Turkey’s biggest lotus park to open in Bolu
BOLU – Anadolu Agency
A 7,300-square-meter “Lotus Flower and Bonsai Art Park,” which will be home to Turkey’s biggest lotus breeding pond with 200 different types of endemic lotus flowers, plants and trees indigenous to the city and a bonsai greenhouse, will be opened by the end of this summer to nature enthusiasts on the northwestern province of Bolu’s Alpağutbey neighborhood. The Lotus Flower and Bonsai Art Park project was initiated by the Bolu Municipality and the city’s well-known nature and tourism entrepreneur Belgin Özer.
The project is designed in an attempt to introduce endemic plants, flowers, and wildlife of the province to the world, the Bolu Municipality said in a statement. It will offer visitors fresh scenery by means of its four season long green trees and colorful visual performances composed of the unique lotus flower that will grow in the center.
Bolu Mayor Alaattin Yılmaz said they are building a specially designed 1,160-square-meter pool for the lotus in the center of the park.
“It will be Turkey’s biggest lotus pool. The world’s richest lotus flower collector, businessman Hüseyin Usta has donated 200 kinds of lotus flowers to our province. The pool is designed especially to bring the full view of the flowers to the fore. Therefore, we will create 104 separate sections in the pool with different heights that are suitable for the maximum growing height of different lotuses. The pool’s water will be supplied by the park area’s ground waters,” said Yılmaz.
Besides the lotus flowers, another important flower of the park which the authorities will focus on will be roses.
At the first stage, Gallicas, Floribunda, Rosa Chinensis (Chinese Rose) and Centifolia Roses, which are typical to the area, will be planted.
Yılmaz said the Lotus Flower and Bonsai Art Park will also attract the fishing and endemic animal’s enthusiasts. He gave the Abant Trout as an example. “We will also breed the Abant Trout in the small pools of our park. This species comes from the Salmonidae family and grows only in Turkey. Abant Trout, one of the world’s four basic trout species, is known to be one of Bolu’s unique richness,” noted Yılmaz.
Yılmaz said they will grow different types of trees in the park. “In order to successfully transfer the endemic fruit trees of Bolu to the future generations, we will plant the chestnut plum, a type of red plum ‘burnu kızıl eriği’ and ‘miskici elması,’ which are unique to the area,” he added.
Growing bonsai trees and educating people about this special tree treatment is another major project for the park.
Yılmaz talked about the acceptance of bonsai trees as a piece of art in the world, saying their sale prices ranged between 500 and 4,000 Turkish Liras. He said they will introduce this special treatment to their visitors in their park.
“There will be a 100-square-meter wide Turkey’s first bonsai tree production center inside the park. Since the climate in Bolu requires special arrangements for the growth of bonsai trees, we are also building a bonsai greenhouse,” said Yılmaz.
“Bolu’s endemic plants such as the maple tree and scotch pine will be grown in our park for the first time in the form of a bonsai tree, and from our park they will be introduced to the world. Our experts will organize courses at the bonsai production center and teach the bonsai techniques to trainees. This way, we will be creating a new line of business in Turkey’s first bonsai greenhouse,” he said.
The park will contain many versatile facilities when it opens. It will have small groves formed of pine, oak, linden, maple and spruce trees for walking.
On a 380-square-meter area, a playground for children, and fitness equipment for adults are planned to be built and placed. Besides, on a 300-square-meter ground, a cafeteria and a wooden hut will be built to host visitors.
Another pleasant surprise for the visitors will be the white pigeons nurtured in the park. “Some 50 white pigeons, which will fly at particular hours, will spread the message of peace to the world,” said Yılmaz.
