Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden is a year-round haven for plant enthusiasts, offering lush greenery even in winter within its exhibition greenhouses. It is a popular photography spot in Shanghai with a strong artistic atmosphere. Throughout the year, the garden hosts various flower exhibitions that are well worth a visit. Named after the Chenshan hill within its grounds, the garden offers a panoramic view of the park from the hilltop. In the 20th century, the southern slope of Chenshan was quarried, and now the site of the quarry has been transformed into the Mining Garden, a highlight of the park. Visitors descend steps to a floating bridge over the lake at the bottom of the quarry pit where a waterfall cascades into the lake, passing through a cave to reach the connected rock and medicinal plant garden, giving a real sense of descending into a mine. The Cherry Blossom Garden at Chenshan Botanical Garden is located near Gate 1, flanked by a 1.5-kilometer-long Kawazu Sakura Avenue, one of the earliest blooming ‘early cherry’ varieties in the Shanghai area. It blooms with large pink flowers from late February to early March, with the best viewing period expected in early March. The Spring View Garden within the botanical garden features several ornamental pear varieties with strong visual appeal, such as ‘Warrior’, ‘Red Tower’, and ‘Rooster’. Walking to the end of the Kawazu Sakura Avenue, visitors can look up to see two pear trees with branches reaching towards each other. Recommended viewing period: early to mid-March. From March to April, a mix of daffodils, hyacinths, grape hyacinths, amaryllis, tulips, and other flowers are sown together, blooming sequentially and creating a continuous spectacle of blossoms. The botanical garden has three gates: Gate 1, Gate 2, and Gate 3. Gate 1 is the main entrance, and general visitors who wish to tour the entire garden in the usual order can enter through this gate. In addition to the Mining Garden in the north of the park, another highlight is the exhibition greenhouse, which is close to Gate 2 and is a favorite for photography enthusiasts. The exhibition greenhouse is located in the northeast corner of the park and is composed of three greenhouse pavilions: the Tropical Flower and Fruit Pavilion, the Succulent Plant Pavilion, and the Rare Plant Pavilion, all decorated with waterfalls and caves. The pavilions are marked with silver small leaf-shaped directional arrows for visitors to follow. The Tropical Flower and Fruit Pavilion grows plants such as orchids, bird of paradise (strelitzia), traveler’s palm with large water-retaining bases, and palms. The Succulent Plant Pavilion features a variety of cacti, some slender like cucumbers, others short and round like watermelons, and various succulent plants with fleshy leaves. In the Rare Plant Pavilion, you can see rare and peculiar plants formed during the process of survival and evolution in nature, such as carnivorous plants, cycads, and ferns. Southwest of the exhibition greenhouse, the park also has a garden specifically designed for the blind.
The area is themed ‘A Ray of Sunshine’ due to its shape resembling a grain of rice when viewed from above. Primarily catering to the visually impaired and blind individuals, this garden focuses on their tactile, auditory, and olfactory needs by planting various plants that are thornless, have distinct olfactory characteristics, unique plant forms, and vibrant colors. It features signage in Chinese, English, Braille, and an audio system, as well as specially designed pathways, handrails, rest pavilions, and restrooms accessible for the blind. Operating hours are from March 25th to April 3rd, Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 19:00; April 4th to October 31st from 08:00 to 17:30; March 25th to April 3rd, Saturday and Sunday from 08:00 to 17:30; and from November 1st to February 28th from 08:00 to 17:00. Please check the Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden website or notice boards at the entrance for any adjustments in opening hours due to special events. Preferential policies include free admission for children under 1.3 meters in height or under 6 years of age, and for seniors aged 65 and above with identification or a senior card. Seniors aged 60 to 64 with valid identification receive a discount. Specific groups such as active-duty military personnel, disabled veterans, martyrs’ families, families of military personnel who died in service, families of deceased military personnel, active-duty military family members (parents, spouses, children), disabled individuals, and fire and rescue personnel (active, retired, disabled, government-employed firefighters, and fire and rescue academy students) receive free admission. Students aged between 6 and 18, and full-time university undergraduate students and below must present their student ID or valid identification to purchase tickets and enter through the dedicated passage on the day of visit. Parking facilities are available at the Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden parking lot, with a reference price of ¥10 per visit, located at 3888 Chenhua Highway, Songjiang District, Shanghai, with a capacity of 1000 spaces. Transportation within the garden is available at a reference price of ¥5 per person per visit. Stroller rentals are free, with a deposit of ¥300 required, and are located at Gate 1 and Gate 2’s visitor center. The garden has multiple restrooms conveniently located near the cherry blossom garden, crabapple garden, and other areas, with clear signs. Nursing rooms are also available near the restrooms within the garden.
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