The scene of the Yunxi Botanical Garden.

After three years of meticulous construction, featuring a natural education center, five specialized botanical display gardens and three ecological leisure trails, the Yunxi Botanical Garden in Guangzhou officially opens today on Aug 8. Located at the western foot of the Baiyun Mountain Scenic Area in Guangzhou, the core area of the garden spans 35 hectares.

Drawing upon the rich ecological resources of Baiyun Mountain, Yunxi Botanical Garden provides an optimal environment for the cultivation and conservation of diverse plant species. The garden features five specialized display gardens - New and Exotic Flower Garden, Water Lily Garden, Nectar Plant Garden, Rare Plant Garden, and Melastoma Garden - showcasing a vast array of flora from tropical to subtropical climates, offering visitors a comprehensive glimpse into the wonders of biodiversity.

With over 1,300 ex-situ conserved plant species, including 20 nationally protected species at the first-class level and 25 at the second-class level, Yunxi Botanical Garden stands as a testament to conservation efforts. Among these treasures, 57 specimens of the critically endangered "Magnolia grandiflora", often referred to as the "Panda of the Plant Kingdom", serve as the garden's crown jewel. The garden is committed to preserving local species such as Job's Tears and Mimosa pudica, aiming to evoke a sense of nostalgia among visitors.

Post opening, Yunxi Botanical Garden will continue to expand its plant collection, introduce new species, and advance conservation techniques. A series of plant-themed events will be held, accompanied by the launch of creative plant-inspired merchandise.

Yunxi Botanical Garden boasts multiple nature trails equipped with informative signboards and over a thousand QR-code-enabled plant labels, forming a self-guided educational system. The garden plans to regularly host more than 20 diverse nature tours and educational activities, blending botanical knowledge with Lingnan garden culture, intangible cultural heritage, modern creativity, and traditional Chinese aesthetics. This holistic approach aims to provide visitors with an immersive, educational, and entertaining experience, embodying the essence of a premium botanical garden.

Highlighting the Rainbow Bridge and Cloud Bridge, which showcase the unique patterns of the water, the Yunxi Botanical Garden integrates natural aesthetics with modern landscape design principles during the design and building. It features a "tree pavilion" for photosynthesis, and the River View Platform where visitors can enjoy views.

"The Yunxi Botanical Garden is the first botanical garden completed as part of Guangzhou's demonstration area for integrating national botanical gardens into urban parks. It exemplifies the deep integration of new Lingnan garden styles with botanical education," explained Wu Yuyi, the director of Yunxi Botanical Garden. She further detailed that Guangzhou has established the country's first "1+3+N" urban-park integration system: "1" refers to the construction of the South China National Botanical Garden, "3" involves the development of three relocation demonstration areas in the north, central, and south regions, and "N" encompasses the creation of over 10 specialized botanical exhibition gardens and more than 200 ecological education points. "After opening, we will also host a series of botanical-themed activities such as 'Doctoral Science Promotion at Yunxi' and launch botanical-themed cultural and creative products," she added.