Hong Kong Flower Show opens tomorrow at Victoria Park (with photos)
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     The Hong Kong Flower Show 2011, organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), will be held at Victoria Park from 9am to 9pm daily from tomorrow (March 11) until March 20.

     This year's flower show features Primula as the theme flower and "Symphony of Spring Flowers" as its main theme. More than 350,000 flowers, among which are over 50,000 pots of Primula of some 50 cultivars, will transform Victoria Park into a colourful wonderland throughout the show period.

     Over 200 organisations from 21 countries will showcase exotic flowers, landscapes and floral art displays, namely from the Mainland, Australia, Canada, Estonia, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.

     The LCSD presents a jumbo exhibit made up of about 30,000 Primulas of over 30 species in the display "Symphony of Spring Flowers". This beautiful tapestry-like presentation invites visitors to immerse themselves in the resplendent colours and enjoy the wonderful spring scene.  The ingenious design weaves together flowers, music, a water feature and lighting on a floral music stage.  The sea of Primulas stuns visitors with its colours during the day, while with the ever-changing special lighting effects and background music at night, it turns into an even more dazzling world of splendour.

     Elsewhere a spectacular sea of flowers made up of more than 15,000 tulips, measuring 280 square metres, adds colour and fragrance to the showground.

     Other main attractions include a mosaiculture display "Animals in Concert", with a group of lively animals from the forest and fields and creatures of the sea, singing, dancing and playing instruments; a fun display on the park's lawn featuring carrots and other produce in the shape of a musical instrument and rabbits; a 8-metre by 3-metre floral wall made up of colourful flowers promoting the 3rd Hong Kong Games and interactive fun photo booths for photo-taking.

     Special plant exhibits include the Dove Tree (Davidia involucrata), Dancing Grass (Codariocalyx motorius), Tigridiopalma magnifica, and Australian Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia).

     Displays from the Mainland are equally spectacular, including those by the Beijing Municipal Administration Center of Parks, Chongqing Municipal People's Government and Organising Committee of International Horticultural Exposition 2011 Xi'an China.

     Primula, a member of the genus Primula of the family Primulaceae, is a herbaceous perennial, though usually grown as an annual or a biennial. As the word Primula and its Chinese equivalent suggest, the flower is one of the earliest spring blossoms. It blooms between December and March, as a herald of spring.

     There are about 500 species of Primula, found mainly in the temperate northern hemisphere and high mountain areas. Of the approximately 300 species of Primula in China, most of them grow in Sichuan, Yunnan and southern Tibet.

     Primula floweres come in a myriad of colours, from red to yellow, orange, blue, purple and white. Some horticultural species have two-tone petals, making the flowers more colourful and attractive.

     With their many elegant forms, Primulas make an ideal choice as potted flowers. The more cold-tolerant species can be cultivated outdoors, including rock gardens or flowerbeds in warmer regions. Some larger species can be used as cut flowers.

     A rich diversity of educational and recreational fringe activities will also be organised for the enjoyment of visitors of all ages. These include music and cultural performances, floral art demonstrations, cooking demonstrations, tree demonstrations, plant maintenance workshops, green stalls, guided visits, recreation programmes and fun games.

     Admission tickets to the Hong Kong Flower Show 2011 are available now until March 20 at the LCSD's District Leisure Services Offices, and leisure venues with Leisure Link services. Tickets will also be sold at the entrance of the showground at Victoria Park throughout the show period.

     The admission fee for adults is $14. Children, students, senior citizens aged 60 or above, persons with disabilities and minders (each person can enjoy the concessionary rate with one minder only) pay half price. Senior citizens, persons with disabilities and minders (each person can enjoy the concessionary rate with one minder only) will have free admission on weekdays. Adults in a group of 30 or more admitted at the same time will pay half price on weekdays.

     For enquiries, please call 2601 8260, fax 2691 7264 or visit the LCSD website: www.lcsd.gov.hk.

Ends/Thursday, March 10, 2011
Issued at HKT 18:13

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