WORDS BY You Ziying, Ani Syu
PHOTOS BY Wang Zhengxiang, Cai Yuzhen, Yang Yachun, He Chengxun, @jenneyhearts, @livia.chen414
In spring, you can see beautiful blossoms at every corner, whether you’re strolling along the streets or commuting in Taipei. In this season, azaleas, roses, and hydrangeas bloom one by one. At this time, visitors can go flower-viewing and enjoy music, picnicking, markets and other activities. It’s time to have an outing and go flower-viewing with your family and friends, sharing good times in this beautiful weather. (Read more: Spring into Action: Five Diversified Tours to Explore Taipei)
PINK AZALEAS: PERFECT FOR PHOTO SHOOTING AND VIEWING
Every spring, the azaleas appear on streets, in parks, and on the campuses of Taipei, gently surrounding the whole city. The common genera in Taipei include Hirado azaleas, Belgian azaleas, Kurume hybrids, Oldham’s azaleas, and Kanehira azaleas. Due to climate change and Taiwan’s complex terrain, native wildflowers such as Rhododendron Kanehirais and Woollystyled Rhododendrons are bred here. The azaleas growing in the city may not be as big as those growing in the mountains, but they are rather elegant and delicate. (You might also like: Flower Viewing in Taipei: Three Routes Recommended for Couples, Friends, and Families)
This year’s Taipei Azalea Festival (台北杜鵑花季) is also ready to spread the happiness represented by spring flora. The Azalea Concert (杜鵑花音樂會) will take place in Daan Park (大安公園森林) as a prelude to the festival on March 14. Not only can visitors be surrounded by azaleas, they can also enjoy atmospheric performances of singers and bands, a creative market and the outdoor cinema. In addition, “Floral Carnival” (花漾幸福嘉年華) is going to be held in front of the Grace Baptist Church (懷恩堂) on Xinsheng South Road ( 新生南路) on March 28, inviting locals and foreign visitors to join the celebration.
ROMANTIC ROSES: A FEAST OF SIGHT AND SCENT
When spring arrives, there seem to be endless options for flower-viewing. Besides azaleas, the roses at the Taipei Rose Garden (台北玫瑰園) in Taipei Expo Park, Xinsheng Area (花博公園新生園區) and Chiang Kai-Shek Shilin Residence (士林官邸) will bloom in succession. The roses in Taipei are not only in red and white; their diverse shapes, colors, and aromas are all romantic additions to this city. (Read more: Throwing Away the Floral Design Rulebook: An Interview with Florist Takako Mine)
Roses need sufficient sunlight and the soil needs to be properly watered to remain moist. Only with the gardener’s care can roses grow in perfect shapes. Taipei Rose Garden is something of a “secret garden” for all kinds of roses. Allocating more than 700 species of roses, it ranks as the most diverse garden in northern Taiwan. It used to feature experimental cultivations of different rose types until the Old Garden Rose Park Area was launched a few years ago. The abundant tea roses introduced into the park not only bloom in all seasons but also make it the first old-garden-rose-themed park domestically and internationally, becoming an appealing photography site for newly-weds.
If Taipei Rose Garden isn’t enough to satiate your love for roses, do visit the rose exhibition at Chiang Kai-Shek Shilin Residence from April 1 to April 26. You will see around 125 rose species including Floribundas, English roses, French roses, hybrid tea roses, and rose shrubs. The cultural activities and performances as well as various rose types should be more than enough to meet all your rose-related needs. (You might also like: Spring 2020: Calendar of Good Times)
HYDRANGEA SEASON: GO TREASURE-HUNTING AMONG THE FLOWERS’ RICH COLORS
When it comes to a spring outing in the suburbs of Taipei, the Hydrangea season at Yangmingshan (aka Mt. Yangming, 陽明山) is a must-go. During the Hydrangea season, the well-known settlement of Zhuzihu is like a stunning canvas painted with light blue and pink-violet. (Read also: The Etiquette for Sending Flowers in Taiwan: Do’s and Don’ts)
Hydrangeas are seen as a natural indicator of the health of a region’s land. The flowers appear in different colors according to soil pH. Acidic soil makes the flowers blue while alkaline soil makes them appear pink. The hydrangeas at Zhuzihu are imported from abroad and are mainly cultivated next to the ridge lines of the calla lilies. If not artificially induced with low temperatures, the hydrangeas flower around May and June.
You can see different types of flowers in all seasons at Zhuzihu. For example, the “Flora and Tree Garden” (花與樹繡球花園) on Calla Lily Boulevard (海芋大道) has designed activities for different flowering periods. Other than hydrangea viewing, you can also pick grapes in June there. Also, the “Terrace Botanic Farm” (大梯田生態休閒農場) filled with cherry blossoms and the “Gaojia Hydrangea Garden” (高家繡球花田) provides professional photography reservations. Both are distinctive hydrangea gardens worth a visit during the blossoming season. Don’t miss out on viewing the blossoming flowers when you visit Taipei!
This article is reproduced under the permission of TAIPEI. Original content can be found at the website of Taipei Travel Net (www.travel.taipei/en).
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