EverSpring has definitely sprung here in Beijing-hooray! With the weather warming up and flowers beginning to bloom, there is no better time to check out Beijing’s Botanical Garden.
The Beijing Botanical Garden is situated at the foot of West Hill (Xi Shan) in the suburbs of Beijing; escape the busy Beijing crowds and spend a relaxing day or afternoon exploring the natural scenery and beautifully maintained gardens. The garden opened in 1956 and there are around 200 hectares currently open to the public. This includes plant collections, 11 outdoor themed gardens, a lake, an exhibition greenhouse, and a nature reserve. A trip to the Botanical Garden is inexpensive (10RMB for adults, 5RMB for students) and the grounds are well-signposted. You can head to the recently-renovated visitor center if you want to buy a cheap English brochure and map (as well as postcards and souvenirs).
(For more information on traveling to the Beijing Botanical Garden check out this website.)
Blossom
The Botanical Garden is well worth a visit in spring as this is the time that China’s lovely blossom appears. The Beijing Botanical Garden is well known for its peach trees that blossom from early April to May. The garden holds the largest collection of peach blossoms in northern China, so it is fair to say that the scenery is rather spectacular. There are many different kinds of peach trees including ornamental peach trees, peach trees that bear big peaches, and chrysanthemum peach trees. During the springtime, the garden is laden with romantic blooms and intoxicating fragrances.
The Exhibition Greenhouse
The Beijing Exhibition Greenhouse is the largest in Asia, occupying a whopping 9,800 square meters. The greenhouse is divided into the rain forest room, the desert plant room, and other rooms where there are pineapple plants and carnivorous plants. There are thousands of types of plants in the Exhibition Greenhouse, so don’t miss this amazing spot!
All in all, this tourist attraction is a great way to get outdoors this spring and see a different part of Beijing. If you do go, then enjoy! (The park has some amazing reviews, see for yourself here.)