Published : 2026-05-16
As we enter late spring and early summer, the gentle elegance of spring fades away, welcoming the passionate intensity of summer.
A new sea of flowers is quietly blooming at this time—gracefully blooming peonies, Chinese roses vying for beauty, and elegant water lilies skimming the water, as if raising the richly coloured curtain for early summer.
Late peonies at Sui-Tang Luoyang City
Many people think that the Luoyang peony season is over after April, but in fact, May is the best time to view the late-blooming peonies, Luoyang City of the Sui and Tang Dynasties in Henan is an excellent place for flower viewing.
This place is adjacent to Tang Dynasty architectural sites like Yingtianmen Gate and Jiuzhou Pond, where red walls and dark grey tiles set off the layers of blooming peonies, and as you walk among them, it feels as though you can touch the cultural heritage and poetry of the thousand-year-old ancient capital.
Inside Luoyang City of the Sui and Tang Dynasties, various late-blooming peony varieties such as Huang Guan and Hai Huang are planted.
The flower colours are rich and varied, with golden yellow, pinkish-white, and pure white petals complementing each other. The flowers are large and full, fully displaying the graceful demeanour of a peerless beauty.
During the day, the abundant flowers and ancient architecture form a delightful scene, with every step revealing a new view imbued with the elegant charm of the Tang Dynasty, allowing you to effortlessly capture photos with both quality and artistic mood.
After nightfall, the lights come on one after another, and the peonies take on a hazy beauty amidst the light and shadows; wearing Hanfu for photos provides an even more immersive experience of travelling back to the High Tang Dynasty.
Chinese roses along Tianjin's Five Great Avenues
When talking about the most iconic urban seas of flowers in May, the Chinese roses of Tianjin's Five Great Avenues definitely hold a place, with Munan Park being the worthiest of a visit.
As a traditional European-style park in Tianjin, Munan Park has more than 14,000 Chinese roses planted, with over a hundred varieties including large-flowered roses, climbing roses, and miniature roses.
May marks the peak flowering period, when the entire park is enveloped in a magnificent sea of flowers, brimming with vitality.
Whether they are the passionate red Chinese roses, the delicate pink ones, the bright yellow ones, or the unique multicoloured varieties, they climb and spread along the wrought-iron corridors and fences within the park, in well-arranged, overlapping layers, creating a highly spectacular view.
The nearby All Saints' Church, meanwhile, is a hidden haven of English-style Chinese roses. In front of the century-old, grey-brick Gothic church, towering bushes of Chinese roses encircle the building, where the vintage spires and the magnificent flower clusters complement each other, creating a uniquely exotic and romantic atmosphere.
Besides All Saints' Church, there are many distinctive European-style villas on the Five Great Avenues.
Roman columns and fountains are set against a sea of Chinese roses, blending Chinese and Western styles. There is no need to deliberately look for an angle; a casual snapshot can be a masterpiece that is both retro and romantic.
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Water lilies at West Lake's Maojiabu
Come spring or summer, Hangzhou's West Lake, with its picturesque scenery, is always a flower-viewing destination worth visiting at any time of year.
If you wish to avoid the crowds in the main scenic area of West Lake, you should head to Maojiabu's Longhong Jian; here lies Hangzhou's most healing secret spot for water lilies in early summer.
May is the peak flowering period for water lilies. On the surface of the clear water, the water lilies quietly bloom, like a real-life Monet's garden, serene and beautiful, allowing one to forget the hustle and bustle.
The water of Longhong Stream is calm and clear, with large areas of pinkish-white and pale-yellow water lilies floating on the surface, their delicate petals set off by round, jade-green leaves; as a gentle breeze passes, the petals sway with the ripples, creating a dreamlike and magical scene.
Unlike the main scenic area of West Lake, Maojiabu preserves a pristine, wild charm; the water is open and expansive, surrounded by lush plants and trees, with egrets and wild ducks often resting and swimming on the surface, while fish dart amongst the flowers, the contrast of stillness and motion painting a vivid natural scene.
It is recommended to visit in the early morning; at this time, a light morning mist envelops the water's surface, the water lilies slowly unfurl their petals, the light and shadows are hazy, and there are few tourists, fully revealing a tranquil atmosphere.
Take a slow walk along the waterside path, enjoying the cool lake breeze and the floral reflections by the water, to encounter the most tender floral spectacle of early summer in the gentle atmosphere of the Jiangnan water town.
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