Flower lovers who want to visit Luoyang, dubbed the City of Peonies, may have to make their trip ahead of schedule as the city is witnessing an early blooming this year.

The unexpectedly warm spring has forced the multi-colored flowers to blossom eight to 10 days earlier this spring.

Peonies grow everywhere in this central China town, in Henan Province, which was known as the capital for a dozen ancient dynasties and boasts a history of 1,000 years of peony planting.

Since March 23, flowers have been blooming in the streets, attracting large numbers of local residents and tourists. There are some 30,000 peony plants in the streets, according to local sources.

Local experts are trying hard to postpone the blossom of peonies in local parks, in an effort to entertain the large number of tourists who are expected to visit the city during the annual Peony Flower Festival in the middle of April.

( March 3, 2002)