Floral overpasses in Hangzhou

This mid-April, the blooming season of Chinese Roses in Hangzhou overpasses has begun.

This year, the city's rose blooms appeared about 5 to 7 days earlier than usual. These blooming flowers in breathtaking colors reinforce Hangzhou's reputation as "City of Chinese Roses".

Hangzhou's connection with Chinese roses dates back centuries. In the Song Dynasty, Wu Zimu noted down the widespread rose cultivation in Hangzhou and Suzhou. This tradition continued through the Ming and Qing Dynasties, with Chinese roses now becoming a popular feature of Hangzhou.

The large-scale planting of Chinese roses in overpasses began in 2009, marking a significant expansion in their cultivation and application.

Over the past decade, Hangzhou has developed a sprawling network of rose-covered overpasses. This network extends the city's "flower roads" from the initial locations in the Zhonghe and Shangtang overpasses to a comprehensive coverage spanning over 500 kilometers and featuring approximately 2.15 million plants. Advances in horticultural techniques have also allowed the cultivation of new, superior Chinese rose varieties that bloom year-round.