Feel the spirit of spring in blooming flowers

Spring is the season which reminds us that nature is the best artist out there. Blooming flowers on the streets and in parks across the city cheer us up at a time when we bid adieu to winter. Whether you want a perfect Instagram snapshot or just want to feel the spirit of spring, we’ve got you covered.

 Citizens rest under bauhinia variegate trees at Shenzhen Central Park in Futian District. Photo from WeChat account "mlszgzh"

Street trees

Bauhinia variegate (宫粉紫荆) and pink trumpet (紫花风铃木) trees are ubiquitous street trees around the city this spring. Although the breeze during these days is still cold, the bright pink or light purple flowers along many roads breathe life and newness. 

Bauhinia variegate flowers along Binhe Boulevard (滨河大道), Binhai Boulevard (滨海大道) and Nanhai Boulevard (南海大道), with ravishing bougainvillea (簕杜鹃) dotting on some of the central green belts, refresh commuters in the morning or soothe the soul after a day of busy work.

Bauhinia variegate flowers along Nanhai Boulevard. Photo from WeChat account “mlszgzh”

Residents around the southern riverbanks of Zhongxin River (中心河) in Shekou or Dasha River Ecological Greenway (大沙河生态长廊绿道) or Shenzhen Talent Park (深圳人才公园) in Nanshan District can admire the spectacular pink trumpet flowers which are loved for their dazzling display of blossoms, providing a sensational color show.

Visitors wander under pink trumpet trees along the riverbanks of Zhongxin River in Nanshan District. Sun Yuchen

Cherry blossoms

Nanshan

A cherry blossom park on Huaying Road (华英路樱花主题公园) is an Instagrammable place to visit every spring. A little pink train in the park has long been adored by visitors and after admiring the elegant cherry blossoms, one can hike up to Xiaonanshan Mountain (小南山) to view the sea in Shekou and beyond.

Metro: Line 2 or 5 to Chiwan Station (赤湾站), Exit C and then take bus B945 to “港湾生活小区” station

A cherry blossom park on Huaying Road is a popular spot every spring. Photo from WeChat account "qianhaiguanwei"

Yantian

There are few places more breathtaking than Xiaosanzhou Reservoir (小三洲水库) with various species of cherry blossoms. Each spring, thousands travel to Yantian to view the wondrous spectacle of these white or pink flowers blooming en masse.

A visitor admires cherry blossoms at Xiaosanzhou Reservoir in Yantian District.

Breathtaking cherry blossoms are seen at Xiaosanzhou Reservoir. Photos from WeChat account "mlszgzh"

Getting there: Take Metro Line 8 to Haishan Station (海山站), Exit B and then walk southward along Haishan Road to take a shuttle bus named “云海专线” opposite of Acotown Hotel (雅庭海湾国际大酒店).

Fares can be purchased on the WeChat miniprogram“京侨巴士” and the shuttle bus only runs on weekends and holidays. The whole route has two sections:

Section A (30 min): from Haishan Road to Chaxi Valley (茶溪谷)

Section B (15 min): from Chaxi Valley to Xiaosanzhou

Section A fare: 10 yuan (standard), 8 yuan (concession)

Section B fare: 8 yuan (standard), 6 yuan (concession)

Operation hours: 8 a.m.-3 p.m. (uphill); 10 a.m.-5 p.m. (downhill)

An aerial view of Meishajian Mountain. Photo from WeChat account "enjoyYT"

After admiring cherry blossoms, hikers can explore Meishajian Mountain (梅沙尖) to experience a sunset at its 753-meter peak. The mountain was selected by the city’s mountaineering and outdoor sports association as one of the 10 most popular peaks in Shenzhen in 2020 based on locals’ online voting. One can use the “深圳十峰” WeChat miniprogram to find a hiking trail.

Pingshan

Residents in Pingshan District don’t have to travel far to other districts to appreciate cherry blossoms since Julong Mountain Ecological Park (聚龙山生态公园) has pink and red cherry blossoms, as well as water lilies and peach blossoms. Nearby, citizens can admire the pinkish-purple lily magnolia (木兰花) at Guangzu Park (光祖公园) .

Metro: Line 14 to Kengzi Station (坑梓站), Exit B and then take a taxi 

Cherry blossoms are seen at Julong Mountain Ecological Park. Photo from WeChat account "mlszgzh"

Lily magnolia flowers bloom at Guangzu Park in Pingshan District. Photo from WeChat account "pingshanfb"

Rapeseed flowers

Guangming

It’s enjoyable to take a breath in fresh air at OCT Farm (欢乐田园) in Guangming District. When the spring breeze blows, rapeseed flowers (油菜花) in the 27-hectare field look like golden waves, stretching as far as the eye can see. With trains running through a nearby flyover from time to time, one can feel the rising energy of spring. When you take a stroll or ride a bike along the path, these small bright yellow flowers give a lot of sense of ease and joy.

Metro: Line 6 to Sun Yat-sen University Station (中大站), Exit A

Visitors take photos at the rapeseed flower field at OCT Farm. 

Visitors wander in the rapeseed field in OCT Farm in Guangming District. Photos by Sun Yuchen

Longhua

One can find out that the rapeseed flower scenery at Guanlan Printmaking Village (观澜版画村) in Longhua is different from other places because the field is decorated with traditional Hakka architecture, such as diaolou buildings and ancestral halls, forming a picturesque Chinese landscape painting. The village is one of the 10 old Hakka villages in Shenzhen and is home to many printmaking workshops, as well as the China Printmaking Museum.

Metro: Line 4 to Niuhu Station (牛湖站), Exit B

Visitors take photos at the rapeseed flower field at Guanlan Printmaking Village. Photo by Lin Songtao

Dapeng

Dapeng New Area is an amazing destination for coastal trips. On the foot of Paiya Mountain (排牙山), one can snap some beautiful pictures of rapeseed flowers and galsang flowers (格桑花) or pick fruits and vegetables at the BGI Bioverse Base (华大万物试验基地) and then stroll to Jiaochangwei (较场尾) beach. Driving to Dapeng is suggested, and once there, follow the signs to the spots. 

Rapeseed flowers are seen at the BGI Bioverse Base. Photo from WeChat accounts "idapeng_cn" and "华大万物"

Flame vine 

Flame vine flowers (炮仗花) at Xiangmi Park (香蜜公园) in Futian District put on a spectacular show of the fiery color. The stunning orange flowers grow in clusters, along the top of the vine, and attract many passersby to linger in this sea of passionate flowers.

Metro: Line 7 to Nonglin Station (农林站), Exit C

Flame vine flowers are seen at Xiangmi Park in Futian District. Photo from WeChat account “happyfutian”

Chinese roses

Labeled as the “Little West Lake” thanks to its picturesque lake and ecological lakeside greenways and passages, Lixin Lake Park (立新湖公园) in Bao’an District provides a refreshing view and a recreational place for locals to exercise. Its 2,000-square-meter Chinese rose (月季) garden also grabs the limelight for visitors this spring. The gorgeous yellow, red, white and pink Chinese roses in over 70 species perfectly match the enchanting lake scenery. Visitors can also enjoy reading books at Jianyue Book Bar (简阅书吧) while admiring the flowers for relaxation.

Metro: Line 11 to Qiaotou Station (桥头站), Exit C

              A visitor takes photos of Chinese roses at Lixin Lake Park. Photo by Ji Jingbo