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The Hong Kong Flower Show 2010 opened at Victoria Park today (March 19) with more than 350,000 flowers on display.
The show's theme flower is the Cineraria and its theme is "Fairy Tales of Flowers". The 10-day show, which runs until March 28, features more than 50,000 pots of the theme flower.
The flower show, an annual event organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), is a major programme promoting horticultural activities as it provides an opportunity for local people and horticulture lovers from around the world to appreciate the beauty of flowers and share their experience about growing flowers.
Officiating at today's opening ceremony were the Chief Executive's wife, Mrs Selina Tsang; the Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Raymond Young; the Chairman of the Legislative Council's Panel on Home Affairs, Mr Ip Kwok-him; the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Mrs Betty Fung, and Miss Hong Kong 2009, Miss Sandy Lau.
About 200 organisations from 21 countries are showcasing exotic flowers and landscape and floral art displays. They are 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 Leisure and Cultural Services Department is presenting a jumbo exhibit made up of some 40,000 exuberant flowers in the display "A happy marriage in a beautiful scenario", featuring a happily wedded prince and princess. They are chiefly attired in multi-coloured plants studded with ornaments. The wedding platform on which they stand is a two-tiered "cake" made up of layers of Kalanchoe, set in a pond with ever-rippling water. The garden plot surrounding the pond is planted with 30,000 variegated Cineraria of over 40 species. An atmosphere of joy and fun is created by the iridescent flowers, giving visitors the feeling that they are in a fairyland, sharing the merriment within.
To promote Hong Kong's participation in Expo 2010 Shanghai China, there is a nine-metre by three-metre flower wall featuring the mascot Haibao made up of pale blue Pansies. The model of the Hong Kong Pavilion and an exhibition are also displayed at the showground to introduce Hong Kong's participation in the mega event.
Other main attractions of the show are: a mosaiculture display "An Ocean Fantasy" featuring lively marine creatures including seahorse, sea turtle, octopus, starfish, lobster, fish and shellfish; a fun display on the park's lawn featuring oranges, lemons and vegetables in the shape of two farmers carrying harvest crops; a spectacular oval-shaped array of 15,000 tulips over 180 square metres; special plant exhibits such as Bowiea volubilis (Climbing Onion), Bulbophyllum giganteum, Pseudolithos migiurtinus, and Cinnamomum aromaticum.
Displays from the Mainland are equally spectacular. They include displays by the Beijing Municipal Administration Centre of Parks and the Zhengzhou Bureau of Landscape Architecture.
Cineraria (botanical name Pericallis x hybrida), also known as Gua Ye Ju, Huang Gua Hua and Gua Ye Lian, is a herbaceous perennial of the genus Pericallis in the family of Asteraceae. A native of North Africa and the Canary Islands of Spain, Cineraria is now extensively cultivated all over the world for ornamental or floral art purposes. The flowers come in a brilliant range of colours, including red, blue, purple, white and multi-colours.
A rich diversity of educational and recreational fringe activities complement the show for the enjoyment of visitors of all ages. They include music and dance performances, floral art demonstrations, cooking demonstrations, plant maintenance workshops, green stalls, guided visits, recreation programmes and fun games.
Admission tickets are available at the entrance to the showground at Victoria Park throughout the show period. Tickets are also available from now until March 28 at LCSD's District Leisure Services Offices and venues with Leisure Link services.
Admission for adults is $14. Children aged between four and 14, students, senior citizens aged 60 or above, persons with disabilities and minder (each person can enjoy the concessionary rate with one minder only) pay half price. Senior citizens, persons with disabilities and minder (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/Friday, March 19, 2010
Issued at HKT 15:26
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