Peach blossoms, which are commonplace in Beijing, have been adored by Chinese people since ancient times. (Photo: Wang Zhuangfei/China Daily)

Although An's home is only five minutes' walk from Yuyuantan, she never visits the park during the cherry-blossom season because it's crowded with sightseers and vendors.

During the three-day Tomb Sweeping Day holiday from April 4 to 6, more than 1.9 million visits were made to the 11 municipal parks in the capital－100,000 more than officials expected, according to the Beijing Municipal Administration Center of Parks.

There were 222,000 visitors in these parks at 2 pm on April 5－the highest number ever recorded during the holiday.

The administration notes that early spring flowers, including cherry, apricot and peach blossoms, came into full blossom during the holiday, and the best time to enjoy late cherry and cloves has just started. Tulips and peonies will bloom soon.

According to 34-year-old Beijing botanist Shi Jun, it's good to see that the philosophy of building gardens and parks has evolved greatly in more than one decade.

Initially, reforestation was only about planting poplars, but now green-space design focuses more on growing trees of different kinds and heights.

"The benefit is that we can see various flowers and trees in residential communities and public areas. People think it's important that their living environments are close to what it is like in nature," Shi says.

"It's our instinct to enjoy beautiful things, but the aesthetic preferences for different flowers change with time. For example, peonies were very popular in the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907), but nowadays many people favor lilies, (hybrid) roses and China roses."

He says there is more variety than ever before. Cultivated species from all over the world have been introduced to China, such as tulips and hyacinths.

"If you want to know more about flowers, it's best to invite professionals who study botany, especially if you're taking kids. They will tell you how to identify different flowers, their characteristics and species, and tell interesting stories."

Local residents enjoy the sun in a Beijing community, where flowers can be seen everywhere.

Beijing in bloom

Thanks to the high temperatures this spring, some flowers in Beijing, such as cherries and peach blossoms, have started to bloom early.

The Beijing Municipal Administration Center of Parks gives updates about different flowers in the 11 municipal parks every Friday so tourists can plan their itineraries. Parks have many kinds of flower festivals and services.