The Shanghai Botanical Garden in Xuhui District will present a sea of flowers from Thursday with the opening of the Shanghai International Flower Show.

The show will feature a courtyard display, a horticulture exhibition, diversified plant-related activities and 40 hectares of flowers, including peach blossom, tulip, peony and magnolia. 

The theme flowers of the exhibition are amaryllis and ranunculus asisticus, both featuring large petals and brilliant colors. More than 80 varieties of amaryllis from home and abroad will be displayed in an artistic manner, together with 10 species of ranunculus asisticus.

The flower show attracts participants from countries including Switzerland, Thailand, Denmark, France and Belgium.

In the courtyard section, Chinese and foreign horticulturists have arranged a variety of family gardens. In A Tiny Home Garden designed by Swiss horticulturist Olivier Laboureur, chemical fertilizers have been replaced by natural organic fertilizers made by kitchen waste compositing. 

There are not only colorful flowers and plants, a typical Swiss Alps wooden cabin and fresh vegetables, but also an "insect hotel" where beneficial insects are hosted. 

The Fairy Garden designed by Danish horticulturist Marie Amalie Hoegh features tulips, dahlias, lavenders and Chinese roses. The timber-framed house takes people back to a quiet and calm time. Its design draws inspiration from the designer's childhood with her family in their home garden. 

An exhibition featuring nearly 100 bonsai, an orchid exhibition with rare species and a grass exhibition are also part of the show. Some new plants such as Dutch iris and clematis are exhibited.

There will also be flower arrangement, a horticulture salon, Chinese herbal medicine tours, a Swiss plant photo exhibition, culture and arts festival, nature observation, lectures and a horticulture bazaar.

Bilingual guide services will be provided during the show, which will run through May 5.

Read more:

HK Flower Show 2019 kicks off with 420,000 flowers on display

(Cover: 2018 Shanghai International Flower Show, March 22, 2018. /VCG Photo)