Shenzhen underwent a record cold snap during the past Spring Festival, which postponed the blooming of some flowers. Now mid-March is the ideal time to appreciate the beauty of different flowers whose blooming seasons overlap. The roses in the People's Park, the azaleas in the East Lake Park and the peach flowers in the Fairy Lake Botanical Garden are highly recommended.

People's Park

The park is the only rose-themed park in Shenzhen and its garden is one of five cultivation bases registered by the National Rose Association.

Located in the downtown area of Luohu District, the park features over 50,000 roses in more than 300 varieties. Aside from the usually seen red, yellow and pink categories, there are many other very rare strains in white, purple and black. The park's roses have garnered a wide variety of awards in different flower expositions.

In addition to the flowers, you can also have the chance to appreciate the rose-related paintings, calligraphy and many other rose-related art forms in the garden's Rose Culture Corridor. With artificial hills beside a winding lake and lush tropical plants intertwined with delicate roses, the garden is also the right place for couples to pledge words of love.

Address: near the intersection of Sungang Road and Renmin Road North, Shenzhen

Admission: free

Open hours: 6 a.m.-11:30 p.m.

Buses: 5, 11, 13, 202, 213, 218, 225, 315, 320, 357

East Lake Park

The azalea has a beautiful name in Chinese, "yingshanhong", meaning that the flower's bright color dyes the mountain a splendid red. East Lake's azaleas have been known to virtually every household in Shenzhen since the Azalea Sculpture Garden was established in the park in March 1997 and turned East Lake Park into the only park in Shenzhen spotlighting azaleas. The blossoming of 60,000 of azaleas in 20 categories makes for pleasant, soothing viewing.

Address: Aiguo Road, Luohu District, Shenzhen

Admission: free tickets to the park. However, the entrance to the Azalea Sculpture Garden costs 5 yuan.

Open hours: The Azalea Sculpture Garden opens from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Buses: 3, 17, 113, 29, 106, 211, 300, 320, 351, 365, 401, 413, 424, 438, 440, 454, 483, 447, 471

Fairy Lake Botanical Garden

Peach blossoms are regarded as a prospect of good fortune in the south of Guangdong. In Shenzhen, the best place to appreciate peach flowers is at Fairy Lake Botanical Garden. The Peach Flower Garden adjoining the park's Fossil Forest features seven peach species. Because of little rainfall last year and the low temperatures during Spring Festival, the peach flowers have bloomed much later this year than in previous years. Now the 6,000 peach trees are blooming. Orchids and camellias at the park are also developing buds.

Address: Liantang, Luohu District, Shenzhen

Admission: 20 yuan for adults, 10 yuan for high school and primary school students, 6 yuan for kindergarten students, 10 yuan for people aged between 60-70, free tickets for children below 1.1 meters and people over 70.

Opening hours: 7 a.m.-10 p.m.

Buses: 22, 218, 468, 311, 111, 27, 450, 417, 418, 467, 469

(Shenzhen Daily March 16, 2004)