By MOOK Scenic Spots Family Editorial Team Photos / Tourism Bureau, Ministry of Transportation and Communications
As the plum rain front gradually moves away and days of heavy rainfall finally come to an end, the flora and fauna of the forest enjoy the long-awaited sunshine and welcome the arrival of early summer. This year, the medicinal plant garden at Neishuangxi Nature Center has specially planted love flowers, which are also blooming passionately in early summer. It’s a great time for families and friends to head up the mountain for a spring outing, immerse themselves in the fragrances of nature, wander through the romantic purple-blue sea of flowers, and enjoy the ambiance of early summer.
The genus name of the love flower is derived from the Greek words for love and flower, and its floral meaning is romantic love and the visitation of love. The blooming love flowers are exquisitely beautiful—violet-blue petals circle around like pairs of lovers waltzing together, singing praises of love’s beauty. In Chinese-speaking regions, love flowers also symbolize fertility and having numerous descendants due to their abundant fruiting, earning them the beautiful name “Agapanthus” or “hundred-sons lily.”
Additionally, there is a tragic legend behind the love flower. It is said that a boy and a girl once made a date to pick flowers together. The boy saw a beautiful love flower blooming on the edge of a cliff and, wanting to win the girl’s heart, decided to risk danger to pick it. But as he reached for the flower, he slipped and fell. Although the girl managed to grab his hand, she didn’t have the strength to pull him up. In the end, the boy fell over the edge of the cliff, leaving only the beautiful love flower clutched in the girl’s hand. This poignant legend adds a touch of blue-purple melancholy and mystery to the love flower.
The love flower seas at Neishuangxi Nature Center will be in full bloom within two weeks. Visitors can take advantage of the clear days after the rain to go and admire them. The medicinal plant garden at Neishuangxi Nature Center is open to the public for free visits every Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. On weekends, soil and water conservation volunteers are also on-site to provide guided tours. Everyone might as well take this flower season as an opportunity to explore Neishuangxi and learn about other medicinal or aromatic plants in the area.
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