Xining Botanical Garden

Xining Botanical Garden

Xining Botanical Garden is situated in Xishan Bay, Xining. It is a natural park and a large-scale modern garden green space that combines sightseeing, scientific research, garden art display, garden plant breeding and promotion, and the protection of endangered plants. It reflects the unique alpine plant landscapes and establishes a garden plant arrangement art with alpine and local ethnic characteristics. The garden introduces cultivated plants from both domestic and international sources that are well-suited to the local climate, enriching the variety of landscaping trees and providing citizens with an elegant and beautiful place for leisure and recreation. Covering an area of over 1,000 acres, the garden mainly consists of terraces and is divided into two tourist areas: upper and lower mountain sections. The upper mountain area is a forested zone with over 1,000 acres of tree species, primarily spruce and pine. The tall fir trees stand like green towers reaching into the sky, while the dense pine forests block out the sunlight. The lower mountain attractions include nine smaller themed gardens such as a bonsai garden, lilac garden, rose garden, conifer garden, and rock garden, among which the bonsai garden is the most captivating. The bonsai garden houses hundreds of bonsai specimens across 54 families, 110 genera, and 415 species. With its unique designs and architectural style reminiscent of Suzhou gardens, it is praised as “Not a famous garden, yet rivaling one; not in the south, yet resembling the south.” Many visitors from other regions come here specifically for it.

Xining Municipal Landscape Botanical Garden is a specialized botanical garden serving urban landscaping. Located at the foot of the western section of Nanshan Mountain in Xining, it covers a total area of 150 hectares. The garden is divided into five functional zones: introduction and acclimatization zone, science education and exhibition zone, alpine plant ecology zone, garden plant demonstration zone, and garden management zone. Five specialized gardens have been established. Xining Botanical Garden is a large-scale modern garden green space that integrates sightseeing, scientific research, garden art display, garden plant breeding and promotion, and the protection of endangered plants. It showcases the unique alpine plant landscapes and creates a garden plant arrangement art with alpine and local ethnic characteristics. The garden introduces cultivated plants from both domestic and international sources that are well-suited to the local climate, enriching the variety of landscaping trees and providing citizens with an elegant and beautiful place for leisure and recreation.

The Lilac Garden is the second-largest attraction in the garden. In April, the fragrant lilacs fill the air with their sweet scent as the breeze blows, enchanting visitors. For this reason, the lilac has been designated as the city flower of Xining.

In the Apple Orchard, visitors can sit around tables under the apple trees, personally participate in activities, enjoy “covered bowl tea,” drink barley wine, eat “hand-grabbed lamb,” and even sing to their heart’s content—hence the name “Picnic Garden.” Here, you can experience a natural lifestyle and connect with nature.

As people's living standards improve, so does their spiritual life. During holidays, many go out to travel and relax. The botanical garden provides a leisure destination for the people of Qinghai and has become one of the New Eight Scenic Spots of Xining.

Major Attractions

Xining Botanical Garden currently covers 73 hectares of land, including 1.3 hectares for the introduction and acclimatization zone, 1.6 hectares for the rose and lilac gardens, 0.2 hectares for greenhouses and living quarters, 64 hectares for afforestation on barren hills, 3.3 hectares for the orchard, 1 hectare reserved for the future bonsai garden, and 2 hectares for the conifer garden.

1. The Rose Garden covers approximately 0.9 hectares and is planted with 50 species and 1,024 trees, including 33 species and 665 plants from the Rosaceae family.

2. The Lilac Garden spans about 0.7 hectares and includes 22 species and 1,346 trees, among which there are 8 species and 833 lilac plants. The lilac varieties include: purple lilac, white lilac, cutleaf lilac, European lilac, Liaodong lilac, Beijing lilac, four-season lilac, and Korean lilac.

3. The Introduction and Acclimatization Zone covers 1.3 hectares and cultivates 117 plant species, primarily woody plants. It is planned to be developed into a wild garden that highlights the charm of wild plants.

4. The Greenhouse area is 420 square meters and houses 83 species of ornamental plants, featuring cold-loving flowers such as fuchsia and cyclamen, herbaceous plants, foliage plants, and succulents.

5. The Barren Hill Afforestation Zone covers 64 hectares. This area functions as a tree garden, with plant arrangements primarily featuring local species such as Chinese pine, spruce, and poplar.

6. The Orchard spans 3.3 hectares and mainly grows apple varieties such as Cuiqiu, Fujin, and Zaixu, yielding approximately 20,000 kilograms of apples per year.