THE Greater Bay Area Flower Show, a much-expected feast for the eyes, is ongoing at its main venue at Shenzhen Fairy Lake Botanical Garden in Luohu District.

The flower show, which will last until April 17, has also set up a subvenue at Xiangmihu Flower Wonderland in Futian District, bringing the total exhibition area to over 22,500 square meters. As of yesterday, the flower show had received 147,000 visits since it kicked off April 8.

The 10-day show, themed “Flowers and Dreams,” has attracted 80 exhibitors from 13 countries and regions.

The main venue features 22 gardens in eight exhibition areas to display over 1,000 new flower varieties. This year’s theme flower is rhododendrons, which has its blossom season in full swing from March to July in Shenzhen.

A total of nine international gardens, designed by horticulturalists from countries including France, the U.K., South Korea, Japan, Australia and the U.S., are currently displayed at the garden.

From near the botanical garden’s main entrance, visitors can take a shuttle bus at the garden bus stop (Bougainvillea Road Stop) and go all the way to the Cacti and Succulent Garden. The show’s main venue is 0.9 kilometers from the garden, which is about a 10-minute walk.

While walking down the lake, visitors can first see the Dreamy Stage area at the lakeshore lawn. The area has three international gardens, one special garden and two gardens featuring new ornamental plant varieties. There is also a unique garden exclusively displaying rhododendron varieties, where visitors can appreciate a total of 35 varieties from home and abroad. An eye-catching garden, featuring hydrangea and petunia, has won netizens’ praises for its picture-worthy background.

Another area hyped about is the Dream-Drawing Blueprint which is located at Paradise Scenery. It consists of six international gardens and two gardens featuring new flower varieties, showcasing plants’ vitality from horticulturalists’ modern arrangements. The garden “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” shares the same title as a famous Shakespeare comedy, which inspired the horticulturalists’ design. The garden, designed by Sarah Eberle from the U.K., recreates a scene from the comedy, enabling visitors to immerse themselves in a forest wonderland.

There is also an area displaying college students’ design works. The show selected eight outstanding designs from the 42 universities’ 111 submissions to show the young and innovative inspirations. Visitors can also have a cozy rest among flowers as the flower show has set up two camping sites at its main venue.

The annual Greater Bay Area Flower Show has made fruitful achievements since its inauguration in 2019. It has boosted the development of the floral industry, promoted cooperation among cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, stimulated spending in tourism and leisure, and enriched citizens’ cultural life.

Booking:  WeChat account “szbgac” (Visitors are reminded to take ID for identical verification)

Opening hours: Until April 17,

8 a.m.-6 p.m.

Tickets: 15 yuan (Entrance fee to the botanical garden)

Venue: Shenzhen Fairy Lake Botanical Garden, Luohu District (深圳仙湖植物园)

Metro: Line 2 to Xianhu Road Station (仙湖路站), Exit B1

(Han Yuewu contributes to the story)