April in Jiangnan, Viewing Rhododendrons in Songjiang
Magnolia in April, the fragrance is in full bloom. At the Magnolia Five Yuan Modern Agricultural Park's Rhododendron Propagation Base, clusters of rhododendrons have already begun to bloom in an orderly fashion. Recently, taking advantage of the rhododendron flowering season, the base was officially opened to the public for the first time. The base, covering an area of 67 acres, houses nearly 200 varieties of rhododendrons, thus allowing nearby visitors to experience it for the first time, becoming a landmark event marking the recovery of rural tourism in the park.
Early in the morning, Ms. Yao Bingxin, a citizen of the Magnolia District, along with her friends, drove for more than 30 minutes specifically to Five Yuan to witness this somewhat unique 'flower event'. The layered and vibrant rhododendrons throughout the garden made Ms. Yao Bingxin exclaim in amazement, 'I used to go to other places to chase the rhododendron 'flowering season' at this time of year, but I rarely saw such a complete collection of rhododendrons with such excellent quality in Magnolia.'
Rhododendrons are one of the most widely distributed and important flower species in China, with many varieties. Here at the propagation base, 'many' rhododendrons have been 'invited' from surrounding provinces and mountainous forests, including bright red common varieties, as well as rare varieties such as pink and red edges and golden petals. Some of these rhododendrons even came out of the deep mountains and have been cultivated for hundreds of years.
Although rhododendrons are common flowers, they are considered relatively 'exquisite' in Shanghai due to differences in climate and soil. 'These rhododendrons mostly come from neighboring Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces, but they still need to 'adapt' to Shanghai's 'acidic soil', so it requires some soil amendment after being introduced.', said base manager and experienced 'flower farmer' Xie Jinlin. 'First, you need to 'adjust the soil', Shanghai's soil is alkaline, while rhododendrons prefer acidic soil. After importing them, you need to amend the soil.' In addition, rhododendrons like moisture, sunshine and shade, so the best environment is one where they are both watered and shaded. Therefore, to take care of these beautiful flowers, there are also specific requirements for the planting locations. Xie Jinlin introduced that the planting personnel also tried to adjust the frequency of watering to 'tame' the rhododendrons, so that this somewhat delicate flower species could adapt to a more diverse environment.
Because it is mainly focused on spring rhododendrons, Xie Jinlin introduced that the base's flowering period will end around May 10th.
The base's first opening to the public is a sign of rural tourism recovery after the epidemic in Five Yuan. As one of the earliest agglomeration areas for rural tourism on the shores of the Huangpu River, the park currently has comprehensive functions including tourism, leisure and catering. After this somewhat special and long 'Chinese New Year', tourist destinations such as Wushe Farm, Rose Garden and Green Hotel have all gradually reopened.
Furthermore, the base's first opening to the public is also the harbinger of the upgrade and renovation of the Magnolia Modern Agricultural Park. Park related officials Lu Feng introduced that in addition to the rhododendron propagation base being open during the flowering season, the park's roads and other infrastructure will be renovated and the main attractions will be renovated and enhanced to promote the upgrading of the park's hardware and software, allowing visitors to have a better tourism experience.
Time to enjoy the flowers
From April 8th to May 10th
Location
No. 66 West Yuan Road, Haitang Town, Songjiang District, Shanghai
(Weisheng Bonsai Garden)
Ticket price
30 yuan
Text: Li Zhunshun
Picture: Han Jiayi
Editor: Shen Lili
