Flower Appreciation in Nanjing, Lianyungang, and Xinghua
Record of early spring flower viewing in 2025
If you don't admire flowers in spring, you are letting the spring sunshine go to waste. Go flower viewing, cherish spring, and fear its passing.
The first wave was plum blossoms at Nanjing's Meihua Mountain, said to be the premier of China's four major plum blossom viewing destinations. I got up early and came with great expectations—it was worth it! Morning plum blossoms, still moist with dew, were delicate and charming. The park is designed along the mountain, with trees planted densely or sparsely, high and low, pink and white intermingling, complementing gardens and waterscapes. You can stroll slowly under the trees, pose and play to your heart's content, or climb high for a panoramic view. With the Red Mansion Garden and Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum nearby, it truly deserves its reputation as a plum blossom sanctuary.
The second wave was also plum blossoms, at Yilu Plum Garden in Lianyungang City, a must-visit every year. It was a bit early (one week after Nanjing's plum viewing); most trees were still gathering strength. The garden mainly features old-stemmed red plums, interspersed with wintersweet, green calyx plums, and palace pink plums. Covering 1,560 mu (about 257 acres), it is very spacious. The layout matches the sparse character of plum trees: clear, cold, solitary, and distant. The river view is rustic, accentuating the plum blossoms' coolness in early spring. Compared to Meihua Mountain's crowds, here there are few people. Walking slowly in the garden, letting every strand of hair be infused with plum fragrance and penetrate the heart, even a mundane person like me grasps the true essence. My annual regret remains: no high place to overlook the scenery.
The third wave brought many flowers together, enchanting my heart and dazzling my eyes. Cherry blossoms are most famous at Cherry Blossom Valley, often attracting tourists from other provinces. Cycling from the city along the Huanyun Qian Tai Shan Road to Cherry Valley is my favorite way to enjoy flowers, stopping anytime when lured by roadside trees. Pressing on, you can reach Donglei to see the Magnolia King, which blooms about a week later than cherry blossoms. The Magnolia King is in Yanfu Temple halfway up the mountain. After climbing with sweat all over, the first sight of the towering magnolia feels more like worship. Purple magnolias stand proudly on branches—'proudly' is more apt. Such a kingly flower suits the blue sky and white clouds, suits poetry and painting, so during flowering, connoisseurs often gather. For cherry blossoms, I love the two trees at the entrance of Xiangyi Kongwang best; I privately consider them the finest in Lianyungang. Against a European-style backdrop, when the wind blows, I capture falling petals—cherry blossoms reach perfection without a hint of withering sadness. For apricot, peach, and pear blossoms, I love the mountain orchards built on slopes, not designed for beauty but beautiful unconsciously. Weeping crabapple, Xifu crabapple, and redbud are diligent municipal beautification soldiers. Whether biking or driving, wandering in the city, stepping into roadside green spaces or pocket parks, beauty is everywhere.
The fourth wave was the Qian Duo rapeseed flower fields in Xinghua. This is the only flower my farmer-born mother-in-law loves. We drove over 200 kilometers for this waterscape beauty. In the afternoon, we first chose an empty plot to realize the dream of a nap in the flower fields. Upon arriving at the Qian Duo scenic area, the bright yellow brightened even the overcast sky. Such yellow could inspire a color master like Van Gogh. Taking a painted boat, drifting among the flower fields, I deliberately ignored the hard work of piling soil into fields, just to enjoy the breeze, bright yellow, and the scent of rapeseed flowers with peace of mind. At the high point, I had to wear sunglasses, nearly blinded by the vast yellow fields. Everywhere I looked, I marveled. Beside the scenic area, Bishui Dongluo, a beautiful small village, is perfect for strolling, short stays, admiring scenery, worshipping Buddha, and most of all, enjoying spring leisure.
The fifth wave was still in Nanjing, at the Yihe Road Republican Mansion Area. This wave, more precisely, was about appreciating fresh green and nascent red. In the morning light, camphor trees emit fragrance. Chinese maple and Japanese maple show new red or new green. Double-petaled late cherry blossoms bloom in pink. New willow leaves, plane tree leaves, and camphor leaves tenderly stir the heart. Green shrubs put out red leaves—so red leaves can signify new life, not merely a late autumn dirge. This small scene shines with warm morning light, architectural contrasts, and a beautiful mood.
The flower season is not over; to be continued.
