ENG-1994 — Page 466

RECREATION, SPORTS AND THE ARTS

competitions, a 'green' carnival, nursery open days, talks and seminars and community tree- planting.

The council currently manages 11 plant nurseries. During the year, it planted approximately 35 000 trees and 850 000 flowering shrubs. About 90 per cent of these plant requirements were supplied from its own nurseries, with the balance coming from com- mercial nurseries.

The council has put on display over 100 species of plants from various countries at the Hong Kong Park's Forsgate Conservatory. Plants of special interest include Victoria amazonica, the largest water-lilies, and Dendrocalamus sinicus, the largest bamboo. During the year, 65 000 people visited the conservatory.

Regional Council

The Regional Council maintains 730 hectares of greenery in parks, gardens, sports grounds, soccer pitches, games areas and children's playgrounds in the New Territories. It also manages amenity plots and soft landscape along highways and roads. In 1994, over 389 200 trees, shrubs, palms, creepers, ground covers and seasonal flowers were planted in parks, playgrounds and roadside amenities.

The council manages four nurseries in Tsuen Wan, Tuen Mun, Sha Tin and Tai Po. Tung Tze Nursery in Tai Po, which covers four hectares, is the biggest. In 1994, the nurseries produced 10 300 trees, 192 100 shrubs, 83 600 ground covers, 6 200 creepers and 25 690 - seasonal flowers.

Among the council's amenity features are its theme gardens. At Hing Fong Road Playground in Kwai Tsing, there is a scented garden, while Fanling Recreation Ground in North District has a hibiscus garden. Residents of Sai Kung can rest in the shade of palms at Sha Tsui Playground Garden. Sheung Chuen Park in Yuen Long is graced with conifers, while the camellia garden is a special feature of Tuen Mun Town Park. Yuen Long Town Park boasts an azalea garden and Sha Tin Central Park an assorted seasonal flower garden. To promote interest in gardening and to educate the public on the importance of keeping Hong Kong green, the Regional Council organised nine horticultural classes during the year,. and conducted 93 guided tours and lectures for visitors at open days at the nurseries.

Hong Kong Flower Show

Since 1987, the municipal councils have jointly organised the annual Hong Kong Flower Show. The show has become a major public event, popular with both professional horti- culturists and amateur plant-lovers.

The 1994 show held at Victoria Park in March attracted more than 70 horticultural organisations from 13 countries and regions, and was visited by over 370 000 people.