Flower Trips Around Hunan

　　After a long, cold winter, spring has finally arrived in Hunan. This welcome change in the weather also brings a vast array of different types of flowers which can be seen right across the province. In recent years, visitors to the region have been pleasantly surprised by their "distinct fragrance and charm".

　　If you would like to experience this for yourself, visit Hunan and witness a masterpiece that I guarantee you will never forget.

　　Yuelu Mountain, Changsha

　　Flower Varieties: sakura, camellia, azalea, winter jasmine, crape myrtle flower

　　Bloom season: March, April

　　How To Get There: Take the No.1 Lvyou Bus, or No.132, No.202, No.305 Bus, or Lishan Bus to Yuelushannan stop (岳麓山南)at the southern entrance and from there you can climb the mountain.

　　Changsha Landscape and Ecology Garden

　　Flower Varieties: Armeniaca mume, camellia sasanqua, camellia, peach blossom, Prunus Cerasifera, Chinese flowering crabapple, winter jasmine, purple and white magnolia.

　　Bloom season: March, April

　　How To Get There: Take the 149 bus to Pengjiaxiang (彭家巷), from there you can hire a motorcycle which should take no more than 10 minutes.

　　Orange Isle (橘子洲 juzizhou), Changsha

　　Bloom season: March, April

　　How To Get There: Take No.2 or No.3 Lvyou Bus, or Bus No.1, No.11, No.123, No.142, No.143, No.145, No.301, No. 317, No.325, No.368, No.406, No.803, No.804, No.901, No.908 to the east of Juzizhou Bridge, and then walk to the isle. You can also take subway (line 2) to the isle directly, which is the quickest method of transportation in the city.

　　Tips: From north to south, the island has five distinctive arboreal areas. These include; sweet olive, peach blossom, plum blossom, bamboo, and orange trees. Now, there are now over 20 plum trees and 400 peach trees near the western road and the Duxue Building is also decorated with an abundance of different types of flowers. The flourishing season is expected to start at the end of March. A 60,000 square-meter plum and peach blossom area provides a magnificent view for visitors.

　　Hunan Forest Botanical Garden, Changsha

　　Flower Varieties: Sakura, tulip

　　Bloom season: Mid March to end of April

　　How To Get There: Use buses;. 7, 16, 17, 102, 103, 107, 120, 123, 140, 147,152, 502, 702, 703, 801, 802, or 806 to reach the northern section of Hunan Forest Botanical Garden (省植物园北).

　　Admission Price:

　　Monday to Friday:

　　For adult individuals: 35 yuan per adult; for groups of ten, the tenth member enters free of charge; for students: 20 yuan per student

　　Saturday & Sunday: 35 yuan per person

　　Seniors Citizens, the disabled and soldiers with authorized certificates as well as children not taller than 1.2 meter can enter for free.

　　Certified tour guides may gain free access whilst working; children taller than 1.2 meters are charged 20 yuan per person for admittance.

　　Shifeng Park, Zhuzhou

　　Flower Varieties: Sakura

　　Bloom season: Mid March

　　Address: Jianshe Road (N), Shifeng District, Zhuzhou

　　How To Get There: Take buses; T1, T5, T9, T20, T55 or T34

　　Tips: Shifeng Mountain is densely covered by more than 400 varieties of flora including camphor trees, black pines and bamboos. In addition, there are also large ornamental gardens featuring sakura, cedrus, magnolias, and azaleas.

　　Yanling Shennong Valley Park, Zhuzhou

　　Bloom season: Mid April

　　Address: Yanling County, Zhuzhou

　　Transportation: Travel from Liling City, Youxian County, Chaling County to Yanling County. Then take bus s321 to Miandu Town, get to Shidu Town by taking the roads of county and townships and finally arrive at the Shennong Valley Park.

　　Tips: Yanling County is famous as the homeland of azalea. The bloom season for azalea is mid April, among which Rhododendron fortunei Lindl overwhelms with the unique characteristics.

　　Taohuayuan Scenic Area, Changde

　　Flower Varieties: Peach Blossom

　　Bloom season: March

　　Address: Taoyuan County, Changde

　　How To Get There: Drive from Changsha through the Changsha-Zhangjiajie Expressway, Hangzhou-Ruili Expressway and G319 to Taohuayuan Scenic Area.

　　Tips: When the peach blossoms are in prime, you can enjoy a good and intoxicating view near the Shuixi Village, 15kms away from the south-western Taoyuan County, Changde.

