April is when flowers bloom in dazzling competition, with peach blossoms smiling in the spring breeze across the land. Plan your flower viewing around their blooming periods. Meet up with loved ones under the blossoms, strolling carefree through seas of rosy hues, completely immersed in the moment. Peach blossoms, crabapple, tulips, lilacs, magnolia... an abundance of fragrance and endless beauty.
Traveling for flowers stems from love in the heart; admiring beauty is a celebration of the romantic bloom season. Those who love flower viewing often have a touch of refined sensibility, drawn to the poetic charm of nature, the delicate dance of falling petals, and the bittersweet fleeting moments. Viewing flowers requires mood, but also the right place—whether near or far. Only when in harmony with one’s spirit can one truly capture the mood and elegance of the scene.
Currently, the Beijing Botanical Garden Peach Blossom Festival has already begun. The Yuan Dynasty City Wall Ruins Park, home to what is hailed as “the largest crabapple forest in urban Beijing,” is also waiting for visitors. The peach blossoms of Pinggu are even nationally renowned... April is the peak of the floral season—make the most of your holidays to go out and enjoy the fresh air and blossoms.
Viewing Peach Blossoms at Beijing Botanical Garden
Beijing Botanical Garden: Peach Blossoms in Full Bloom
The 24th Beijing Peach Blossom Festival has kicked off at the Beijing Botanical Garden. This year’s festival theme is “In Search of a Peach Blossom Paradise for the Soul.” During the festival, visitors can not only enjoy the garden’s stunning natural landscapes and diverse plant species, but also participate in a variety of engaging cultural activities.
The Peach Blossom Festival will run until mid-May, showcasing nearly 1,000 varieties of flowers, totaling one million plants (or pots). Many new and premium flowering plants will make their debut. Among the highlights is this year’s new peach blossom variety, “Pinhong.” Developed through artificial hybridization by the Beijing Botanical Garden and Beijing Forestry University, this ornamental peach blossom variety is expected to bloom in early April.
During the festival, visitors can admire various plants and beautiful landscape designs in areas such as the “Mountain Peach Zone,” “Magnolia Garden,” “Plum Garden,” “Crabapple Garden,” “Lilac Garden,” “Pink Peach Garden,” “Tulip Exhibition Area,” and “Peony Garden.” Brief introductions near the plants offer insights into botanic culture while enjoying the scenery. The special Qingming-themed plant exhibition in the tropical greenhouse introduces seasonal customs, while the Dai ethnic culture display offers a taste of unique folk traditions. The Peach Culture Exhibition in the Science Museum lets you explore China’s deep-rooted peach culture. Moreover, the numerous poems and verses related to peach blossoms throughout the garden enrich the event with cultural charm.
To help visitors navigate, the Beijing Botanical Garden has introduced four specially designed healthy walking routes during the festival. Each route offers unique features, catering to different preferences.
1. Mountain-Loving Route: South Gate of the Botanical Garden → Preparatory Greenhouse → West Side of Tropical Exhibition Greenhouse → Peony Garden → Peony Garden → West Side of Crabapple Garden → Plum Garden → Cherry Valley
2. Water-Loving Route: Southeast Gate of the Botanical Garden → East Side of Visitor Service Center → Northward along the Lake, passing west of Cao Xueqin Memorial Hall → Turn right at Luoguo Bridge, enter North Lake via the platform → Walk along North Lake shoreline and return to Luoguo Bridge → Proceed along west shore of Middle Lake → East Side of Bonsai Garden → Follow west shore of South Lake back to Visitor Service Center → Exit Southeast Gate
3. Adventure Route: Southeast Gate → Cao Xueqin Memorial Hall (Qing Dynasty) → Westward to Watchtower (Qing Dynasty) → Liang Qichao’s Tomb (Late Qing and Republican Era) → Sun Chuanfang’s Tomb (Republican Era) → Northward to Reclining Buddha Temple (Tang and Yuan Dynasties) → Pass through Plum Garden to Cherry Valley (Ming Dynasty) → One-Two-Nine Memorial Pavilion → Yuanbao Rock → Return to South Gate along the path
4. Floral Sea Route: Southeast Gate (Gate Area Floral Display) → North Side of Science Museum (White Flower Mountain Pink Peach, Tulips) → Westward to Central Axis Road (Winter Jasmine, Prunus triloba) → Northward to Greenhouse (Greenhouse Perimeter Floral Display) → Northward into Pink Peach Garden → Follow path northward into Lilac Garden → Exit Lilac Garden northward into Magnolia Garden → Exit Magnolia Garden west gate into Plum Garden → Southward into Crabapple Garden → Southward into Peony Garden → Pass through Exhibition Greenhouse → Southward to South Gate (South Gate Flower Bed)
Tips for Visiting the Botanical Garden:
Best Viewing Period: Late March to Early May
Ticket Price Update: From March 29 to May 13, 2012, the Beijing Botanical Garden entrance fee increased from 5 RMB per person to 10 RMB per person. Other ticket prices remain unchanged according to current policies. A discounted combo ticket is available for 45 RMB per person, covering the garden entrance, greenhouse, and Reclining Buddha Temple—saving you 15 RMB compared to buying separate tickets.
