Trees of Lodhi Garden

Trees Of Lodhi Garden

Dr Anindita Roy ( Ph.D), 9818541252

Design Educator, Heritage Wanderer, Cultural Researcher

The verifiable clusters of the oldest trees in Lodhi Garden, especially in relation to the major monuments — based on what’s been reported by NDMC officials and local horticultural records:

Old Tree Clusters Around Key Monuments

1. Bara Gumbad Complex (Big Dome Area)

📍 Location: Central lawn near Bara Gumbad and adjacent mosque structures.

• Oldest documented tree: A large Peepal (Ficus religiosa) near Bara Gumbad is widely reported as the oldest in the garden — estimated at 80+ years old based on horticulture department memory and bark growth observations.
• This tree stands in a mature cluster of large shade species (Peepal, Banyan) around the mosque, guesthouse (Majlis Khana), and Bada Gumbad courtyard.

👉 Fact: The Peepal by Bara Gumbad predates most planted avenues and likely was part of early garden layout plantings from the 1930s.

 

2. Sheesh Gumbad Area (Western Lawn)

📍 Location: Near Sheesh Gumbad, facing Bara Gumbad across lawns.

• This section has clusters of mature Neem, Jamun, and Banyan trees that are among the older, established large trees — typically 70–90 years old based on tree size and planting era.
• Some large mango trees in this quadrant (near lawns) have also been locally noted as heritage specimens and likely planted in the mid–20th century.

 

3. Sikandar Lodi Tomb Zone (North-West)

📍 Location: Around Tomb of Sikandar Lodi and adjacent pathways.

• Older shade trees like Neem, Arjun, Pilkhan (Ficus virens) line paths near the tomb enclosure; many date back to the initial 1936 garden plan, so they’re roughly 85–90 years old.
• These clusters are linked with walking paths and benches — likely part of the original British-era layout.

 

4. Around Muhammad Shah Sayyid Tomb & Glasshouse (South-East)

📍 Location: Vicinity of Muhammad Shah Sayyid Tomb and the adjacent Glasshouse area.

• Here too, Peepal and Banyan clusters are among the older trees — planted early in the garden’s development. Exact age estimates are similar — around 80–90 years.
• This area also transitions into Rose Garden and Bamboo zones, where more recent plantings (20–60 years) occur.

 

📌 Summary (with approximate ages)

Monument/Cluster	Dominant Old Trees	Approx. Age
Bara Gumbad Peepal cluster	Peepal, Banyan	~80+ yrs
Sheesh Gumbad section	Neem, Jamun, Mango	~70–90 yrs
Sikandar Lodi Tomb area	Neem, Arjun, Pilkhan	~85–90 yrs
Muhammad Shah Sayyid zone	Peepal, Banyan	~80–90 yrs

 

📍 FACTS YOU CAN VISIT & CHECK

✔ Many older trees now have QR tags installed — scanning them in person at these clusters shows botanical name and some age data.
✔ The specimen Peepal near Bara Gumbad is often cited by horticultural workers as the garden’s “oldest large intact tree.”
✔ There are also heritage mango trees (70–80 years old) around the lawns near Sheesh Gumbad and lake zone.

 

National Bonsai Park ( near Gate 1) — Overview

• The National Bonsai Park was developed within Lodhi Garden in April 1996 with support from the Indian Bonsai Association and the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC).
• It is designed in a Japanese style and is open to the public without any entry fee.

🌿 What You’ll Find There

• The park displays a large collection of bonsai trees, with specimens anywhere from about 10 to 50 years old — these are actual miniature trees cultivated through careful pruning and training.
• Bonsai species include Ficus benghalensis (banyan), Ficus benjamina, Ficus glomerata, Ficus infectoria, Pongamia glabra, Grevillea robusta and others in small-container form.
• The layout typically includes rows or aisles of bonsai plants displayed on stands or low plinths so visitors can observe their form up close.

 

🌿 Herbal Garden – Lodhi Garden ( near Gate 1 & Gate 3)

The Herbal Garden inside Lodhi Garden was developed by NDMC as an educational medicinal-plant section. The planting  includes commonly documented Ayurvedic, Unani and indigenous medicinal species suited to Delhi’s climate.