　　Wulidun Township, Zhuzhou

　　Flower varieties: Rape flower

　　Bloom season: March, April

　　Transportation: Take the bus T30, T28, T4

　　Tips: Located in a narrow area between Fenghuang Mountain and Fengxi River, Wulidun Township is hailed as “Backyard Garden of Zhuzhou City” with several tourist attractions such as Guanyin Temple, Dragon Pagoda, Nantang Reservoir and Green Youth Camp. In the bloom season, travelers from far and near come to enjoy the annual Rape Flower Festival.

　　Hunan University of Science and Technology

　　Flower Varieties: Sakura and Plum blossoms

　　Bloom season: Plum Blossoms for now and Sakura for April

　　Fenghuang Ancient City, Xiangxi

　　Flower Varieties: Peach Blossom

　　Bloom season: March

　　Address: Fenghuang Ancient City, Xiangxi

　　How To Get There: Drive from Changsha through the Changsha-Zhangjiajie Expressway and Changsha-Jishou Expressway to Jishou City, and then to Fenghuang.

　　Tips: when spring arrives, you can witness beautiful peach blossoms cover the central island like rosy clouds, 2km down the lower reaches of Tuojiang River.

　　If you have eyes only for some certain variety, try to find its most flourishing area and immerse yourself in the flowery sea.　

　　1. Peach Blossom (bloom season: mid March-end of April)

　　Fanyin Valley Address: Mount Hengshan Scenic Area, Nanyue District, Hengyang, Hunan

　　Zixing, Chenzhou Address: Peach Blossom Island in Dongjiang Lake (by ferry from Bailangxiang Quay)

　　Shaoyang Address: Jiulongqiao Forest Park in Shaoyang County; Mount Beishan in Longhui County

　　Xintian County, Yongzhou Address: Wuxia Village, Jicun, four km to the north of Xintian Town

　　Huitang, Ningxiang Address: Peach Blossom Valley has been known as the largest and the best place to appreciate the beauty of peach blossom in Hunan, where there are over 10,000 rare peach trees.

　　Mount Daweishan Liuyang Address: near Dongmen (East Gate) Market Town in Daweishan. Chudong Peach Garden is the largest base of peach blossom with the longest bloom period in Changsha.

　　Linxiang, Yueyang Address: Peach Blossom Stream in Maipoling in Mount Wujianshan National Forest Park, where a three-kilometer path covered path will take your breath away.

　　2. Dove tree (Davidia involucrata) (bloom season: April-May)

　　Zhangjiajie: Contains ancient specimens of Davidia involucrata which can be considered living fossils.

　　Yueyang: Mount Wujianshan, Chennan Town, Linxiang

　　3. Azalea (bloom season: mid April-early May)

　　Shaoshan: abounds with red azalea.

　　Mount Mangshan, Chenzhou: There are 43 species of azalea in the forest district of Mount Mangshan.

　　Nanshan Mountain, Shaoyang: Over 10,000 mu(a mu=0.0667 hectare) of azalea plants in Chengbu Nanshan Ranch.

　　Mount Daweishan, Liuyang: Numerous azalea bloom on Mount Daweishan at the altitude of 1600 m.

　　Yanlingshennong Valley, Zhuzhou: There are over 10,000 mu of wild Rhododendron fortunei and about 30,000 mu of wild azalea spreading over the nearby hills.

　　4. Pear Blossom (bloom season: mid March-end of April)

　　Lanshan Mountain, Yongzhou: 10,000 mu of pear blossom in Dadong Village, Dadong Town.

　　Shaoyang: Pear blossoms cover over 100 mu in Longtou Village, Banqiao Town, Dayang District. Huangcaoping, about 40 km away from the downtown, also abounds with pear blossom.

　　5. Chinese Milk Vetch (bloom season: February-June)

　　Dongting Lake, Yueyang: Among the reeds between Junshan and Dongting Lake Bridge, there is a field full of blooming Chinese milk vetch.

　　6. Rape Flower (bloom season: early March-mid April)

　　Xupu, Huaihua: Simeng Scenic Area, Xupu.

　　Liuyang: 10,000 mu of rape flower in Gaoping Town.

　　Ningxiang: 10,000 mu of rape flower in Shatian; 10-li (5000 m) Jinhua Corridor is considered to be the best place where you can enjoy the beauty of rape flower.

　　7. Chinese Redbud (bloom season: mid March-early April)

　　Jiangyong, Yongzhou: Wild Chinese redbuds cover about 2,000 mu along the gentle slope near Hualou Reservoir, 3 km away from Yao Township Government in Songbai.