The month-long Calla Lily Festival opened at Yangmingshan’s -Zhuzihu (竹子湖) area today, featuring horticultural displays using white flowers and music performances.
Taipei City’s Department of Economic Development said that because of the cold temperatures experienced by Taiwan this winter, only 40 percent of the calla lily fields have fully blossomed.
All the calla lily fields will have blossomed by the end of this month or early next month, it said.
The festival, which runs through April 24, is one of Taipei’s major floral events.
The rainy and damp weather in the high-altitude Zhuzihu valley provides an ideal environment for the cultivation of calla lilies. More than 45 calla lily farms in the area are opening their doors to visitors during the festival.
The department said that in addition to sightseeing, visitors could also pick flowers in the fields.
Admission for flower picking is NT$100 per person and each visitor is allowed to pick a bouquet of about eight to 10 flowers.
Visitors who show admission tickets from the Taipei International Flora Expo at calla lily farms will be given free calla lilies and receive other discounts, the department said.
Some locations will remain open until May, when African lilies and hydrangeas begin to blossom, followed by sunflowers in the summer.
The city’s Department of Transportation urged visitors to take public transportation to the festival, because Hudao Boulevard, which leads to the area, tends to be crowded on weekends.
Additional information on the festival and how to get there is available at www.callalily.com.tw.
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