Botanical Garden at Ooty was established in 1847. The Marquis of Tweedale designed the layout and the work was carried out by William Graham Mclvor. It was originally intended for the cultivation of vegetables.

Spreading over 55 acres of land, it houses the rare species of trees like the monkey puzzle tree and the paper bark tree and 20 million year old fossilized tree. It also has many types of flowering bushes and ornamental plants.

The flower show is held during the month of May every year. The garden is under the control of the Horticulture Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu. The exotic and indigenous plants were preserved in their natural environment.

There are six sections of the Ooty Botanical Gardens namely Lower Garden, New Garden, Conservatory, Italian Garden, Fountain Terrace and Nurseries.

Lower Garden: It includes the lower lawn and the fern house with 127 species of ferns. The Indian map is designed on the lawn with selective plants and this is the main attraction here. Also there is a fossil trunk of 20 million years old perched on a pedestal.

New Garden: This recently developed garden consists of a rose garden, flowerbeds and natural ponds with aquatic plants.

Italian Garden: The war prisoners of Italy laid this garden after the First World War. There are some perennial flowering plants like dahlia, salvia and delphium that attract people. The crescent shaped lily pond houses various species of aquatic plants.

The Conservatory: It was constructed in 1912 and has many species flowering plants like Cineraria, Tydea, Chrysanthemum, Coleus, Gloxinia, Cyclamen, Balsam and Schizanthus. The marsh loving plants are kept on the east of the conservatory on the marshy soil.

The Nurseries: The nurseries are located at an altitude of 300 feet above the lower lawn and have eight glass houses.