The 2017 Chenshan Water Lily Exhibition opened in Chenshan Botanical Garden on Aug 18.

　　More than 300 varieties of water lilies are on show at the exhibition in Shanghai, which runs until Sept 18. The flowers include award-winning plants from 1997 to 2016, plus 50 plants recognized by the International Water Landscape Gardening Association, including Nymphaea 'Blue Bird', Nymphaea 'Wanvisa' and Nymphaea 'Bull's Eye'.

　　The exhibition is also the largest water lily event in China in terms of area, and includes five different sub-exhibitions featuring displays of tropical water lilies, cold water lilies, miniature water lilies, fine water lilies and aquatic plants. A large number water lily lovers have been attracted to the exhibition to see its watery flowering world and experience its colorful activities.

　　The special activity, "baby sitting on water lily leaf" will be held before the Mid-autumn Festival, where children weighing under 30 kg can experience sitting on a giant victoria amazonica leaf.

　　Tickets for the Chenshan Botanical Garden are 60 yuan ($9). The garden opens at 8 am and closes at 5.30 pm. Visitors can get there by taking Metro Line 9, getting off at Dongjing station and then transferring to Songjiang No.19 bus or the No.96 to Chenshan Botanical Garden No.1 Gate.

A cluster of sleeping water lilies is in full bloom at the exhibition. [photo/ provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Nymphaea 'Wanvisa', a special kind of sleeping water lily, which was introduced to China from Thailand in 2011, was named a World Water Lily Champion at the 2010 meeting of the International Water Landscape Gardening Association. [Photo/ provided to chinadaily.com.cn]