**********************************************************
The Hong Kong Flower Show 2014 at Victoria Park will close on Sunday (March 16). Featuring beautiful floral arrangements and gorgeous landscape displays, the flower show also offers a rich diversity of fringe activities for the enjoyment of visitors of all ages including music and cultural performances, floral art demonstrations, green activities workshops and fun games.
The "Happy Wonderland" on the park's lawns has been well received by youngsters, with fun-filled programmes including magic shows, balloon-twisting, face-painting, African drum playing, inflatable bouncers, sketching, arts-and-crafts stalls, games stalls and more. Equally entertaining are the marching band and music performances.
Various programmes are being held on the stage, including rope skipping, artistic gymnastics, Chinese music and cultural performances. There are also floral art demonstrations by masters from Japan and Hong Kong.
The flower show has attracted more than 200 organisations from 15 countries to take part in showcasing exquisite potted plants, beautiful floral arrangements and gorgeous landscape displays. More than 350 000 flowering plants are on display, among which are about 40 000 pots of the theme flower, the kalanchoe. With "Blossoms of Joy" as its main theme, this year's flower show is supported by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust as the major sponsor.
At the flower show, a multicoloured floral carpet stretches from the Sugar Street entrance of the showground all the way to the stage. The theme of the floral carpet is "Home of the Animals" and it features assorted animal shapes made up of foliage and colourful flowering plants. Delightful floral displays themed on cosy homes around the world are also featured at the Hing Fat Street entrance.
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) is also presenting a spectacular exhibit entitled "A Garden of Joy in Hong Kong". The display is made up of striking contours and a lively composition using colourful kalanchoes to form a multi-layered parterre, providing the background for scenes of everyday bliss.
Another exhibit, named "Floral Celebration" and measuring 28 metres in length and 15m wide, creates a rich and colourful layering effect. The theme flower kalanchoe in a variety of colours is clustered closely with other floral species to contrast with tulips. The tulip display in a variety of colours is strikingly beautiful and provides an opportunity for leisure viewing and photo-taking.
Other main attractions include a mosaiculture display entitled "My Home Among the Corals", showcasing marine creatures living in the coral reefs; Brand Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Velodrome floral walls; spectacular displays from the Mainland; and interactive photo-taking booths.
The Hong Kong Flower Show, organised by the LCSD, runs until Sunday from 9am to 9pm at Victoria Park.
Admission tickets are being sold at the entrance to the Victoria Park showground throughout the show period. Octopus can be used to pay for admission. Admission tickets are also available at the LCSD's District Leisure Services Offices, and at leisure venues with Leisure Link services, except for water sports centres and holiday camps.
Admission fees for the flower show are as follows:
* Normal rate: $14
* Children, students and senior citizens aged 60 or above: $7
* Persons with disabilities and their minders (each person can enjoy the concessionary rate with one minder only): $7
For enquiries, please call 2601 8260, fax 2691 7264 or visit the LCSD webpage at www.lcsd.gov.hk/green/hkfs/2014/en/index.php .
Ends/Friday, March 14, 2014
Issued at HKT 16:25
NNNN
