The new South China National Botanical Garden in the Tianhe district of Guangzhou - capital city of South China's Guangdong province - is full of wondrous plants.

It has introduced a total of 4,283 varieties of plants in the past year - including 173 ones under national priority protection - after its official inauguration on July 11, 2022.

As the largest subtropical botanical garden in China, it has a conservation exhibition area of 283 hectares and is titled the "emerald of southern China". [Photo/thnet.gov.cn]

The wild return of the critically endangered Ardisia dasyrhizomatica and rare plants endemic to Guangdong province - including Primulina huaijiensis and Primulina rubella - was completed by the garden.

Its independently cultivated "Greater Bay Area paphiopedilum" was registered with the United Kingdom's Royal Horticultural Society and won the gold award at the 2023 Spring Orchid Exhibition held by the Guangdong Orchid Society.

Moreover, it has cultivated new varieties of ashoka flowers and its Ardisia Swartz received the protection of plant variety rights from the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.

The South China National Botanical Garden is China's second national botanical garden. [Photo/thnet.gov.cn]

In addition, the garden has hired 55 specialist personnel over the past year, of whom 13 have come from abroad.

What's more, it completed the compilation of its new construction plan by studying the evaluation systems of five botanical gardens around the world and formed its own evaluation criteria, which involve 123 indicators in six fields.

Its rare plant ex situ protection infrastructure construction project and a key laboratory for plant off-site conservation and utilization in South China were approved by the National Forestry and Grassland Administration in April and July this year.

The fascinating structure of a flower is exhibited at the garden. [Photo/thnet.gov.cn]

Popular science tourism is also being promoted at the garden. It has been recognized as a Guangdong High-quality Natural Education Base and was included in the first batch of national plant popular science bases. From January to June, nearly 1.42 million people visited the garden, a year-on-year increase of 46 percent.

"Whether you're a grown-up or a kid, it's the best place to come and relax," said a Guangzhou resident, expressing his hopes that the next generation can learn more about nature in this precious place.

A young woman studies an item at the seeds exhibition area in the garden. [Photo/thnet.gov.cn]