- Botanica Green Living Festival(41 days)
China
The trees of China, species recommended by two professors from South China Institute of Botany in Guangzhou, were mostly planted between 1988 and 1990.
Featured is the beautiful Dawn Redwood, (Metasequoia glyptostroboides), an ancient tree thought to have died out 20 million years ago and whose closest living relative is the Californian Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens).
Fine specimens of the Gingko biloba or Maiden-hair tree are close to the Chinese pagoda. A tea may be made from this tree which is said to improve memory.
Look also for the small shrub with a rich history of Empires built and shattered - Camellia sinensis, the leaves of which are more commonly known to us as tea.
Many of the plants in the China section are familiar as ornamental plants from Chinese pottery, such as the weeping and twisted willows and the highly diverse species of bamboo; also Liquidamber formosana with its beautiful autumn foliage, Pawlonia fortunei (foxglove tree) and the golden rain tree.
There are fruit trees: lychee, Chinese raisin tree, Hog Plum, jackfruit and the twisted fingers of the “Medusa Citrus” to name a few.
A Waterfall and rocky stream form the boundary between China and India, and the small pavilion in the Chinese section is a popular place for weddings and meditation.