PUNE: The popular flower exhibition 'Bud N Blooms', at Empress Garden will have a special attraction of Japanese Ikebana flower arrangements. Marking its 21st year, the exhibition will have more than 3,000 varieties of flowers, including 200 varieties of roses from across the state. The exhibition will be from January 25 to 28.

The exhibition will be inaugurated by Mukta Tilak, Pune mayor. Besides flower arrangements, it will have designs of plants, leaves, and flowers. There will be stalls having gardening instruments and medicines, fertilisers for sale.

There will also be bonsai plants among other attractions. It will take up social issues to spread awareness on topics like deforestation, extinct mountains in the State and extinct water resources. There will be competitions for designs made from flowers, leaves and plants from individual gardens.

Mona Pingle, who has done masters in Ikebana from Japan, is going to participate in making flower arrangements with her four colleagues. She said, “Every year we make different flower arrangements. This year we are going to make flower arrangements in the shape of flag and coins. Some of my other flower arrangements will be done with the help of wood blocks.”

There are programmes like a magic show, puppet show and others for children. There will be a handwriting competition.

Puneites can enjoy the authentic taste of hurda (jowar). People not only from the city but from Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Ranchi are also participating in the show.