After several months of cold and wet weather, people are naturally anxious for the first signs of spring so that they can finally enjoy some sunlight. And it's not only humans that long to see the back of winter.

And when spring does finally show her face, we are rarely disappointed. Mother Nature blooms forth, giving us a vividly colorful landscape of flowers, plants and trees. And many of these blooms can be appreciated at regular events in Shanghai. The Global Times uncovers a few of the best flower shows in town.

Shanghai International Orchid Show

Shanghai is holding its first-ever international orchid show at the Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden until April 22. The garden boasts a wide variety of exotic orchids of more than 1,000 species collected from 14 countries and regions around the world.

In total, the garden has more than 50,000 plants.

Orchids have long inspired the fine arts in China, particularly painting and poetry. The history of orchids in China has been chronicled for as long as 2,000 years. "This is a great opportunity for local residents to appreciate and enjoy the beauty of a vastly diverse array of exotic species in our 12,000-square-meter greenhouse, the largest in Asia," Hu Yonghong, the garden's executive director told the Global Times.

Hu said the garden is also planning to host the 2020 World Orchid Conference, the world's leading orchid show, which takes place every three years.

"By hosting international orchid shows, we can learn about orchid growing from experts from all over the world. In this way we can expand the number of species that can be grown locally," he added.

Hu added that through this kind of exchange, the garden staff can also improve techniques for preserving and cultivating Chinese species, and sharing this knowledge and enthusiasm with the public.

How to get to: Take metro Line 9 to Dongjing Station and transfer into bus No.19 to the garden.

Date: Until April 22, 8 am to 5:30 pm

Venue: Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden

Address: 3888 Chenhua Road, Songjiang district

Tickets: 60 yuan

Tel: 3779-2288 Ext 800

Shanghai Flower Show

The annual Shanghai Flower Show will be taking place at the Shanghai Botanical Garden until May 6, and will feature more than 200 floral varieties.

The show will have more than 1 million individual flowers on display at its two major exhibition sites and 12 smaller gardens, taking up 20 hectares of space, according to Li Xuemei, deputy director of the Shanghai Botanical Garden.

The botanical garden hopes to transform the annual flower show into a Chinese version of the UK's Chelsea Flower Show which the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has hosted annually in the Chelsea neighborhood of London since 1862.

The Shanghai flower extravaganza features 200,000 tulips currently in bloom. This year's tulips started to bloom 10 days earlier than usual and the show will run until early May. Visitors can marvel at the complexity of the much-loved tulips and appreciate tulip species as diverse as the Carnaval de Nice, the Monte Carlo, the Banja Luka and the Jaap Groot.

"The cold weather in Shanghai actually helps to preserve this flower's unique shape," added Li. "Tulips will wither very rapidly after blooming in warm weather. So this is the best time to appreciate their beauty."

The garden has also planted different tulip species that blossom at slightly different times in order to prolong the spectacle. And after the tulips have bloomed, the garden will have later blooms, such as roses and peonies, to delight visitors.

How to get to: Take metro Line 3 from the downtown and get off at Shilong Road Station. It will take you a 10-minute walk to the garden.

Date: Until May 6, 7 am to 5 pm

Venue: Shanghai Botanical Garden

Address: 1111 Longwu Road, Xuhui district

Tickets: 40 yuan

Tel: 5436-3369

Shanghai Rhododendrons Exhibition

Rhododendrons are the star of the show in Shanghai Binjiang Forest Park for its fifth annual Shanghai Rhododendrons Exhibition.

The forest park boasts nearly 5,000 Spring Azalea, Red Azalea and Summer Azalea planted in a garden that is double the size of downtown's Jing'an Park. And when they are in full bloom, these rhododendrons create a vast sea of white, red and light pink hues which are a visual feast for visitors and photographers alike.

The park is holding a flower arranging show using fruits and vegetables until April 6. "The art of flower arranging is part of our daily lives," the park vice director Huang Jin said. "If everyday items, such as fruits and vegetables, are simply but artistically arranged in a container, this is a perfect way of adding color to our life."

Huang added that the important thing is to stimulate the public's interest in these flowers, as a way of enriching our lives.

How to get to: Take metro Line 6 to Gangcheng Road and transfer into Waigaoqiao No.1 bus to the park.

Dates: April 19 to May 5, 8 am to 5:30 pm

Venue: Shanghai Binjiang Forest Park

Address: 3 Lingqiaogao Beach, Gaoqiao Town, Pudong New Area

Tickets: 20 yuan

Tel: 5864-4791