As summer winds down, spider lilies are entering their last viewing window of the year. Right now, the hillsides of Hangzhou Botanical Garden are ablaze with the flowers in full bloom—so if you’re hoping to catch the spectacle, don’t wait. Miss it, and you’ll have to wait another whole year.
According to the botanical garden, the main blooming area this season is concentrated on the slopes flanking the path leading to Lingfeng Tanmei (Lingfeng Plum Blossom Exploration). Stroll along the forest trails and look up, and you’ll see layer upon layer of blossoms, with fiery red spider lilies swaying in the breeze.
With the flowers at their peak, now’s the perfect time to head to Hangzhou Botanical Garden and soak in a season that comes but once a year. A friendly reminder from the garden: please stick to the walking paths and admire the flowers in an orderly way—no trampling through the beds, no picking or snapping off branches. And since the woods are lush and green, be sure to take mosquito precautions.