Edited and translated by Wang Lili, People's Daily Online.
The Ninth China (Beijing) International Garden Expo ended its trial run on May 13, and the expo is to kick off on May 18 as scheduled. This celebration of gardening arts will last from May 18 to Nov. 17 on the west bank of the Yongding River in Fengtai district. It is the longest and largest national and international event in the city after the Olympic Games.
Beijing was granted the opportunity to host the Garden Expo in 2010 and put forward the theme "garden city, beautiful home" at that time. The garden park covers a total land area of 513 hectares, including a vast land area of 267 hectares and 246 hectares of water space. Visitors may also stroll to the China Garden Museum, Yongding Tower, Jinxiu Valle and Expo Lake and Wetland, which were built specifically for the expo. The Garden Expo is twice the size of the Summer Palace.