A street in Tehran’s northwestern district of Shahrak-e Quds is drawing a lot of attention from Tehranis as well as out-of-towners and travelers, as its sidewalk from the start to the end is covered with 30,000 tulips in tens of colors.
During the Iranian New Year (Norouz) holidays (March 19-April 1), the street became a popular spot for visitors from across the country as pictures of it went viral on social networks. People would drop by to take a walk, or pose for selfies with their loved ones.
The flower cover is, however, not a routine project of the state-run Tehran Beautification Organization. They were planted by a 37-year-old neighborhood resident, Houman Ardebili.
“I planted the tulips in memory of my mom who used to have a passion for flowers and gardening,” he told Mehr News Agency.
Ardebili, who currently practices medicine in the capital city, used to study nuclear medicine in the US before he dropped out and came back home. He also administers a company active in production and import of gardening material.
He lost his mother three years ago, and has ever since been planting flowers along his residential street every year in her memory. “I wanted to keep her memory alive by doing something people would appreciate greatly,” he says.
“In the first year, I planted 6,000 tulip bulbs, which I increased to 10,000 in the second, and 30,000 in the third year, and it always has been very well-received and encouraged.”
Floral Makeover
On the last day of the Norouz holidays known as “Sizdah Bedar” which coincides with the official National Nature Day holiday, nearly 2,000 people visited the street and enjoyed the floral makeover.
Sizdah Bedar is a traditional Iranian festival held annually on the 13th day of Farvardin (the first month of the Iranian calendar) during which people spend time picnicking outdoors.
In addition to creating a breathtaking view, Ardebili hopes to cultivate a culture of gardening among people.
“The positive energy that emanates from the street-long garden can be seen in the visitors’ surprised expressions,” Ardebili said. “The place has turned into a touristic site, and I’m sure it could encourage people to plant some flowers of their own.”
The entire development has cost the young doctor 400 million rials ($11,500). “Although I have paid for all costs from the first to the last step, I am grateful to District 2 Municipality for their cooperation in the process,” he said.
People also left notes on the walls along the sidewalk, telling the gardener how much they liked the arrangement, what it made them feel, or what it meant to them personally. “I’m hoping every citizen will be encouraged to do something similar on any scale which they can afford.”
