Under the arrangement of the Ministry of Forestry, ceremonies to mark the Diamond Jubilee of the National Kandawgyi Gardens of the Ministry of Forestry, and the opening of the First Flower Festival and the National Landmarks Garden were held at the respective venues in PyinOoLwin on 15 December morning. A large number of people visited the gardens on the opening day. It was prepared to display the Diamond Jubilee Flower Festival of National Kandawgyi Park in Pyinoolwin with exotic 2.4 million colorful flowers that is to be held from 10 to 20 December and also planned to broadcast the song marking the Flower Festival. The Botanical Garden was established on 1917 by the helping hand of Charlottle Wheler Cuffe of England and adapted its name as National Kandawgyi Park by 2000s. At the time of its establishment covered only 150 acres but now it sprawls as mush as 436.96 acres.

Plans are made to hold the festivals for a month and fun fairs and musical entertainments were held starting from 14 December. The opening of National Landmarks Garden was crowded with people.

Prior to the opening of the festivals, various kinds of flowers were on display, and the venues were decorated with balloons and miniature flags. At night also, the National Kandawgyi Gardens and the National Landmarks Garden were illuminated.

Families strolled along the roads in the National Landmarks Garden and had photos taken and some were on Buggies to visit around the garden.

Situated in Pyin Oo Lwin Township, 3605 feet above sea level and 44 miles by road from Mandalay, National Kandawgyi Botanical Gardens is a national pride of the people of Myanmar as it attracts tens of thousands of visitors from local as well as abroad.

Because of its fascinating sceneries of forests, flowers, grassland and takes, National Kandawgyi Botanical Gardens is very popular for recreation and relaxation particularly in summer. Having 36'C of minimum temperature and an annual rainfall of 1600mm the prevailing weather is mild creating blossom of flowering plants in all seasons and therefore is known as flower city in Myanmar.

In the initial stages, series of water ponds were constructed along with beautifully designed landscape of grasslands, amall gardens and natural forests. It gained the recognition by the Government in 1917 and there after Forest Department was handed over of the responsibility in 1920. The Gorvenment issued a nitification declaring the garden with 240 acres of area as Government Botanical Reserve in 1924 with the following objectives:

*Lovers of plants and abstract beauty
*Men of science
*People interested commercially and domestically in applied

Flower garden in winter, summer and rainy seasons, orchid garden, rock garden as well as Dahlia and Rose Gardens give additional beauty to the surrounding. The garden eams reputation among her sister gardens around the world. According to resords of 1942 there were 178 collections of orchid species.

With the interest and supports of the Head of the State Senior General Than Shwe, the National Kandawgyi Botanical Garden was upgraded in the year 2000 so as to provide the greatest satisfaction of the visitors. In particular, bungalows, guesthoses and other facilities for recreation and enjoyment as well as for knowledge gaining such as additional collection of plant species of local and overseas were made. Globally rare species, which are endemic to Myanmar are also kept in the Garden for the public amusement.

Moreover, rare and globally endangered wild animals such as hog deer, birds of pheasant and waterfowls are carefully lookedafter for publicattraction in the garden.