Classical gardens of Suzhou

What it is

The private gardens of Suzhou were built by scholars and officials over several centuries and are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They are small worlds of ponds, rockeries, covered walkways and whitewashed walls with shaped windows that frame a branch or a bamboo. Flowers are few and chosen for meaning. Plum blossom stands for endurance, the peony for prosperity, the lotus for purity rising from mud, the chrysanthemum for the recluse. At the Humble Administrator's Garden, the largest, the ponds fill with lotus in summer and azaleas are shown in spring. The Lingering Garden and the tiny Master of the Nets Garden are other favourites.

Before you go

• Enter at opening time. The gardens are small and fill quickly.
• June to August is lotus season at the Humble Administrator's Garden.
• See two gardens of different sizes rather than rushing four.

The flowers you will see

Sacred lotusThe pink aquatic flower sacred in Asia and grown for food, worship and beautyPeonyLarge spring flowers in pink, red, white, yellow and purple, grown in gardens worldwidePrunus mumeThe fragrant plum blossom tree that blooms in winter across East AsiaAzaleaShade-loving flowering shrubs with spring blooms and thousands of cultivated formsChrysanthemumAutumn-blooming flower with thousands of varieties, cherished in East Asia and beyond

More in China

🇨🇳 Luoyang · Apr to MayLuoyang peony seasonThe old capital of Luoyang fills its parks with tree peonies every April. 🇨🇳 Luoping · Feb to MarLuoping canola flower seaYellow rapeseed fields stretching between small limestone hills in eastern Yunnan. 🇨🇳 Kunming · All yearDounan flower marketChina's largest cut-flower market, where much of the trade happens in the evening.