taying with the family of Iftikhar-ul Haq in Wimbledon, back in 2005, I happened to use our host’s computer. It promptly belched out a return ticket for two to Birmingham.

We had to reach Victoria station where a red double-decker bus was waiting. It reminded us of the times (1950s-60s) when nearly all omnibuses that plied on Lahore’s clean, smooth roads were painted in cream and blue colours.

We climbed the spiral staircase with a convex mirror fixed at the corner of the bus’s upper storey. Once out of the historic districts of London, it was pristine clean everywhere. No buildings lined the highway. Occasionally, a pre-War car in olive green waved at us.

The panoramic view from the rooftop was quite a ride into the fairyland. Besides, the air was unbelievably fragrant. Foxes were seen chasing some smaller creatures. A rabbit was tragically run over by a moving vehicle.

There were birds somersaulting for us, and pretending to attract the attention of flamingoes. When environmental laws are enforced and pollutants are not allowed and the land is not concretised it is pure nature for all living beings to revel in. How a small nation, inhabiting a small island, has managed to control the quality of life is worth appreciating. Water was almost potable with schools of fish swimming merrily. Waterfowl too landed without the fear of being shot at or trapped. The word ‘smog’ didn’t seem to exist.

As our double-decker entered the yard, medicated water sanitised the tires lest any infectious microbes should enter the city. As we descended and collected our light luggage, our host Dr Azmat Saeed greeted us. His residence was in Admiral Nelson’s estate. It had been given to him after the Battle of Trafalgar. This was a very large tract of land with lots of greenery. There was no burning of dry leaves left after pruning, as is done in Pakistan. The idea is to let them rot and turn into compost.

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Birmingham has some very impressive botanical gardens, glasshouses and aquariums. A visit to the centrally located museum brought us face to face with a painting by Anwar Jalal Shemza. It was a matter of pride that our compatriot’s work had found a place in a prestigious museum. But our main interest was in the overall ambience of the city. A guide map available for free came in handy with “You are here” as a good first step. Buses leading to the various botanical gardens and the Birmingham University were clearly indicated.

There was an immense green cover everywhere we looked. The pamphlet also claimed that it was the Garden of the World. (Plants and people are partners for life; indeed, that’s what we need to understand and adopt here in Pakistan.)

Westbourne Road and Harborne Road are the main attractions towards which tourist signs guide. These gardens are open every day until dusk. More help could be sought on their website. With the various traffic signs and forecast, it seemed easy to drive through the city even for a foreigner. The pedestrians, too, had the right of way. The cyclists enjoyed the privilege of peddling in the middle of the road where a bicycle motif appeared indicating their domain. Of course, with no pollutants and green cover everywhere one enjoyed the ride no end.

A visit to the aquarium was on top of my priority list. (Breaking news: On June 2, 2023, thousands upon thousands of fish in Rawal Dam were reported dead because of some poisoning substance used by the contractor during off-season. No news of the culprits’ arrest, in this season of mass arrests.)

The aquarium was the most enjoyable journey — 80,000 leagues under the sea. Fish were seen following their way of life. With white ‘balloons’ showing through, they needed to protrude out of water to catch their breath. Their somersaulting exposed their delicate silver scales along their curvaceous bodies. Even the novices could observe their feeding habits.

Even though the space seemed limited the facility had been ably designed and managed by the team from the Fisheries Department. One got to see clearly several species that one can rarely spot in deep water bodies.

Glasshouses are a unique study of the various climates around the world. In this variation one could see the effect of the weathers throughout the world. One could feel and observe flora of the tropical rain forests, the Mediterranean and desert regions. (Maybe those warning about climate change can spot some convincing arguments in this.)

Some gardens included waterfalls. Rose Garden and Herbaceous Garden were worth exploring for the fragrance alone. Another garden with a steady clean water stream zigzagging through let you enjoy the water fowls and exotic birds. “Aren’t the birds brilliant?” I overheard someone saying. In such a friendly environment, the birds flocking together were happily singing the hymns of their choice.

There are several lectures on allied topics in different venues. There was one quite befitting the exploration of the gardens: Bird Life at Your Doorstep. A catalogue on comprehensive programmes was available at the entrances of most gardens giving information about the various events throughout the year, with emphasis on the education of children.

Garden walkabouts and demonstrations happened on fixed dates and hours. There was a nominal fee for the children, though their mothers were allowed in for free. Bring a Picnic was of great help.

We missed the City of Birmingham Brass Band. Being a PP Rotarian, I wanted to contribute some news about the Lahore Conservation Society’s early successes and later failures, but the venue was not clear to me. However, many functions by the Rotary International were listed in the pamphlets.

Bonsai and cactus collections and training could be seen in some gardens. Nearly all the gardens had frequent programmes for children. Being a training arena, children were required to wear rough clothes, bring their lunch and any medicine required. (In my honest opinion, Shalamar Bagh is the best in the world.)

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Soon it was time for us to leave for London. Our host gifted us a USB with limited storage capacity. It was considered a marvel in those days. It’s still in my possession.

A printout of return ticket facilitated us to climb the double-decker, and once again we started enjoying the panoramic verdant view. A couple was loudly narrating how their respective grandmothers had found their spouses right after the War when there was an acute shortage of eligible husbands. Anwar Jalal Shemza was, thus, hooked by Mary Katrina. They were blessed with two daughters, namely, Hanna and Tasveer. (For more about Shemza, see Page 129, Red Tape Laurels for Shemza, The Pakistan Times dated November 1, 1985; ref.: “Some columns from Pakistan Times.”)

Post script: Shalamar Gardens has been handed over to the Walled City of Lahore Authority by the caretaker chief minister of the Punjab.

(This dispatch is dedicated to Anwar Jalal Shemza)

The writer is a painter, a founding member of Lahore Conservation Society and Punjab Artists Association, and a former director of NCA Art Gallery. He can be reached at ajazart@brain.net.pk