Luoyang Peony Festival

Peonies have been grown at Luoyang since at least the Tang, when the city was the eastern capital and cultivation of the flower became an aristocratic obsession, with rare varieties changing hands for enormous sums; the saying holds that Luoyang peonies are the finest under heaven. The tradition continued through the Song and revived in the twentieth century, and since 1983 the city has held an annual festival in April when hundreds of varieties flower across Wangcheng Park, the National Peony Garden, Luoyang Botanical Garden and other sites, with roughly a fortnight of peak bloom. The exact timing shifts with the spring and is announced as the season approaches.

The main sights

• The peony gardens - hundreds of cultivars across several city parks.
• The Tang tradition - the historical association explained at the gardens.
• The city decoration - streets and public spaces planted for the festival.
• The variety range - colours and forms from white through deep purple.

When to go

April, with the peak usually in the second and third weeks but shifting each year; early and late varieties extend the window at either end. Weekends during peak bloom are extremely crowded.

Things to know

The bloom window is short and weather-dependent, and a cold or hot spell moves it. Each garden charges separately and prices rise during the festival. Crowds are heavy and accommodation books out.

Nearby

The Longmen Grottoes and White Horse Temple are the city's other main sites.