Hangzhou garden blossoms at 13th China International Garden Flower Expo
The 13th China International Garden Flower Expo is in full swing in Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province. About 39 gardens featuring distinct regional style, and 10 international gardens with exotic elements have been set up for visitors to the monthlong event.
This year, Hangzhou has designed a classic Jiangnan-style garden to represent the garden-design industry of Zhejiang Province. As Jiangan refers to the region south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the Hangzhou Garden has taken the theme "Home at Qiantang."
Qiantang was the ancient name for the city. Designers have created a village surrounded with idyllic views common to rural areas in Hangzhou.
The garden is divided into five segments, namely Zhuyin (hidden in bamboo forest), Yunshe (house shrouded with clouds), Huju (living by the lake), Wencha (sipping tea) and Xunxiang (seeking aroma). Each section incorporates strong Hangzhou characteristics.
In ancient times, traditional villages in the area were often covered with lush bamboo forests, with bamboo being native to Zhejiang Province.
The Hangzhou Garden at the 13th China International Garden Flower Expo
Bamboo was used to produce chopsticks, daily utensils, furniture, handicrafts and even rice paper. It was an indispensable resource for villagers.
Meanwhile, bamboo enjoys both physical and spiritual characteristics, making it the subject of ancient poems and literary work.
With its uprightness, tenacity and hollow heart, ancient people endowed bamboo with integrity, modesty and elegance. Chinese poets and authors would use it as a metaphor, personifying the plant to represent its human counterparts.
It was for this reason, among others, that ancient villagers planted bamboo alongside their homes, in a bid to display their own character.
In the yard of the house, designers have dug four wells, which was common in olden times. Since Hangzhou's river water was not drinkable, locals had been digging wells for thousands of years, leaving the city dotted with them from various dynasties.
The garden is also carved out with terraced tea fields, which has been the main landscape of the hilly area in Hangzhou.
As the city is home to Longjing tea, local farmers have produced tea for centuries. Today, it's still one of the pillars of development for local agriculture.
