BlogEvolve.com

I've posted quite a bit about the gardens of China, but Jeanne has prompted me to write something more. The Chinese LOVE their gardens. I know that a majority of Chinese are farmers - growers of vegetables, crops, and animals, but in the cities, the gardens are amazing. It is overwhelming.

For example if we travel from this city to any other city here - maybe an hour or three away, we can't help but be impressed by the plantings and upkeep on both sides of the road - usually a three or four lane highway. Expansive gardens in great condition. (Most of the time we are travelling in buses - and I often laugh that I would love to ask the driver to stop so I could take a photo!!!!)

Here in the schools, the students judge a school, (at least in part) by the standard of the gardens. No kidding. The college here which has 7000 students has the most amazing gardens and a team of gardeners - we often call them "Bill and Ben, the flowerpot men after a children's television program of years ago.

The gardeners are older men and women who work 7 days a week to upkeep the gardens. They are forever pruning, weeding, clipping, planting, or maintaining all the trees, shrubs and annuals.

Below my window are hedges that a kept trimmed and terrific, rows of annuals in pots that are watered frequently (no hose - but a pot on a long handle and the water is ladled out to each pot.)and changed when they droop.

Last weekend a driver of a car in the office next door, thinking he had his car in reverse hit the accelerator pedal and careered through the garden. Within 20 minutes (and this was a Sunday afternoon around 4 pm) four gardeners had appeared and cleaned up the broken pots and plants, and when I looked out of the window at 7.30 am next day - the plants were replaced and it was impossible to see evidence of the "carnage" the evening before!
(If only we could get the cleaners to clean our classrooms with such speed!!!)

Along both sides of the canals here, there is constant maintaining of the gardens. Along both sides of all main and subsidiary roads the gardens are spectacular.

Two weekends ago we went to Wuzhen and Haining - and the roses blooming in the gardens beside the motorway were spectacular. (If only the bus driver had stopped, I could show you!)

Even out in the country yo are likely to see teams of men and women sweeping the sides of the roadway. Certainly they have mechanical road sweepers, but the day to day maintenence is done by hand with brooms made of twigs. Truly.

There is a "tourist spot" opposite the college here - a memorial park to Emperor Yu who is reputed to have "tamed the rivers" preventing the massive flooding that appeared in those ancient times. The gardens are amazing. Once again teams of older men and women tend these gardens with loving care. All the time. Maintenance is huge - ongoing, and seeming done by folk who love their work.

Every "roundabout" in all the roads going in and out of any city that I have visited and I've visited a few in the south of China - the gardens are mind boggling - I'm finding it hard to express it in different adjectives - mostly with a huge statue in the centre, surrounded by spectacular colour in flowers, and shrubs, all perfectly maintained.

The "tourist spots" all have absurdly spectacular gardens, often with features that challenge the sight!

I can only urge people to come and see for themselves. I do not have the words to describe it all.

Bookmark/Search this post with:
| | | | | | | | | | |