Spring outing in Beijing

Clove at Fayuan Temple

Clusters of cloves are seen everywhere in Beijing's Fayuan Temple, from the front to the rear courtyard. Clovers here feature diverse brands from at home and abroad, as well as in multiple colors. Many former celebrities and masters of literature have paid visits to the temple before.

Best time to watch: middle April until early May

Admission: 5 yuan

How to get there: take bus 109, 105, 743, 57 to Niujie or Jiaozi hutong. It's in the east of the bus stop.

Clove at Jietai Temple

Clove tree is one of the most precious plants in Jietai Temple. There are 1,100 clove trees, 20 of which are 200 years old. Jietai Temple boasts of being one of the oldest clove trees in Beijing.

Best time to watch: April 15 until May 15

Admission: 35 yuan

How to get there: take subway to the west end Pingguoyuan station, and transfer to bus 931.

Peony at Jingshan Park

Peony is popular for its elegance and grace. Jingshan Park is known for its diverse collection of peony in 150 brands, covering eight color series and nine flower shapes.

Best time to watch: April 18 until late May

Admission: 5 yuan

How to get there: bus 5, 60, 111, 101, 812. It's near the Imperial Palace.

Chinese flowering crabapple: Prince Gong's Mansion

The flower of the crabapple is considered to be the queen of all flowers by many Chinese, and it is bestowed with very good meanings for luck and fortune.

Consisting of large mansions in the typical Qing dynasty residence layout and gardens, Prince Gong's Mansion is known as one of the most ornate and extravagant residence compounds in Beijing.

Best time to watch: from early March

Admission: 20 yuan

How to get there: bus 13, 107, 111, 118,850.

Chinese Flowering Crabapple at Yuan Dynasty City Wall Relics Park

This park boasts of having the largest area of Chinese crabapple trees. Every spring, the annual flower festival draws hoards of visitors to appreciate sculptures, pavilions and murals among the aroma of crabapple flowers.

With a length of 9 kilometers (6.6 miles), the Yuan Dynasty City Wall Relics Park is divided into two parts connected by six bridges.

Best time to watch: March to April

Admission: free

How to get there: bus 392, 375, 902, 22, 38, 331.

Tulip at Sun Yat-Sen Park

The tulip exhibition in Sun Yat-sen Park features tens of thousands of tulips arranged in various themes.

Best time to watch: April 15 until May 10

Admission: 10 yuan

How to get there: take bus 1, 4,5, 10 and get off at Tiananmen West.

Apricot Flower at Phoenix Valley

The Phoenix Valley in Beijing's western suburbs will reach its prime season since pink apricot flowers grow and spread across the whole valley.

Best time to watch: April 1 until 10

Admission: 25 yuan

How to get there: bus 346.

Apricot Flower at Badaling Great Wall

Apricot flowers bloom around the Tomb Sweeping Festival, and last only 10 days. The complicated climate and geographic situation at Badaling makes the blooming period different in various sections. After apricot flowers, other flowers succeed with blooming, rendering a colorful great wall coated in floral springs.

Best time to watch: April

How to get there: take bus 919 at Deshengmen, or take a tourist coach at the Tiananmen tourist center.