Lavender park adds romance to tourist zone

Local people have a new option for weekend getaway after a lavender park opened on Friday at the Shanghai International Tourism and Resort Zone.

The park, created by merging a herb garden and an ecological park, is a level 4A tourist attraction, with total investment of 230 million yuan (US$34.15 million). It is divided into two areas.

The southern area, about 300,000 square meters, features a 150,000-square-meter sea of lavender. The array includes pink Chinese crabapple flowers and red roses.

The park is designed around a southern European theme to create a romantic atmosphere. Several photography sites are designed for young lovers and couples including a windmill in the middle of a carpet of vibrant colors and a corridor with mirrors on the walls.

The northern area takes up about 700,000 square meters, where people can go to relax. 

According to the park, the lavender will come into full bloom between May 15 and June 10.

The lavender park is the latest attraction at the zone which includes Shanghai Disney Resort, outlet shopping center Shanghai Village and the city’s largest outdoor theater Maxus Plaza.

Friday marked the zone's third anniversary. Over the three years, it has received more than 51 million visitors.

The zone is to further develop tourism by introducing a variety of sports such as rowing and extreme sports, by revitalizing the resources of the ancient water town of Hengmian, and by improving public transport to downtown areas and traffic hubs.