General Admission: 10 RMB/person; Student Ticket: 5 RMB/person; Greenhouse: 50 RMB/person; Student Ticket: 40 RMB/person; Reclining Buddha Temple: 5 RMB/person; Discount Combo Ticket: 45 RMB/person; Butterfly House: 10 RMB/person
Address: Foquan Temple Road, Fragrant Hills, Haidian District, Beijing
Transportation: Direct buses include 634, 360, 331, 318, 737, and 733
Driving Directions: Exit at Fragrant Hills on the Fourth or Fifth Ring Road, then follow signage
Recommended Spot: Yuan Dynasty City Wall Ruins Park
Why Go: Home to Beijing’s Largest Crabapple Forest
Crabapple Forest
The Yuan Dynasty City Wall Ruins Park features the Crabapple Flower Stream, where over 2,500 crabapple trees of more than ten varieties—including Western Crabapple, Thorny Crabapple, Golden Star Crabapple, and Weeping Crabapple—are planted. It is the largest crabapple forest in the urban area. The park’s Crabapple Flower Festival is one of Beijing’s three major spring flower events, alongside the Peach Blossom Festival at the Xiangshan Botanical Garden and the Cherry Blossom Festival at Yuyuantan Park. As an open park, visitors can enjoy the Crabapple Flower Stream area for free, listening to soothing background music while admiring the blossoms.
Recommended Must-See Spots in the Park:
1. Crabapple Flower Stream Area:
Located east of Panda Ring Island, this preserved and enhanced area is home to nearly 2,000 crabapple trees of multiple varieties, making it the largest crabapple forest in the city.
2. The "Prosperous Capital" Scenic Area:
Located east of the intersection of Anding Road and Xiaoguan Intersection. This scenic area showcases a grand and awe-inspiring ensemble sculpture titled "Prosperous Capital," along with an 80-meter-long large-scale mural. These artistic highlights, complemented by garden features such as horses, stone sheep, and wooden pavilions, vividly recreate the political, economic, military, technological, cultural, and daily life achievements of the Yuan Dynasty. They highlight the bold and unrestrained characteristics of steppe culture, as well as the profound heritage of Chinese ethnic culture and Beijing’s long and weighty history, transforming the Yuan Capital Ruins Park into a massive "open-air art museum." It is the largest outdoor sculpture complex in Beijing.
3. The "Dragon Rise and Fish Leap" Scenic Area:
Situated at the easternmost end of the park, where the urban light rail and Xiaoyue River intersect diagonally to form a triangular plot resembling a dragon’s head, this area covers approximately 17,000 square meters. It forms a naturally wild wetland garden with a rustic charm, making it the largest artificial wetland within Beijing’s urban area.
Crabapple Flower Viewing Tips:
Best viewing time: March to April
Yuan Capital Ruins Park Admission: Free
1. Transportation: The attractions of the Dadu City Wall Ruins Park (Haidian Section) are distributed along Xitucheng and Beitucheng. Among them, the sections "Wall Nostalgia," "Jimen Misty Trees," and "Iron Riders’ Majesty" are located in the Xitucheng section, accessible by buses 392, 375, and 902.
