Fairylake Botanical Garden

   “The Phoenixes dwells in Wutong Mountain, and the fairies played in the pool of the Heaven”. Wutong Mountain with cloud and mist through the year, giving it a blurry and unreal appearance, densely wooded and with winding streams, is the highest peak in Shenzhen (alt. 944 m). It is among such a wonderful mountain that Shenzhen Fairy Lake Botanical Garden is located. The garden was started to construct in 1983, and opened to the public in 1988, covering an area of 587 hectares. The garden is one of the most popular destinations for visitors in Shenzhen, and attracted over two million tourists in 2005. The missions of this garden include scientific research, education and tourism.

   One of the priorities for Fairy Lake is the preservation of rare and threatened plants. There are about 6,500 species cultivated in this garden via various ex situ conservation centers/gardens. The major centers gardens include International Ex Situ Conservation Center for Cycads, International Magnolia Garden, Rare & Endangered Trees Garden, Palm Garden, Bamboos Garden, Medicinal Plants Garden, Shady Plants Garden, Cacti & Succulents, Aquatic Plants Garden, Cryptogamic Garden, Gymnosperms Garden, and Bonsai Garden, etc.

   The garden is divided into six scenic areas, including the Heaven & Earth Area, the Lake Area, the Temple Area, the Desert Landscape Area, Petrified Forest Area and the Conifers and Azalea Area. One of the places you shouldn’t miss is the Palaeontological Museum where host a lot of precious and spectacular fossils which are vital to tell the story of the origin and evolution of land organisms.

   Covered with lush lawn and dotted with palm trees, the palm garden presents a strong tropical landscape. In shady plants garden, insectivorous plants are on the look out for prey while brightly-colored Oncidium orchids look like gracious maids in an imperial palace performing beautiful dances. In the Petrified Forest, the agated woods proudly stand upright, and their annual rings were never obliterated in the hundreds of million years, and it seems to tell the great change of the earth. In the desert green house, cacti and succulents vie with each other for glamour. In the first rays of the morning sun, the ring of bells and the recitation of scriptures in the Buddhism temple fill people with deep veneration. In the setting sun, the garden is so picturesque and tranquil with the bright ripples spreading. On the lake and the green trees and pavilions reflected in the water…… What a wonderful and intoxicating garden?!