NEW DELHI MUNICIPAL COUNCIL

Herbal Garden

1.   Abutilon indicum
Common: Kanghi / Atibala
Used in: Piles, ulcers, toothache, gums, fever

2.   Acacia nilotica
Common: Keekar, Desi Babool
Used in: Skin diseases, blood dysentery, wound healing, gargle

3.   Achyranthes aspera
Common: Chirchita / Latjeera
Used in: Cough, cold, toothache, scabies, piles, dysentery, skin diseases

4.   Acorus calamus
Common: Vacha
Used in: Dyspepsia, colic, cough, throat disorder, calculi, nerve tonic

5.   Adhatoda vasica
Common: Adusa
Used in: Cough, chronic bronchitis, asthma, rheumatism, respiratory disorders

6.   Aegle marmelos
Common: Bilv / Bel Patra
Used in: Diarrhea, dysentery, diabetes, jaundice

7.   Aloe barbadensis
Common: Aloe Vera / Ghrit Kumari
Used in: Piles, ear diseases, cough, cold, menstrual disorder, constipation, fever, uterus stimulant

8.   Andrographis paniculata
Common: Kalmegh
Used in: Hepatomegaly, anorexia, malaria, skin diseases, blood purifier

9.   Annona squamosa
Common: Sitaphal / Sharifa
Used in: Cancer, tumor, ulcers, cold, rheumatism, fever

10.                     Argyreia speciosa
Common: Vidhara
Used in: Rheumatoid arthritis, cough, fever, chronic ulcers, eczema, skin diseases, wounds

11.                     Asparagus racemosus
Common: Shatavari
Used in: Acidity, ulcer, reduces blood pressure, anticancer, headache

12.                     Bacopa monnieri
Common: Jal Neem / Neer Brahmi
Used in: Dyspepsia, cough, fever, less memory, tension, blood purifier, epilepsy

13.                     Barleria prionitis
Common: Peela Vasa
Used in: Abdominal disorder, fever, cough, dropsy, toothache, paralysis

14.                     Bauhinia variegata
Common: Kachnaar
Used in: Diabetes, obesity, skin diseases, intestinal worms, asthma, tuberculosis

15.                     Berberis aristata
Common: Daru Haldi
Used in: Malaria, indigestion, skin disease, jaundice

16.                     Boerhavia diffusa
Common: Lal Punarnava
Used in: Asthma, anemia, jaundice, scanty urine, epilepsy, heart disease

17.                     Bryophyllum calycinum
Common: Patharchoor
Used in: Ulcers, diarrhea, dysentery, tuberculosis, cholera, calculi, bleeding

18.                     Calotropis procera
Common: Aak / Madar
Used in: Skin diseases, leucoderma, eczema, ulcer, piles, cough, asthma

19.                     Catharanthus roseus
Common: Sadabahar
Used in: Leukemia, breast & bladder cancer, pediatric tumor, cardiac tonic, diabetes

20.                     Centella asiatica
Common: Mandukparni / Centella
Used in: Skin disease, nervous disorder, memory enhancer, leprosy

21.                     Cestrum nocturnum
Common: Raat Ki Rani
Used in: Asthma, anemia, spasmodic

22.                     Cissus quadrangularis
Common: Hadjod
Used in: Piles, union of fractures, irregular menstruation, asthma, scurvy

23.                     Clitoria ternatea
Common: Aparajita
Used in: Leprosy, headache, snake poison, fever, arthritis, insanity, migraine

24.                     Crinum asiaticum
Common: Sudarshan
Used in: Piles, ear-ache, arthritic, skin diseases, throat disorder, fever

25.                     Coleus barbatus
Common: Ajwain Patta
Used in: Digestive system, acidity

26.                     Curcuma amada
Common: Aam Haldi
Used in: Skin diseases, diabetes, itching, blood purifier, lowering blood cholesterol

27.                     Curcuma domestica
Common: Haldi
Used in: Cold, cough, scabies, diabetes, jaundice, liver tonic, leucoderma, anemia

28.                     Cynodon dactylon
Common: Doob Ghas
Used in: Chronic diarrhea, dysentery, diabetes, cancer, eczema, impotency

29.                     Cymbopogon citratus
Common: Citronella / Lemon Grass
Used in: Respiratory system

30.                     Datura metel
Common: Kala Dhatura
Used in: Ulcer, skin disease, insanity, calculi, hyperacidity

 

 

🏛 1. Pre-Garden Phase (15th–16th Century)

Before it became a garden, the area was a necropolis of the Sayyid and Lodhi dynasties.

