One of the best places to go is the Shanghai Botanical Gardens, the largest municipal botanical gardens in China. Construction of the gardens began in 1974, and they were finally opened up to the public in the late 1970s. The 200-acre horticultural oasis has magnolia trees, bamboo plants, roses, and supposedly the best orchid garden in the country.
The garden is divided into four sections, which feature things like Traditional Chinese Medicine plants that are actually grown, harvested, and used right here in Shanghai. There are also two greenhouses, one of which houses over 3,500 tropical blooms from southeast Asia. The other greenhouse, one of the newer additions to the garden, focuses on desert plants such as cacti. The fake camels and sunset that are used to make you feel like you’re actually in the desert are a tad cheesy, but the plants themselves are pretty wild.
While you’re strolling around enjoying the greenery, don’t be surprised if you run into groups of students on field trips or witness scientific surveys being conducted. One of the main purposes of the garden is to promote educational and scientific research in the area of plant science. They’ve even built a new area, known as the Plant Evolution Section, completely dedicated to horticultural experiments. But don’t worry - you don’t have to have your PhD in order to enjoy the garden; the flowers here, which have won awards at international shows for their beauty and rarity, are gorgeous whether you know their backgrounds or not
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