Cherry blossom left to beautify city roads

Hu Min
Fallen flower petals are attracting appreciative visitors as they carpet five roads in Shanghai after being left to paint a pretty picture instead of being swept away every day.
Hu Min
Cherry blossom left to beautify city roads
Jiang Xiaowei / SHINE

A sanitation worker clears trash from among fallen flower petals. 

Cherry blossom left to beautify city roads
Jiang Xiaowei / SHINE

Cherry blossom on Jiangwancheng Road.


Now’s the perfect time to appreciate a romantic floral road in Yangpu District. 

Fallen cherry blossom is being left on Jiangwancheng Road, Shanghai's first "cherry blossom boulevard," as late cherry varieties in the city are at their best. The road is also known for its camphor trees. 

A 700-meter section between Yinhang Road and Qingbo Road is lined with 189 cherry trees with large petals and brilliant colors.

Fallen flowers are being left on the street from Wednesday to April 20, according to the Yangpu District Greenery and Public Sanitation Bureau. 

A pink blanket is created, accompanied by a rain of petals blown by the wind, creating a dreamlike scene. 

The fallen petals will be left on sunny days, but swept away each evening, the bureau said.

They will be cleared on rainy days for safety reasons. 

"We pick these dates which are the second half of the blooming period of late cherry blossom varieties to ensure a better landscape compared with last year because more petals are dropping these days," said Zha Jie of the Yangpu District Environment Development Co in charge of street cleaning. 

"It doesn't mean cleaning work is stopped, but instead a refined approach is taken," he said.

Lu Guanghua, a sanitation worker, was busy on Wednesday afternoon. 

"I need to pick trash like fallen leaves and branches, cigarette butts, food packages, and cans and bottles from the petal landscape to ensure the best appreciation effect," said Lu. 

"Many people, not only nearby residents, even drive here just to appreciate the cherry blossom on the street these days, which spurs me to do a better job," he said. 

"The view is romantic and enchanting, attracting people to take photos," said Li Yan, who lives nearby. 

Cherry blossom can be seen on four other city roads.

They are Xinyue Road featuring orchids in the Pudong New Area, Yongle Road lined with Chinese roses in Baoshan District, Binhu Road planted with crape myrtle in Songjiang District and Yonghe Road E. in Jing'an District.

Cherry blossom left to beautify city roads
Jiang Xiaowei / SHINE

A carpet of fallen flower petals on Jiangwancheng Road.

Cherry blossom left to beautify city roads
Jiang Xiaowei / SHINE

Walkers enjoy their stroll among nature's beauty. 

Cherry blossom left to beautify city roads
Jiang Xiaowei / SHINE

Visitors take pictures to record the scene. 


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