Come and marvel at the blooming Asian flowers Photo: Xia Yang
Highlights
By Feng Xiaying
Adjacent to the Athletes' Village and the Olympic Sports Center, the Asian flower theme park opened its gates at the Qianjiang Century City Park on Sept 6.
As the first theme park centered on Asian flowers in Hangzhou, it highlights the Silk Road and Maritime Silk Road as the clue to string all segments, integrating the cultural characteristics of East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, Central Asia, and West Asia into its uniquely themed botanical gardens.
The park allows visitors from different Asian countries to experience flowers and friendship. It offers a harmonious blend of the Song Dynasty culture and the Asian plant life in a 28,000 square meter area. With over 200 varieties of flowers, it promises to be a tranquil haven, providing both the locals and tourists with a perfect escape for relaxation and refreshment.
An aerial view of the theme park shows the layout of the gardens, which is shaped like an exquisite and elegant dragon, connecting Pinglan Road and Guanlan Road. Strolling around in the park, visitors instantly start their journey with the Charms of Oriental Flowers section, which features Asian flowers set among bamboo installations and waterscapes. Along the Friendship Flower Gallery constructed with woven bamboos in the shape of lotus petals, you will feel the allure of the oriental gardens while being reminded of the lotus-shaped main venue of the Asian Games. At the end of the gallery, Lucky Lotus Pond quietly presents itself with an auspicious-cloud-patterned bottom dotted with light-blue glass granules, bringing a refreshing feel in hot summer, when the largest flower field in Hangzhou, the "Hand-in-Hand" Flowerbeds and "Heart-to-Heart" Meadow, are loomed right in front of you.
If one takes a few more steps to the overpass, the boat-shaped flower box seats and LED-lighted sails will captivate the gaze as the last section of the park: Floral Sails on the Sea, symbolizing the idea of riding the wind and surging the waves, rekindling the essence of the Maritime Silk Road.