Shanghai on its way to becoming 'floral city'
Horticulturist Wang Weiwei arranges plants on Luding Road in Putuo District on Wednesday.
Local greenery authorities are creating 118 floral streets and 175 floral landscapes to spruce up the city.
The streets and landscapes primarily feature Chinese roses and crape myrtles, but also include Chinese crabapples, camellias, hydrangeas, cherry blossoms and peaches, according to the Shanghai Greenery and Public Sanitation Bureau.
Bushes and other greenery are included as well, and authorities will use refined maintenance and adjustment means to prolong or change the flowering time, said horticulturist Wang Weiwei, an expert at the Shanghai Greenery Management Station.
Chinese roses in full bloom on Luding Road.
Among the streets involved, Bansongyuan Road (Waima Road - Huayuangang Road section) in Huangpu District features Chinese roses, and Zhongshan No.1 Road (Waibaidu Bridge - Jinling Rd E. section) and Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street (Nanjing Rd E. - Jiangxi Rd M. section) in the same district feature crape myrtles.
Crape myrtles and hydrangeas are planted on Hongqiao Road (Yishan Road - Huashan Road section) in Xuhui District, and red maples and Chinese roses are featured on Hongfeng Road (Jinxiu Rd E. - Yanggao Rd N. section) in the Pudong New Area.
"The aim is to turn the city into a 'floral city,'" said Wang.
Crape myrtles flower on Zhijiang Rd M.
"We are trimming the Chinese roses and crape myrtles on these streets to prolong their flowering time," Wang said. "Normally, the Chinese roses and crape myrtles will wither in late August or early September, but trimming and other combined means can prolong their flowering time to the National Day holiday in October."
On Zhijiang Rd M. in Jing'an District, crape myrtles are in full bloom.
"The flowers were planted in 2019, and the flourishing scene has added a splash of color to the street, which used to be barren," said a resident surnamed Chen who lives in a nearby residential complex. "The view has brightened residents' moods."
Meanwhile, floral landscapes are also on display at venues such as People's Square, Xujiahui Park, Fuxing Park, the north square of Shanghai Railway Station, Zhongshan Park and People's Park, according to the greenery and sanitation bureau.
