It is spread over in an area of 25 hectares and located in the heart of Lucknow city, the capital of Uttar Pradesh along southern bank of river Gomti at 26^o55' N Latitude, 80^o59^'E Longitude and at an altitude of 113 m.
 

NBRI Botanic Garden surrounds within its limits, the historical "Sikander Bagh" laid out around 1800 A.D. as a royal garden by Nawab Saadat Ali Khan and later adapted by Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, the last king of Avadh, during the first half of 19th century. It was Nawab Wajid Ali Shah who gave to the garden its name "Sikander Bagh", after his favourite queen, Sikander Mahal Begum.

Presently the NBRI Botanic Garden serves as 'A National Facility' with three main functions viz.: conservation, education and bio-aesthetics with following objectives:
 

• The Botanic Garden has rich genetic comprising germplasm, collection of trees, shrubs and herbs of ornamental, economic, medicinal, aromatic and rare importance, hailing from the indigenous and exotic sources of various tropical and subtropical regions.
• It serves as a centre for the research and study on a diversity of various plant groups.
• Caters the academic requirements of a large number of teachers and students for botanical studies.
• Provides bioaesthetic services to the cross section of the society.

Diversified plant wealth of the Botanic garden is displayed in the Arboretum, Conservatory, Cactus and Succulent House, Fern House, Bonsai Section. Besides, it serves as a reference centre for the plant resources of Gladiolus and Bougainvillea cultivars.
 

NBRI evolved cultivars: 'Archna', 'Arun', 'Rashmi', 'Surekha', 'Tambari' and 'Usha'. Recently two new very attractive Gladiolus cultivars: 'Neelima' and 'Urvashi' have been released in 2006. Standardized agro-technology for Gladiolus cultivation under the subtropical conditions.
 

The Institute has evolved 20 new cultivars: 'Shubra', 'Begum Sikander', 'Wajid Ali Shah', ' Mary Palmer Special', 'Chitra', 'Hawain Beauty', 'Arjuna', 'Los Banos Variegata' etc.
 

Spread in an area of 765 sq. m having 50 species of palms viz.: Arenga pinnata, Caryota mitis, C. urens, Chamaedorea elegans, C. stolonifera, Elaeis guinensis, Licuala grandis, Livistona chinensis, Phoenix reclinata, Ptychosperma macarthurii, Thrinax barbadensis, T. excelsa and Washingtonia filifera etc.
 

An arch-shaped plant house, covering an area of 1370 sq. m., is meant for house plants from tropical and sub tropical climates. There are nearly 350 species/cultivars of house plants. Noteworthy taxa are: Bambusa ventricosa, Fatsia japonica, Ginkgo biloba, Helicona rostrata, Hoya carnosa and Vanilla planifolia. Besides there is a large collection of Aglaonema, Alocasia, Asparagus, Calathea, Chlorophytum, Codiaeum, Dieffenbachia, Dracaena, Peperomia, Philodendron, Pandanus and Syngonium etc.
 

It is a pagoda shaped glass house for maintaining germplasm collection of cacti and succulents from arid regions and centrally located in 284 sq.m. area with about 300 species/varieties. Some notable taxa are: Adenium obesum, Agave stricta, Beaucarnea recurvata, Cereus grandiflorus, Cotyledon orbiculata, Dyckia remotifolia, Echinocactus grusonii, Furcraea foetida medio-picta, Gasteria maculata, Haworthia fasciata, Mammillaria echinata, Melocactus nerye, Nolina stricta, Notonia gradiflora, Opuntia microdasys "Albida", O. vulgaris "Variegata", Pereskia aculeata, P. bleo, Stapelia gigantea, Yucca aloeifolia as well as some grafted cacti specimens.

A unique gymnosperm, Welwitschia mirabilis known as "Tree Tumbo" has been introduced from NBI, Kirstenbosch, RSA. This species has only 2 leaves throughout its life-span (over 500 years) which elongate continuously in opposite direction. It is very important from educational and evolutionary point of view and considered as a bizarre in plant kingdom. It grows wild in Namib desert of South Africa along the coastal line.
 

It is a pyramidal shape house covering an area of 400 sq. m. A germplasm collection of 65 species of ferns and fern allies is maintained in the fern house. Notable among these are: Adiantum cappillus-veneris, A. hispidulum, Blechnum occidentale, Equisetum debile, Lygodium flexusum, Microsorium alternifolium, Nephrolepis cordifolia, N. tuberosa, Ophioglossum reticulatum, Psilotum nudum and Pteris cretica cv. 'Albolineata' etc.
 

A rich collection of nearly 300 specimens of bonsai is maintained. Some of them are more than 40 years old. The notable ones are: Achrus sapota, Adansonia za, Bombax palmeri, Callistemon citrinus, Citrus microcarpa, Drypetes roxburghii, Ficus benjamina 'nuda, F. indica, F. infectoria, Ficus 'Long Island', F. tsiela, Morinda tinctoria, Portulacaria afra, Psidium guajava, Punica granatum, besides a large number of Bougainvillea cultivars as bonsai in wide range of colours.
 

• Chrysanthemum & Coleus Show [Dec.]
• Rose & Gladiolus Show [Jan. - Feb.]

• Member of BGCI, UK and International Association of Botanic Gardens (IABG)
• Exchange relations with nearly 150 Botanic Gardens/Arboreta all over the world for continual enrichment of existing plant resources.

Research Papers: 650
Books: Bougainvillea, House Plants
Bulletin: Annuals, Gladiolus, Marigold, Tuberose, Home Garden, Kitchen Garden, Brochure of Botanic Garden and Index Seminum.