris creating an enchanting tapestry of colours and fragrances. The garden has an annual budget of around 3 crores with three-fourth of the amount going into buying fresh tulip bulbs from Netherland. The officer said that tourists will get many surprises in the garden this year with handicrafts department installing various stalls of hand made crafts for the visitors. "We have also increased view points. There will also be painting competitions, photography competitions and reel competitions," she said. In recent years, the magnificent 4,500 kanal terraced garden on banks of Dal Lake in Srinagar laid in 2006 has caught the imagination of a large number of visitors from across the country and outside despite the garden remaining open for just a four-week window. Usually, the tulip bloom starts by late March. The average life of a tulip flower is 20 days and can stretch up to 25 with overall bloom getting extended by adding mid and late-blooming varieties of tulips. The temperature-sensitive flowers need mercury to stay above 15 degrees and below 25 degrees. In August 2023, the Tulip Garden earned a spot in World Book of Records (London) as Asia's largest. The garden witnessed footfall of over 4.65 lakh visitors, including locals, in 2024, up from over 3.7 lakh in 2023, 3.6 lakh visitors in 2022 and 2.3 lakh in 2021. "In 2025, we had recorded some 8 lakh tourists and local visitors in the garden," said Masoom. Tulip garden had given a perfect start to the tourism season in Kashmir valley last year but the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam on tourists had plunged the tourism sector into crisis. The Badamwari (or the almond garden) in Old City's Rainawari is witnessing a rush of people as the almond trees are in full bloom owing to above normal temperatures in Srinagar in February. The officials said they are working on turning Badamwari into a full-year tourist destination rather than focussing only on spring season. "I am in Badamwari and there is good rush of people- locals as well as outsiders. Not only the almonds but it is the bloom of spring flowers here this year," said Masoom. "We have grown narcissus, daffodils, pansies and even tulips here as well. We are also holding spring festival in coming days in Badamwari," she said. She said handicrafts and floriculture stalls will be on display in Badamwari....