China National Flower Garden, Henan, China

4EKC2011 5:00 PM May 9, 2015

Schedule the trip earlier
The 2015 Luoyang Peony Festival was held between Apr 5to May 5. We scheduled our arrival at Luoyang on Apr 25 believing that we could meet the peak of the event. However, the warm weather this year came earlier and upon our arrival, we learned that most types of peony had completed blossoming leaving not many were still flowering. To make thing even worse was there was heavy rain and thunder in the night before our visit. So, when we visited, many remaining peony in the open area were withering with only those in the pergola were still blooming and they were unbelievable beautiful! Yes, I was disappointed I missed the blossoming peak but I have put Luoyang Peony Festival in my revisit list. Next time, I would come earlier.

4Timothy R 5:00 PM May 31, 2018

A well laid out and multipurpose park with many tree and flower variaties
Location and getting there. This park is south of the river between the Luoyang bridge and the Peony Bridge. There are entrances from both ends, although the Peony bridge end seems best. The Number 77 bus has a stop right outside. We walk down to the park from the Luoyang Museum, about 1 Km. (from the front of the museum facing it, walk down the left side towards the parking attendants hut, before you close noticed a diagonal paved footpath and take it, this leads into the backstreets past a novel food garden area, walk straight across about 3 cross roads then turn left, at the main road turn right past the big junction then cross over and head for the bridge, the park entrance is on the right.) As the park follows the river, but does NOT touch the river banks, (there is a further strip of land that acts as a buffer), their are minimal steps making for a nice walk, During the Peony season it's has an entrance fee, otherwise it's free. We were there in Early June, so not a peony flower in sight and the butterfly area was disassembled. However it's still a very pleasant walk, there is a small lake and the lilies were starting to flower. This park has 1086 Peony types and 100 tree types, so in season it's a riot of colour. The locals use it out of season for many things. The young boys playing hide and seek / tag, a couple practicing on saxophones, a grandfather training two young lads in combat kung fu, ( really quite frightening seeing the blows land full force). Once you have meandered your way through the park, avoiding the watering systems designed to soak the unwary you exit onto the Longman Avenue. Grab a cab or turn left and walk over Luoyang Bridge on the footpath / cycle raceway to see the river etc.