The Government Rose Garden on the slopes of Elk Hill claims to be the largest rose garden in India, with over 20,000 varieties spread across several terraced hectares. At 2,200 metres the climate suits roses as well as anywhere in the country, and the best-maintained sections are genuinely impressive — particularly in the pre-monsoon months of April and May when the flowering peaks coincide with the town's annual Flower Show.
The garden is more orderly than Ooty's older botanical garden, and less crowded in the mornings. A small walkway loops through the main beds and climbs to an upper terrace with views down over the Nilgiri Hills. Worth combining with the botanical garden if you have a full day.