World Environment Day 2026: Exploring the tree flora at Lok Bhavan Kerala

Key points

• Curiosity got the better of me and I shot off a request to explore one of the verdant spaces in Thiruvanathapuram — Lok Bhavan Kerala, the official residence of the Governor of Kerala.
• The heavily-guarded power centre, stretching across almost half the tree-lined Vellayambalam-Kowdiar stretch, has a treasure of tree flora and what better time to write about it than the World Environment Day.
• On the appointed day I make my way up the tarred avenue — it is a small climb as the buildings stand on a small hillock.
• I walk in with the knowledge that it has the first digitalised garden with QR codes among the Lok Bhavans in India.
• The sprawling 12-hectare green campus has 183 species of tree flora, as per the team that conducted digitalisation in 2019 during the tenure of Governor P Sathasivam.