As spring gradually warms, March to May is the best season for outings and flower appreciation. The city of Beijing is brimming with vitality, and flowers such as plum blossoms, cherry blossoms, peach blossoms, crab-apple blossoms, lilacs, flowering peaches, peonies, wisteria, roses, and peonies will bloom in succession. Let's follow this flower appreciation guide and enjoy the splendid scenery of blooming flowers in Zhongshan Park!

Plum Blossoms

Appreciation Time: Mid-March to early April

Appreciation Spot: Huifang Garden, south side of Zhongshan Park

Beijing's Zhongshan Park planted its first batch of plum blossoms in the 1980s and 1990s, making it one of the earliest places in Beijing to cultivate plum blossoms. Varieties such as "Zhongshan Xing" plum, "Jiangnan," and "Jiangmei" can be found here. Over time, these plum blossoms have adapted to Beijing's climate, now thriving with lush branches and standing as solitary scenic features. When in bloom, they resemble radiant clouds, and when the petals fall, they scatter like snow. The wafting fragrance attracts fluttering bees and butterflies, creating a signature plant landscape within the plum blossom garden.

Tulips

Appreciation Time: Early April

Appreciation Spot: Throughout Zhongshan Park

In May 1977, during her friendly visit to China, Dutch Princess Beatrix, accompanied by Prince Claus, gifted China with 39 superior tulip varieties and 4,000 bulbs, which were then transferred to Beijing's Zhongshan Park for cultivation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Protocol Department. Since then, tulips have become a symbol of friendship between the Chinese and Dutch people. Starting in 1996, Zhongshan Park began hosting China's first Tulip Flower Show, which has been widely popular among visitors.

Tulips stand gracefully like elegant high-footed wine glasses, their broad leaves embracing the beautiful blooms. With exquisite shapes and vibrant colors, tulips possess exceptional ornamental value. In Zhongshan Park, flower beds and borders composed of tulips in various hues form stunning paths of blossoms, blending harmoniously with China's traditional ancient buildings and venerable trees.

Crab-apple Blossoms

Appreciation Time: Mid-April

Appreciation Spot: Outside the South Gate of Zhongshan Park

The Xifuhai crab-apple trees stand tall and graceful, exuding a fragrant and vibrant beauty that is considered among the finest of crab-apple varieties. Before blooming, the buds are a vivid red, resembling crimson dots, gradually transitioning to a pink hue after opening, akin to the rosy glow of dawn. Nearly a hundred Xifuhai crab-apple trees are planted in Beijing's Zhongshan Park, concentrated in a line outside the South Gate and in the Inner Court area. The crab-apple blossoms are relatively large, with new tender leaves clustered around four to seven flowers adorning each branch. "Thousands of blossoms weigh down the branches," causing the long branches to droop and form a corridor of crab-apple blossoms outside the South Gate. Standing beneath the flowers, the fragrant breeze wafts by, occasionally with petals fluttering down like a delightful floral shower.

Peonies

Appreciation Time: Late April to early May

Appreciation Spot: Peony Pool at the western end of South Road, Zhongshan Park

Since its establishment, Beijing's Zhongshan Park has extensively cultivated peonies. In the 1930s, during the peony blooming season, special train services were arranged to transport visitors eager to appreciate the flowers, making it a grand event. Over time, peonies have maintained their prominent status in Zhongshan Park. In recent years, the introduction of the superior yellow peony variety "Haihuang," with its large, vibrant yellow blooms, has significantly complemented the traditional varieties. Each year, over 1,000 peony plants burst into bloom beneath the verdant ancient cypress trees, adorning the park with their deep purples and delicate pinks, their fragrance permeating the air and attracting numerous visitors to admire their beauty.