Plum Garden is located on the southern slope of Hushan in the western suburbs of Wuxi, originally a private garden built by Rong Zongjing and Rong Desheng, the pioneers of China’s national industry, in 1912. Every February to March, thousands of plum blossoms bloom together in the scenic area, attracting countless photographers with their sea of flowers. There is an old saying in Wuxi, ‘Spring begins with Plum Garden.
‘ It is best to visit Plum Garden in spring, particularly during early spring when the plum blossoms come in various colors such as red, white, and pink, with single or double petals and numerous varieties. Some trees even bear flowers of different colors. There are also rare light green plum blossoms. Visitors are especially numerous on weekends, so it is advisable to visit on weekdays if possible.Slightly later than the plum blossom season, from late March to April, tulips bloom, and the scenic area hosts a tulip exhibition. Additionally, the ornamental greenhouse in the Garden Expo Park displays plants from the desert. If you visit outside of the blooming seasons, you can enjoy lotus flowers in the summer, osmanthus fragrance in the autumn, and lantern shows during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
If you happen to visit outside the blooming seasons, Plum Garden is like an ordinary large park, where you can explore cultural relics related to the Rong brothers, the builders of Plum Garden. These include the Xixin Spring, Tianxin Terrace, and the three Taihu stones to the south shaped like the characters ‘Fu,’ ‘Lu,’ and ‘Shou,’ as well as the main building of the Rong architecture, Songbin Hall (commonly known as the ‘Phoebe Hall,’ with all furnishings original to the Rong family), and the reading room.
On the slope of Hushan, the Rong brothers built the Nianqu Tower for their mother, which is the iconic structure of Plum Garden. It is a green-roofed hexagonal tower with three levels, standing at 18 meters tall and visible from afar. There is no need to climb much to reach the Nianqu Tower, and from the top, you can overlook Plum Garden. Further east is the Kaiyuan Temple, funded by Rong Desheng, where the vegetarian noodles at the Kaiyuan Temple vegetarian restaurant are delicious. The Ancient Plum and Strange Stone Garden is also worth a visit, where you can learn about the science and culture of plum blossoms at the Plum Culture Museum within the garden.
For visitors with children, after entering the scenic area, you can turn right to the ecological park, which features rock climbing and a path of courage consisting of a log bridge, a single-step bridge, a net bridge, and more, ensuring that children will have a great time. The Hengshan to the east of Plum Garden is also included in the scenic area, with scattered pavilions and towers, though there are not many attractions; it is mainly for hiking and enjoying the heights.
The opening hours are from 07:00 to 17:00 all year round.
Entitled personnel with the ‘Deceased Military Personnel’s Family Preferential Certificate’. Free admission for students: Full-time undergraduate university students and those with lower educational qualifications. Half-price supplement: The above information is for reference only; please refer to the specific information disclosed by each scenic spot on the day. Service facilities Parking lot: [Wuxi Plum Garden Parking Lot] Reference price: ¥15/hour; Address: No. 13 Bianjia Bay, Binhu District, Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province; Spaces: 600; Small vehicles: ¥15/hour, Large vehicles: ¥20 per entry. Mobile phone charging: Charging power outlets are provided at the visitor center. Luggage storage: Scenic spot explanation: Visitor center offers explanation services. Transportation within the garden: Reference price: ¥10 per person. Restrooms: The scenic spot has multiple restrooms with conspicuous signs. Convenience stores: There are multiple convenience stores in the scenic area, located at Snack Square, North Square, and Dutch Square.
