It's officially spring in Beijing! Spring in Beijing is gorgeous and colorful. From the Olympic Forest Park all the way south, through the Yuan Dadu Ruins Park, Jingshan Park, Zhongshan Park, and finally to the Temple of Heaven Park…Along Beijing's beautiful central axis, enjoy the flowers in spring!

Olympic Forest Park

Olympic Forest Park [Photo via VCG]

Located at the northern end of Beijing's central axis, the Olympic Forest Park has the largest flower viewing area in Beijing, with over 1.23 million square metres. The varieties of spring flowers in the park include mountain peach, forsythia, lilac and cherry blossom, with great varieties, large numbers and long viewing periods, making it the best choice for visiting the garden to enjoy the flowers.

Flowering period: late March and early April

Representative species of flowers: mountain peach, forsythia, lilac and cherry blossoms

Yuan Dadu City Wall Ruins Park

Yuan Dadu City Wall Ruins [Photo via tuchong.com]

Yuan Dadu City Wall Ruins Park is the largest strip park in Beijing. The park is most famous for the "Haitanghuaxi" scenic spot, which has 28 species of begonia trees and more than 5,000 trees, making it the largest begonia forest in the city. Every March and April, begonias bloom on both sides of the river, stretching for a kilometre.

Flowering period: March and April

Representative species of flowers: begonias

Jingshan Park

Jingshan Park [Photo via VCG]

With a long history of cultivating tree peonies, Jingshan Park is the leading peony viewing site in Beijing, bringing together 569 species of peonies and more than 20,000 peonies from home and abroad. The park also has a rich variety of herbaceous peonies, with 318 species and more than 20,000 piers of peonies. From mid-April to mid-May every year, the peonies in Jingshan Park are in full bloom. When you come to Jingshan Park at this time, you can enjoy them while climbing to the top of the hill to overlook the entirety of the Forbidden City.

Flowering period: mid-April to mid-May

Representative species of flowers: tree peonies and herbaceous peonies

Zhongshan Park

Zhongshan Park [Photo via VCG]

Located in the centre of Beijing, Zhongshan Park covers an area of 23.8 hectares and is a monumental classical altar and temple garden. Since the first tulip show was held in 1996, the Zhongshan Park tulip show has been going on for 27 years. This year, the spring flowers and tulip season at Zhongshan Park begins on Apr.3，with85 varieties of nearly200,000world-famous tulips, daffodils, and other bulbous flowers on display.

Flowering period: April

Representative species of flowers: tulips

Temple of Heaven Park

Temple of Heaven Park [Photo via tuchong.com]

The Temple of Heaven Park has a wide variety of flowers, one of the more famous of which is the apricot flowers. On the west side of the park's north gate is a large apricot forest, planted between 1957 and 1960, with more than 150 plants in existence, making it the largest apricot forest within the Fifth Ring Road. At the end of March and the beginning of April every year, the apricot flowers in the Temple of Heaven are in full bloom and are an excellent place for people to enjoy the flowers. Flowering period: late March and early April

Representative species of flowers: apricot flowers

Spring is in full swing, and the capital is bursting with life, so let's unlock spring rituals and start by enjoying the flowers along Bejing's central axis!