During the just-concluded National Day holiday, Chinese roses began to bloom along elevated roads such as the Qiushi Elevated Expressway, Desheng Elevated Road, and Shishi Overpass, filling the air with their fragrance.
“Around October 10 every year, we expect a peak blooming period, with blooms vibrant with diverse colors. We are increasing the frequency of fertilization and precisely timing pesticide application to ensure that the roses continue to bloom for a longer duration,” said a representative of Hangzhou Municipal Comprehensive Administrative Law Enforcement Bureau (Hangzhou Municipal Urban Management Bureau). Following this summer’s 90 days of high temperatures, the city has implemented effective measures to take care of the elevated flower corridors, bringing a beautiful display to Hangzhou this fall again.
The Urban Management Bureau has arranged 24/7 green-space patrols and demanded prompt reporting to address any problem identified. So far, they have spotted and handled 260 drainage blockages. During nighttime closures, the greening team thoroughly check for aging water pipes and expansion-related issues, and have resolved 104 such problems and fixed 15 bugs with the remote-control system.
“Since late July, we’ve deployed over 60 workers every night for mechanical trimming and manual removal of flower buds to ensure optimal care for the roses. With the cooler temperatures in September, the roses have entered another bout of growth and we’ve scheduled fertilization and pest control along the elevated roads, preparing for their bloom,” said Zhou Shuai, a manager for elevated green spaces. Currently, the rose blooming rate has reached 80%. The season of fall marks the second peak blooming period for the elevated roses, which is expected to last from late September until early November.