FRIDAY, MARCH 8, 1991
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HEAVENLY BIRD ADDS COLOUR TO 1991 FLOWER SHOW
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PLUMES,
SPREADING ITS BRILLIANT ORANGE, TURQUOISE AND PURPLE THE BIRD OF PARADISE DESCENDED ON SHA TIN CENTRAL PARK THIS (FRIDAY) MORNING TO ADD COLOUR TO THE THOUSANDS OF FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS ON DISPLAY IN THE 1991 HONG KONG FLOWER SHOW.
JOINTLY PRESENTED FOR THE FIFTH YEAR RUNNING BY THE REGIONAL AND URBAN COUNCILS, THE 10-DAY EXTRAVAGANZA 15 EXPECTED ΤΟ DRAW RECORD CROWDS TO THE SHOWGROUND WHICH COMPRISES SHA TIN TOWN HALL AND THE ADJACENT EIGHT-HECTARE CENTRAL PARK.
SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY, LADY FORD SAID LAST YEAR'S RECORD ATTENDANCE OF 320,000 DEMONSTRATED HOW VERY POPULAR THE FLOWER SHOW HAD BECOME, ADDING THAT SHE EXPECTED THIS YEAR'S SHOW TO BE EVEN BIGGER AND MORE EXCITING.
"THERE IS A WIDE RANGE OF EXHIBITS PRESENTED BY OVER 65 LOCAL AND OVERSEAS LANDSCAPE AND HORTICULTURAL ORGANISATIONS AND I AM SURE THAT ALL VISITORS, YOUNG AND OLD, WILL ENJOY THE MANY BEAUTIFUL AND EXOTIC DISPLAYS."
NOTING THAT THE THEME FLOWER FOR THIS YEAR WAS THE BIRD OF PARADISE, SHE SAID SHE HAD NO DOUBT FLOWER LOVERS WOULD FEEL THEY HAD WANDERED INTO A BOTANICAL PARADISE THEMSELVES.
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CONGRATULATING THE TWO COUNCILS FOR STAGING THIS VERY POPULAR SHOW, LADY FORD SAID OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS THE CONCERTED EFFORTS THE TWO MUNICIPAL COUNCILS TO BEAUTIFY THE ENVIRONMENT HAD RESULTED IN A GREENER AND MORE PLEASANT HONG KONG.
"THE COMPLETION OF MAJOR PARKS AT SHA TIN, TURN MUN AND NORTH DISTRICT IN THE REGIONAL COUNCIL AREA AND THE REDEVELOPMENT OF KOWLOON PARK AND THE NEW HONG KONG PARK IN THE URBAN COUNCIL AREA WILL OFFER MUCH ENJOYMENT FOR THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE, SHE SAID.
ADMITTING THAT SHE ENJOYED GARDENING HERSELF, LADY FORD SAID SHE KNEW SHE WOULD BE ABLE TO LEARN A GREAT DEAL FROM THE EXPERIENCED AND EXPERT EXHIBITORS PRESENT FOR THIS YEAR'S SHOW.
IN HIS WELCOMING SPEECH, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE REGIONAL COUNCIL, MR CHEUNG YAN-LUNG, SAID THE NATURAL SETTING OF SHA TIN CENTRAL PARK HAD BEEN SUITABLY EXTENDED TO ACCOMMODATE MORE EXHIBITS AND IT WOULD FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE REGIONAL COUNCIL AREA, COVER A PERIOD OF 10 DAYS.
"THE SPECIAL DISPLAYS PUT UP RY BOTH COUNCILS, GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, LOCAL AND OVERSEAS FLORAL ASSOCIATIONS HAVE COLOURED AND ENRICHED THE SETTING OF THE SHOWGROUND AND I BELIEVE ALL VISITORS WILL ENJOY THEMSELVES, HE SAID.
FOLLOWING THE OPENING CEREMONY, LADY FORD, ACCOMPANIED BY MR CHEUNG, THE VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE URBAN COUNCIL, MR STEPHEN
LAU, AND THE DIRECTOR OF REGIONAL SERVICES, MK HAIDER BARNA, TOURED THE SHOWGROUND AND EXPRESSED SPECIAL INTEREST IN THIS YEAR'S MAIN ATTRACTION, THE "FLOWER VALLEY WHICH FEATURED A WIDE RANGE OF SPRING FLOWERING PLANTS.
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