Key monuments:

• Muhammad Shah Sayyid Tomb (c. 1444)
• Sikandar Lodi Tomb (c. 1517)
• Bara Gumbad & Shish Gumbad (late 15th century)

At that time, it was not a landscaped garden but open land around tomb structures.

 

🌳 2. British Era Transformation (1930s)

• In 1936, during British rule, the area was landscaped and named “Lady Willingdon Park”, after the wife of the then Viceroy.
• The garden was designed in a formal, colonial style, with sweeping lawns, tree-lined pathways, and axial planning.
• Many ornamental and avenue trees were planted during this phase.

 

🇮🇳 3. Post-Independence Phase (After 1947)

• Renamed Lodhi Garden.
• Additional native and exotic species were introduced.
• In the 1960s–70s, noted architect Joseph Allen Stein redesigned portions, softening the rigid colonial layout and making it more ecological and naturalistic.
• Development of:
• Palm corner
• Bamboo groves
• Rose garden
• Herbal garden
• National Bonsai Park

 

🌲 How Old Are the Trees in Lodhi Garden?

The trees fall into three broad age categories:

🌿 1. Original Planted Trees (1930s)

• Many large avenue trees like Neem, Peepal, Jamun, Ashoka, Sheesham date back to the initial landscaping.
• These trees are approximately 85–90 years old.

🌳 2. Post-Independence Additions (1950s–1980s)

• Several ornamental species like Tabebuia, Silver Oak, Magnolia, Cassia varieties.
• These are roughly 40–70 years old.

🌲 3. Much Older Native Survivors

• A few Peepal and Banyan trees may predate the British landscaping.
• Some of these could be 100–150+ years old, though exact dating varies.

 

🌿 Ecological Significance Today

• Around 7,000+ trees
• Over 200 species
• Acts as a heritage–ecology interface: Sultanate tombs within a designed urban forest.

Pre-Garden Phase (15th–16th Century)

Before it became a garden, the area was a necropolis of the Sayyid and Lodhi dynasties.

Key monuments:

• Muhammad Shah Sayyid Tomb (c. 1444)
• Sikandar Lodi Tomb (c. 1517)
• Bara Gumbad & Shish Gumbad (late 15th century)

At that time, it was not a landscaped garden but open land around tomb structures.

 

🌳 2. British Era Transformation (1930s)

• In 1936, during British rule, the area was landscaped and named “Lady Willingdon Park”, after the wife of the then Viceroy.
• The garden was designed in a formal, colonial style, with sweeping lawns, tree-lined pathways, and axial planning.
• Many ornamental and avenue trees were planted during this phase.

 

🇮🇳 3. Post-Independence Phase (After 1947)

• Renamed Lodhi Garden.
• Additional native and exotic species were introduced.
• In the 1960s–70s, noted architect Joseph Allen Stein redesigned portions, softening the rigid colonial layout and making it more ecological and naturalistic.
• Development of:
• Palm corner
• Bamboo groves
• Rose garden
• Herbal garden
• National Bonsai Park

 

🌲 How Old Are the Trees in Lodhi Garden?

The trees fall into three broad age categories:

🌿 1. Original Planted Trees (1930s)

• Many large avenue trees like Neem, Peepal, Jamun, Ashoka, Sheesham date back to the initial landscaping.
• These trees are approximately 85–90 years old.

🌳 2. Post-Independence Additions (1950s–1980s)

• Several ornamental species like Tabebuia, Silver Oak, Magnolia, Cassia varieties.
• These are roughly 40–70 years old.

🌲 3. Much Older Native Survivors

• A few Peepal and Banyan trees may predate the British landscaping.
• Some of these could be 100–150+ years old, though exact dating varies.

 

🌿 Ecological Significance Today

• Around 7,000+ trees
• Over 200 species
• Acts as a heritage–ecology interface: Sultanate tombs within a designed urban forest.