2. Attractions such as "Fragrant Thyme in Bloom," "Silver Waves Catching the Moon," "Crape Myrtle in Painting," "Founding Ceremony of the Capital," "New Vision at the Water Gate," "Prosperity on Horseback," and "Yanyun Pastoral Song" are located in the Beitucheng section, accessible by buses 22, 38, and 331.
Yuyuantan Park
Every year when the cherry blossoms bloom, Yuyuantan Park hosts a Cherry Blossom Festival. During this time, visitors can admire 2,000 cherry trees of 20 different varieties. With the spring breeze gently blowing and petals fluttering down, it creates a truly breathtaking scene.
Cherry Blossoms in Full Bloom
1. Cherry Blossom Garden:
The Cherry Blossom Garden is located in the northwest part of the park, adjacent to the bustling West Third Ring Road. A mountain range runs east-west through the garden, with winding paths and lush green waterbanks. It was first constructed in 1989 alongside the nearby TV tower.
2. Spring Retention Garden:
Built in 1983, the Spring Retention Garden is situated in the eastern part of Yuyuantan Park, covering an area of 16,300 square meters. It features a central open lawn, surrounded by pavilions, corridors, tall trees, and a variety of flowers and plants that can be enjoyed all four seasons.
3. Zhongshan Island:
Located in the southwest of the park, Zhongshan Island is a narrow sloped area between Bayi Lake and West Lake. Stretching 800 meters in length and about 80 meters in width, it forms an undulating hill ridge of varying widths running east-west.
Cherry Blossom Viewing Tips at Yuyuantan Park:
Best viewing time: Late March to late April
Ticket: 10 RMB (during the Cherry Blossom Festival) / 2 RMB (regular)
Park Address: West Third Ring Middle Road, Haidian District, Beijing
Transportation: The west gate faces the CCTV Tower across West Third Ring Middle Road. Accessible via buses 300, 323, 374, Te8, and various Yuntong lines.
Driving Route: Heading north from Gongzhufen, exit the main road in advance—the west gate has a parking lot on its north side. Heading south from the north, go under Hangtian Bridge and park near the TV Tower.
Fayuan Temple
Lilac Flowers
Recommendation: Lilacs are known as the "Sea of Fragrant Snow" and were once celebrated as one of the three great floral events of the capital, alongside the peonies of Chongxiao Temple and the crabapple blossoms of Prince Gong’s Mansion.
Fayuan Temple is a historic and renowned Buddhist temple. The temple grounds are serene and planted with numerous lush pines, cypresses, ginkgos, and lilacs—including white-bark pines from the Yuan Dynasty, scholar-tree fruits from the Qing Dynasty, and two West Garden crabapple trees planted by Emperor Qianlong. As a result, Fayuan Temple is famed for its lilacs and crabapples, attracting many literati who left behind poetic verses.
The best time to visit Fayuan Temple is late spring to early summer, when the lilacs—known as the "Sea of Fragrant Snow"—bloom. Along with the peonies of Chongxiao Temple and the crabapple blossoms of Prince Gong’s Mansion, they were once considered one of the three great floral events of the capital.
Lilac blossoms are small and grow in clusters, in white and purple hues. Each flower typically has four petals and emits a bittersweet fragrance. When in full bloom, especially in the evening, their rich scent wafts through the air, intoxicating all who pass. Lilacs are one of the “Three Wonders of Fayuan Temple.” Both the front and rear courtyards of the temple are filled with lilac trees—not only in great numbers and vast groves, but also featuring diverse species and colors. In addition to native North China lilacs and their white variants, there are also foreign lilacs believed to have been brought back by Zheng He from the Maluku Islands during his voyages to the Western Seas.
Flower Viewing Tips:
Best viewing period: Mid-April to early May
Ticket price: 5 RMB
Address: No. 7 Fayuan Qianjie, Xuanwu District, Beijing
How to get to Fayuan Temple: Take bus 109, 105, 743, or 57 to Niu Street South Exit or to Jiaozi Hutong, then head east.