Shanghai Daily News

Shanghai International Mosaiculture 2006, a global horticulture festival, is currently in full bloom in Pudong District.

The show at Century Park features neatly-trimmed hedges and carefully-pruned three-dimensional flower beds that are arranged in clean lines.

Figures such as teapots, building and animals, among others, created out of greenery, add to the environment.

The park's immaculate square lawns are framed by carefully-trained wisteria, lush camellias and pink-hued climbing roses, making for a beautiful setting.

Every piece is like an art work, either from home or abroad, with a theme of a beautiful legend behind it, creating a dream-like atmosphere in the park.

With such "sites" as the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Parthenon in Athens, fishing in Belgium and the Five Pavilion Bridge in East China's Yangzhou City, local residents can enjoy these world-famous tourist attractions without traveling outside their home city.

This is the third time the Mosaiculture International show has been held. The previous two were staged in Montreal, Canada, the city that originally launched the activity.

A solid parterre competition has attracted more than 500 artists from around the world and features 88 greenery sculptures from 55 cities in 15 countries. Among the works, 64 are from Chinese cities and the rest are from overseas.

The competition finishes at the end of this month and tickets to the festival cost 35 yuan (US$4.40). Groups with more than 30 people cost 32 yuan each. Here is a look at some of the more interesting exhibits.

Jiading child hero

This exhibit is dedicated to the memory of a heroic child who saved Jiading one night in the fall of 1553. The boy, in order to guard his homeland from Japanese intruders, devoted his life to the cause of peace and justice. This touching story has since been handed down in Jiading from generation to generation. A green sculpture commemorating the brave boy is on display during the show.

Memory of the Descendant Barrel

The body of the exhibit, the descendant barrel, used to be a wedding gift given by parents as a traditional nuptial custom. Around the barrel lies a lattice window in the pattern of a double Xi - which means happiness in Chinese - as well as figures of eggs and peanuts, all of which serve as carriers of best wishes for newlywed couples.

Good morning Shanghai

This work is a vivid display of the Shanghai morning. The brilliant sunshine, the twittering birds, the fragrant flowers, the flowing traffic, the jogging elders and the close-knit families make up a picture that can be appreciated and the wonderful melodies that can be heard.

Shikumen

As the definitive trademark of the city's architectural style, the old stone shikumen is a combination of Eastern and Western elements. Its style, which can be found all over the city, despite being increasingly threatened by urban renewal, represents the broad-mindedness in the design qualities of this metropolis. The figures of the children playing in the often-narrow lanes adds to the fun of this exhibit.

Height and Speed

This exhibit displays an exciting scene where Shanghainese NBA star Yao Ming makes a slam dunk by the Oriental Pearl Tower, while another local hero, Olympic champion hurdler Liu Xiang, dashes towards the finishing line. Liu's speed and Yao's height embody the rapid and sustainable development of the country and city.

Profundity and eternity

Chinese tea culture has a long history dating back thousands of years. This teapot sculpture is reminiscence of that tradition.

A hand holding the bottom of the teapot represents the unwavering faith of the Chinese nation to keep a firm grip on the roots of traditional culture.

The Parthenon

Greece is the country where the Olympic Games were born. The Parthenon, the first achievement of Greek architecture, was built through the efforts of Pericles between 447 and 438 BC. It was a temple dedicated to Athena Pantheons, goddess of Athens. The Parthenon is an enduring symbol of ancient Greek civilization and Athenian democracy.

Beauty of the lane

This piece evokes precious childhood memories spent in the old lanes charismatic of Shanghai. The shikumen buildings provide a backdrop for the children playing in the foreground, bowling their hoops which are considered as a traditional outdoor game treasured by generations.

The Eiffel Tower

This was designed by four IESA students from Paris. The replica of the tower provides insight into life in the French capital, reminding people of the early development of the Parisian arts and the Year of France in China.