Encountering the most beautiful Chinese roses at Hefei Botanical Garden

After climbing Mount Dashu, I arrived at the nearby Hefei Botanical Garden. The botanical garden is a popular spot for social media check-ins and currently charges a 10 yuan admission fee, but I heard it will be open to the public for free soon. The botanical garden is built around the Dongpu Reservoir and extends into the water as a peninsula. The east gate is the main entrance, and there is also a south gate on the other side. On the land side, there is an under-construction southern expansion area, which will make the garden even larger in the future. I chose the counterclockwise walking route, passing by the plum garden ♣️ without stopping. Then I reached the Flower Expo Garden, where only some withered peonies remained. Ahead was an island within an island called 'On the Water's Edge,' connected by a causeway. I mistakenly thought I could cross over from the 'Reed Boat Hideaway' on the right, but upon arrival, I found it was not connected and had to return via the Osmanthus Garden. Back at the central causeway, I reached 'On the Water's Edge,' where there was an amusement park and some blooming Chinese roses 🌹 along the road, but no particularly special scenery. Returning from the causeway to the Flower Expo Garden, I walked south through the Magnolia Garden, Pomegranate Garden, Legume Garden, and Arboretum, all the way to the Native Plants Garden, and then I was about to exit through the south gate. I had planned to leave, but felt a sense of reluctance, as I hadn't seen any special sights after walking half the day. Why is it called a social media hotspot? 🤔 After a short rest, I dismissed the idea of leaving and walked through the Native Plants Garden towards the east gate. When I arrived at the Chinese Rose Garden, I was suddenly captivated by the beautiful scenery in front of me. It turned out I had taken the wrong direction; the season's blooming flowers were all hidden here, and I almost missed them. 😍 Chinese roses, roses, and Rosa rugosa are known as the 'Three Sisters of Roses,' and their similar appearances often make it difficult to distinguish between them. The clusters of flowers in the Chinese Rose Garden were blooming brilliantly, even attracting many couples to take wedding photos. The clustered ones might be roses, the ones that grew like small trees could be Chinese roses, and the short ones looked like Rosa rugosa; in any case, they were all beautiful. Next to the Chinese Rose Garden was a large lawn, where the evening sun had lost its strength, and tall trees cast long shadows on the grass. People sat in groups, enjoying this beautiful life. Beside the lawn was a large pond, and by the lake was a forest of water fir trees, presenting a peaceful and serene scene. ⭐ Past the pond was the east gate. Looking back, this route was actually quite nice, saving the best for last. 🎫 Cost: An admission fee of 10 yuan was charged at the time