桂林植物园 - Guilin Botanical Garden

Last Monday, I had the great opportunity to visit the Guilin Botanical Garden. This relatively small botanical garden, loosely affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, is nestled in the historic city of Guilin. Though small, this garden has had many notable achievements. For example, I was told that botanists at the botanical garden were instrumental in discovering and introducing the living fossil Cathaya argyrophylla into cultivation. I was met at the botanical garden by Ms. QIN Xiang of the Foreign Affair Section, Prof. TANG Hui, and Dep. Director HE Cheng-xin. Prior to receiving a tour by Ms. Qin, we were able to speak about my project. The botanical garden is quite interested in staff exchange and thinks this project would greatly help with staff development and information exchange. Several important insights regarding the structure of the program, among other things, were also provided.

Several specimens of Cathaya argyrophylla

Though one might think that the incredible natural beauty of the area would diminish the need for display areas at the botanical garden, as you will see from the slide show to follow, the gardens at the Guilin Botanical Garden were nonetheless quite charming.