Ningxia Lavender Estate: Transforming deserts into blooming oases

Located in Binhe New Area, Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui autonomous region, the Lavender Estate has emerged as a vibrant ecological park, covered with seas of flowers and lush greenery.

The estate features over 20 species of flowering plants, including vervain, rudbeckia, cosmos, and ground chrysanthemums, as well as 7,600 mu (approximately 507 hectares) of evergreen trees and Siberian pines serving as windbreaks.

After 11 years of relentless efforts, the estate's flower cultivation area now spans 1,250 mu, with more than 68 percent of the total area now green, transforming a once barren desert into a thriving oasis, noted Yang Shaofei, the estate's deputy general manager.

The estate has also embraced renewable energy by installing photovoltaic panels, not only supplying power but also adding a unique visual element and harmonizing with the sea of flowers, green spaces, and ecological agriculture.

As a nationally recognized sports tourism demonstration base, the estate offers various fitness resources, including a six-kilometer fitness trail, a 10-kilometer mountain biking track, and a 21-kilometer half-marathon route.

Adult visitors can view flowers, walk, and cycle, while children can explore the balance bike area. Families can experience nature's beauty together, savor local farm cuisine, and relax in cozy wooden cabins, according to Yang.

Combining flower cultivation and ecological restoration with sports tourism and sightseeing agriculture, the estate is an outstanding example of how authorities have successfully blended ecological restoration with economic growth in recent years.