Weekend escape: 9 best places to see spring flowers in Beijing
Photo: @crystalsjo/Unsplash.com
Get your flower fix at these petal-filled spots in and around the capital this long weekend
Beijing is bloomin' beautiful in April. With the long weekend approaching, put a spring in your step and check out the blossoms in these spots across the city. Note: we've made them also easily navigable via a handy map (thanks to the nifty WeChat) – if you click on the name of the location below. Get out there and make a day of it by ogling the blooms in all their glory
Where: Beijing International Sculpture Park and Tanzhe Temple
Why: More than 5,000 trees from nine varieties of white, yellow and magenta flowers are planted at Beijing's sculpture park. Get moving quickly to see the very short season of the majestic magnolia. Or for a different magnolia-viewing experience try the historic Tanzhe Temple, said to be the oldest in Beijing. The expansive grounds feature just two magnolia trees outside the Pilu Pavilion. Each tree is believed to be more than 200 years old.
2 Shijingshan Lu, Shijingshan district. Opening 7:30am-10pm daily. Entry 10RMB.
Tanzhe Shan, Mentougou district. Open 8.30am-4.30pm daily. Entry 50RMB.
Peach Blossoms
Where: The Beijing Botanical Garden
Why: The botanical garden boasts the largest collection of peach trees in Beijing with more than 70 varieties represented. Watch out for the Peach Blossom Festival which will bring the crowds but also pinpoints the best days to view the blooms. Pinggu is a 70km ride east of Beijing where some of China's sweetest peaches are grown. Peach blossoms herald the start of another peach season where 270 million kilograms of the fruit are harvested. There is no shortage of flowers here.
Wofosi Lu, Xiangshan, Haidian district. Open 6am-7pm, Tue-Sun (summer). Entry 5RMB.
Where: Jingshan Park
Why: No flower symbolises Beijing like the peony. It has even had an opera, The Peony Pavilion, written about it. See it for yourself at Jingshan Park behind the Forbidden City where they have been grown since the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) when the park was a private space for the royal family. Today more than 100 varieties of the huge peony blooms are on display each year. Note: Drop-in visits are not accepted at the moment and tickets must be purchased online a day in advance; for reservation, visit www.bjgyol.com.cn.
44 Jingshan Xi Lu, Xicheng district. Open 6.30am-8pm daily. Entry 2RMB.
Where: Taoranting Chinese Rose Garden
Why: Beijingers are spoilt with sightings of roses along most main roads and ring roads as we spin about the city and many parks feature beautiful displays. But if you want to take time to actually smell the roses and have an up-close look, then the rose garden in Taorangting Park offers 400 varieties in almost every colour. Note: Same as Jingshan Park, visitors are required to purchase tickets one day in advance at www.bjgyol.com.cn.
19 Taiping Jie, Xicheng District. Open 6am-9pm daily. Entry 2RMB.
Where: Jietai Temple and the Temple of Heaven
Why: Be quick to catch the short season of the lovely lilac at temples around the city. The beautiful purple or white flower is a symbol of purity and Jietai Temple has about 1,000 plants. The legend says a Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) emperor ordered trees to be replanted from the Old Summer Palace in the Jietai Temple. The well-known Temple of Heaven has a large grove of lilacs in its expansive garden. Note: Again, online reservations are required a day before entry.
1 Tiantan Dong Lu, Dongcheng district. Open 6.30am-9pm daily. Entry 15-35RMB.
2 Fushi Lu, Mentougou district. Open 8.30am-4.30pm. Entry 35RMB.
Where: Zhongshan Park
Why: The Dutch government gave many of these tulips to China in the 1970s and the park – which was built in 1421 during the Ming Dynasty as an imperial garden – remains a popular place to view the blooms. Enjoy the wisteria, bamboo and peonies in this park too.
4 Zhonghua Lu, Dongcheng district. Open 6am-9pm daily. Entry 3RMB.
Where: Fenghuangling Nature Park
Why: This park, also known as Phoenix Mountain, features hundreds of apricot trees that cloak the slopes in pink and white flowers. The park also has several Taoist, Confusionist and Buddhist temples and ancient cave sites.
19 Fenghuangling Lu, Haidian district. Open 7am-5.30pm daily. Entry 25RMB.
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