Xinzha Town, China’s Hometown of Flowers and Trees

China’s Hometown of Flowers and Trees – Xinzha Town

A little over 10 kilometers west of Shuyang County lies a colorful expanse of 48.6 square kilometers—Xinzha Town in Shuyang, Jiangsu. On its 34,000 mu (approximately 2,267 hectares) of farmland, more than 2,500 varieties of flowers and trees thrive. In 1998, the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Agriculture and Forestry named the town “Hometown of Flowers and Trees.”

Entering this “garden without walls” is like stepping into an incredibly elegant, transcendent, and refreshing environment that brings to mind Tao Yuanming’s “Peach Blossom Spring” from the Eastern Jin Dynasty. However, while Tao’s Peach Blossom Spring was a distant utopian vision, Xinzha Town’s modern-day “Peach Blossom Spring” is very real—a vibrant hub in our bustling world and the “source of famous flowers and trees.”

Beyond this “garden without walls” lie countless “walled” attractions—none requiring additional tickets. Whether government offices, schools, or village committees, each is a vibrant “garden within a garden.” Among the town’s 10 administrative villages, nearly every one has a “premium flower garden,” a flower market, or a floral business. In key “potted plant gardens” and flower markets such as those in Tonghuai and Zhouquan…

…visitors can find exotic flowers and plants beyond Tao Yuanming’s imagination. Numerous lifelike potted plants take the forms of dinosaurs, galloping horses, giraffes, camels, reclining oxen, lions, pagodas, mountains, and even dark clouds—truly breathtaking sights that leave poets and painters in awe.

Historical records suggest that Xinzha farmers have been cultivating flowers for over 400 years. Hu Lian (1469–1542), a Ming Dynasty hero who resisted Portuguese invaders and a native of Xinzha, was not only a military and political figure but also an avid amateur horticulturist. Upon his victorious return to Xinzha from resisting the Portuguese, he brought back many rare flowers from Hainan and planted them at home. Aside from enjoying them for personal enrichment, he also personally taught local farmers how to grow flowers. Today, nine juniper and ground juniper specimens in Zhouquan Garden, some 300 years old, are said to trace their lineage to stock brought back during Hu Lian’s time—possibly even “second-generation” plants. These nine ancient-looking potted pine tree masterpieces strike a perfect balance between rugged strength and graceful beauty, earning them the title of “living plant fossils.” According to the garden’s caretaker, Zhouquan originally had 11 such 300-year-old potted pine specimens. In 1960, when the Guanyun County Government built a martyrs’ cemetery on Dayishan Mountain, the Zhouquan Brigade gifted two of them as a token of the people of Shuyang’s respect—refusing all other high offers. The only exception? They were unhesitatingly donated to honor the martyrs. This act reflects the deep revolutionary spirit and profound love for flowers and trees held by the people of Xinzha.

In addition to seeing 300- to 500-year-old pines and cypresses, and over 50 traditional flower and tree varieties cultivated continuously for 100 to 200 years, visitors to the Hometown of Flowers and Trees can also admire thousands of rare domestic and international species introduced in the past 20 years—such as Brazilian wood, Belgian azaleas, Japanese five-needle pines, cacti, Vietnamese and North Korean roses, Cambodian roses, and Taiwan’s Golden Pagoda bamboo. You name it, they’ve got it. Experts from the Nanjing Botanical Garden say Xinzha Town is practically a world exhibition garden of flowers and trees...

Xinzha Town: Overview

Located northwest of Shuyang County and on the northern bank of the Xin’yih River, Xinzha Town is three kilometers from National Highway 205 and the - highway, with the Yihuai Railway passing through its territory. The town covers an area of 48.6 square kilometers, governs 13 administrative villages, and has a population of 39,000.

The town is nationally renowned as a Hometown of Flowers and Trees, with a long history of flower cultivation. Zhouquan Garden is especially famous. Li Yimang, former director of the Huaihai District, once wrote the verse: “Hu Family Garden is exquisite, the finest in Huaihai.” The garden was first established here during the Ming Dynasty’s Jiajing era by a local scholar, Hu Lian, and has a history of over 500 years… More detailed information about Xinzha Town ++