Fallen blossoms add color to downtown road
Sanitation worker Peng Weiqiang removes litter from fallen cherry blossom petals on Jiangwancheng Road on Tuesday.
A resident jogs on Jiangwancheng Road.
Fallen cherry petals on Jiangwancheng Road
Fallen cherry blossoms are being left on Jiangwancheng Road in Yangpu District for the first time to brighten the street with a pink blanket, greenery authorities in the district announced on Tuesday.
This is Shanghai's first street to leave the fallen flowers uncollected during the day.
The 700-meter road is Shanghai's first "cherry blossom boulevard" and it's lined with 264 cherry trees featuring large petals and brilliant colors.
Their flowering time is late March and early April and some petals have already started falling, the Yangpu District Greenery and Public Sanitation Bureau said.
Most of the petals are expected to drop in the coming week, according to the bureau.
"The road is popular because of its beautiful landscape, attracting many visitors to appreciate the cherry blossoms. Nearby residents also like jogging or strolling on the street," said sanitation worker Peng Weiqiang, who sweeps the road. "The fallen petals will make the street more beautiful."
The fallen petals will be kept during the daytime, but they will still be swept away each evening, the bureau said.
They will be kept only on sunny days, according to the bureau.
"I need to remove garbage like fallen leaves and branches, cigarette butts, beverage cans and bottles and plastic bags from the petal landscape, and ensure a proper amount of petals are left," said Peng.
"It's extra work, but I would like to make Shanghai's spring last longer," he said.
Fallen leaves are left on some city streets during autumn to create a colorful seasonal spectacle, although no flower petals have been kept so far.
Sanitation worker Peng Weiqiang does cleaning work on Jiangwancheng Road.
Fallen cherry blossoms are left to add color to Jiangwancheng Road.
