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AS the sweet scent of nature encompasses the kingdom this week with the Riffa Views Bahrain International Garden Show (RVBIGS), the government of Taiwan has presented an aromatic and delicate Narcissus to Bahrain in the hope of introducing it to the gardens of the kingdom.
Narcissus bulbs were imported from Taiwan in October last year and are presently blooming in a Ministry of Agriculture nursery.
"The adaptive test proving that the Narcissus flower is able to grow in Bahrain from November to February has been successful.
"Over the next two to three years we will continue to grow the flower in the workshop and develop the cultivation technique specific to Bahrain. We will then transfer the knowledge to local farmers and nurseries which will eventually enable them to grow this scented flower locally," said Dr Wei-Ho Lin, head of Taiwan Technical Mission in Bahrain who also holds a doctorate in genetics and agriculture.
Each Narcissus bulb costs approximately 600 fils and it takes one month for the bulb to produce flowers which last for two weeks after which it will not bloom again in that season.
As an indoor blooming bud, its sweet scent pervades the entire space which horticulturalists say "is extremely pleasing" to the sensory system.
Another flower which is thriving in the Ministry of Agriculture nursery is known as the Poinsettia or the Christmas Star.
This has also been introduced to Bahrain by Taiwan and, currently like the Narcissus, it is being studied to grow locally. Although Poinsettia is not scented its red flower makes it an ideal festive plant. This is not the first time that Taiwan has introduced beautiful flowers to the kingdom.
Previously flowers such as the chrysanthemum, lisianthus, carnation, tuberose, gerbera and lily have undergone similar studies and eventually released to farmers and nurseries for commercial production.
