Duration: 1 day Time: March Cost per person: 15 yuan With whom: Spouses Activity: Photography, Free travel The author visited these places: Century Park, Shanghai Published on 2021-04-03 19:02 In the splendid spring of March, as the earth awakens, it is once again the season for rapeseed flowers to bloom. The 10,000 square meter ‘Colorful Rapeseed Flower Sea’ in the local pastoral area of Century Park has gradually opened, with a riot of colors that are breathtaking, adding a touch of rural charm to urban life. Rapeseed flowers, not a rare species, are valuable in their simplicity and usefulness. While common rapeseed flowers are predominantly bright yellow, those in Century Park’s sea of flowers come in deep purple, pink, white, orange-red, lavender, and more, competing for beauty against the backdrop of tender green rapeseed leaves, as if spring’s palette has been spilled across the fields. 2021 marks the first year Century Park introduced the cultivation of colored rapeseed flowers, which differ from traditional single-yellow rapeseed flowers by having larger blooms, more vibrant colors, and more magnificent flower shapes. These colored rapeseed flowers are derived through biotechnology and are primarily used for planting in leisure agriculture and beautiful rural scenic spots. It took nearly a decade from the initial cultivation to the stabilization of the flower colors. Initially, agricultural science experts discovered that radish flowers came in various colors and, through biotechnology, transferred the color genes from radishes to rapeseed. Over 8 to 9 years, by continuously self-pollinating the offspring of rapeseed flowers, the colors stabilized, gradually forming new varieties of rapeseed flowers in white, pink, orange-red, lavender, and deep purple. The 10,000 square meter colorful rapeseed flower field in Shanghai Century Park, resembling a spilled palette, has introduced a new variety of ornamental colored rapeseed with large petals, a long blooming period, and a strong fragrance, making it highly ornamental. The blooming colorful rapeseed flowers, in deep purple, pink, white, orange-red, and lavender, compete for beauty against the backdrop of tender green rapeseed leaves, as if spring’s palette has been spilled across the fields. Walking along the paths into the flower fields feels like stepping into an oil painting. The colorful rapeseed flower fields have colored the spring, with bees collecting nectar on the colorful rapeseed flowers. Cherry blossoms are also a major highlight of Century Park. The park authorities have built a Cherry Blossom Island in the central peninsula area of the park, surrounded by water systems and accompanied by bamboo and willows, creating a romantic scene. The lake reflections on Cherry Blossom Island are doubled, with over 1,000 cherry blossoms of various colors arranged along the central path of the peninsula. The cherry blossoms planted on the island mainly consist of varieties that bloom before their leaves, mostly mid to late-blooming cherry blossoms with single petals, some of which are light pink Somei Yoshino. The winding path of cherry blossoms connects one end to the pigeon garden and the other to the bamboo forest.
In the season of blooming flowers, strolling along the paths, petals fall in profusion, and the water’s reflection dances gracefully. The tender green willows by the lake sway with the wind, complementing the blooming white or pink cherry blossoms with their translucent elegance. Crossing the bridge leads to the entrance of Cherry Blossom Island, where the green base of the flowers gives the entire blossom an exquisite and refined appearance. According to the park authorities, 90% of the cherry blossoms planted on the island are varieties that bloom before the leaves, collected from the hillsides around Fenghua Xikou in Zhejiang, representing local Chinese cherry blossoms with single-layer petals. The colors range from a light pink to a snow-like white. At full bloom, the green base of the petals accentuates the delicate and refined charm of each blossom. For the convenience of visitors, a wooden pavilion has been constructed at the heart of Cherry Blossom Island, harmoniously blending with the surrounding cherry blossoms. Gazing into the distance from the lakeside railing, the white cherry blossoms appear all the more charming against the lush willows and purple wildflowers. The cherry blossoms bloom in clusters, a sight that never tires the eyes, and one finds themselves lingering beneath them. During the cherry blossom season, walking through the cherry blossom-lined paths, the trees are full of vibrant flowers, petals falling like a colorful rain, the water’s reflection dancing, and the walk is a relaxing and delightful experience. Above the path, the pink, delicate ‘faces’ create a romantic feeling that ripples through the heart. When a breeze passes, the petals fall like a rain of flowers, creating an exquisite scene. The park also plants the flamboyant February orchids beneath the cherry blossoms, creating a layered effect where the upper layer is a cloud of cherry blossoms and the lower layer is a carpet of February orchids. The blue February orchids and the rows of cherry blossoms complement each other, creating a gentle and elegant scene. The pink and white flowers bloom abundantly like snow, with petals drifting and scattering among the flower clusters, grass, and green paths, offering endless scenery. In spring, when visitors step onto Cherry Blossom Island in Century Park, they can feel and appreciate the poetic mood and charm of Tang Dynasty poet Xue Neng’s ‘To a Singer’: ‘A new sound like a pearl, as if striking coral with a throat. When listening, there’s music in the air, after singing, only cherry blossoms remain within the leaves. The chaotic flowers gradually dazzle the eyes. Besides cherry blossoms and rapeseed flowers, there are also fields of poppies and yellow magnolias. As the breeze blows, they shimmer like a sea of colorful radiance. The bright poppies sway freely in the sea of flowers, dancing gracefully. The fields of blooming poppies beneath the yellow magnolia trees create a dreamy and romantic atmosphere. The yellow magnolia, also known as the auspicious tree, is golden in color and complements the vast lawn, making it an idyllic setting. Under the blue sky and white clouds, the scenery is picturesque. The vast fields of flowers are irresistible, blooming so boldly and brilliantly that from a distance, they resemble an oil painting or a rainbow.
Submerge yourself in the rhythmic vitality of the flower sea, and be captivated by the dreamlike splendor of the colorful world.
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