Horticulture: China Holds Ninth National Flower Exposition

Nearly 1,000 flower and plant species are on display for 37 days in Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Region.

The Ninth China Flower Exposition kicked off on September 1, 2017, in Yinchuan, capital of the temperate semi-arid Ningxia Hui Ethnic Autonomous Region in northwestern China. It was an unforgettable experience for 27 African journalists who were taken round the flower exhibition grounds on September 6. The most noticeable innovation at this year’s flower exhibition lasting till October 7, 2017 is the 5.67-km light rail line round the park whose construction cost about 99 million US dollars (54 billion FCFA).

A single ride takes 20 minutes with eight stops, including most special sceneries and venues, thereby enabling visitors to have a panoramic view of the whole park. There are 10 trains on this line, each transporting 100 to 200 passengers. The modern wagons with ample space for sitting and standing to view the flower gardens about 8 metres below are staffed by smiling courteous workers.  

After the train ride above the exhibition park, it was time to hit the ground in open, slowly-driven electric cars. “Your spouse will certainly reconsider her decision to seek divorce if you invited her here!” a male journalist added jokingly. Colleagues responded with giggles and grins as three energy-saving cars transporting them snaked their way through the narrow alleys of the vast ecological park.

With theme, “Flowers Blossoming on the New Silk Road,” the exhibition area covers 386 hec...