Chrysanthemums are flowers of many hues

A diverse range of elegant chrysanthemums, said to be the "queens of fall flowers," are now on display at the popular flower garden of the Shihlin Presidential Residence.

Taiwan growers are holding this annual exhibit, organized by the Taipei City Government, to show off what they can do to please visitors' eyes. For the first time, the exhibit will open its doors until 9pm.

Last year the event, which is now in its third year, attracted more than 250,000 visitors in less than a month. The impressive attendance indicates that people in Taiwan are very fond of the flower and rightly so.

The flower has different associations in various regions: in Europe and Australia it is generally associated with death whereas in Taiwan it symbolizes a person's uncorrupted spirit.

This association originated from a well-known poem written by famous poet and retired government official Tao Yuan-ming(陶淵明), who lived between the 4th and 5th centuries AD during the Jin dynasty.

It is therefore no wonder that the organizers set up a section called the "Anti-corruption Floral Art Area," which represents the spirit of civil servants, at a time when media reports in Taiwan are dominated by alleged corruption in public life.

Chrysanthemums come in a wide range of colors and shapes. Yellow, white, red, pink, bronze and purple flowers carpet the lawns at the exhibition.

According to Lin Cang-jun (林滄俊), an organizer and flower farmer with over 50 years of experience, a chrysanthemum cutting in Taiwan can start to bloom after four months. Taiwan possesses the technology to make chrysanthemums bloom all year long, instead of having to wait until the autumn season when they normally bear flowers.

Exhibition Notes:

What: Chrysanthemum Exhibit 2005

When: Now until Nov. 27, from 8am to 9pm

Where: 60, Fulin Road, Shihlin Presidential Residence Flower Garden, Taipei (台北市福林路60號士林官邸花園）

Admission: Free

Contact: (02 ) 2881 2512; 2389 0618

Web site: http://parklight.tcg.gov.tw.