As a sideshow to the annual Yangmingshan flower festival, the flower growers of calla lily at Yangmingshan's Bamboo Lake (竹子湖) yesterday launched the annual calla lily flower festival, which offers visitors a hands-on gardening experience on the flower farms.
The calla lily flower festival, held in accordance with the Taipei City Government's goal to boost the floral industry and tourism business, is in its second year and organizers are predicting a colorful turnout.
Yuan Hua-hsing (
PHOTO: SEAN CHAO, TAIPEI TIMES
Yuan said calla lilies usually come to full bloom between March and May, depending on the temperature.
"Temperature is the natural timer for the blooming of flowers. The warm winter had left the calla lilies this year in over production, but the recent cold front has helped the blooming process to slow down," Yuan said.
The Bamboo Lake also features mountain hiking trails and mountain vegetables such as cabbage, balsam pear, bamboo shoots and rice.
On sunny days, the outline of the the nearby Tatun mountain are clearly visible and thick clouds of smoke rising from the volcanic Hsiaoyukeng (
The calla lily is regarded as an important flower by Taiwan's horticulturalists. Different species of the calla lilies, which come in a wide variety of colors, are grown in Taiwan. The Bamboo Lake in Yangmingshan mainly grows white calla lilies.
According to the city government, the history of the calla lily plantation in the Bamboo Lake goes back more than 30 years due to the damp climate that helps the flowers thrive.
The plantation area of 11 hectares produces up to 2.2 million tubes, worth NT$22 million and counting for 60 percent of the overall production volume in Taiwan.
Other flowers in bloom that are available for purchase at the flower festival include marguerites, tulips, narcissuses and hyacinths.
A total of 18 flower growers will open their flower farms to the public during the festival, offering flower arrangement and handicraft classes, flower-picking opportunities and ecology programs to educate the public in calla lily horticulture.
Visitors usually have to pay a maintenance fee of NT$100 to get into the flower fields, and can take away six tubes of calla lilies. More calla lilies can be purchased at the flower farm.
The city government also holds tours for the public to take part in sight-seeing and gardening activities. More information is available from the Peitou Farmers' Association.
To reach the calla lily fields, take the MRT to the Peitou station and then walk to the Peitou Elementary School to take the mini bus No. 9 in the direction of the Bamboo Lake.
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