During the exhibition, the Summer Palace will be titivated with delightfully attractive decorations complementing more than 2,000 potted Sweet Osmanthus fragrans. More than 30,000 foil decorated plants and more than 130 potted autumnal landscapes will also be on display. The exhibition will be the largest flower and plant affair to ever be held in the garden.

The Summer Palace will be divided into 8 exhibition areas including the “Autumn Charm of the Summer Palace” and the “Ancient Osmanthus.”

Since January master flower arrangers for the exhibition have ventured far into southern China to select the finest variety of Sweet Osmanthus, enriching the diversity of plants to be displayed in the garden.

For Chinese, the Sweet Osmanthus (Osmanthus fragrans) brings to mind the season of autumn, the time of year this glorious flower comes into bloom. The Osmanthus are also associated with the moon because, according to the Chinese legend, this is where a hare once prepared an elixir of life under the shadow of Sweet Osmanthus leaves. The white flowers give off a subtle yet long-lasting scent similar to that of jasmine and are used frequently in tea, wine, perfume and even medicine.

(china.org.cn by Zhao Meng, September 20, 2002)