Bristol Visitors to stunning Chelsea Flower Show Garden

Bristol's business and cultural links with China were celebrated when a delegation from the West Country visited the award-winning "Guangzhou Garden" at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. The gold medal-winning garden, designed by Bath-based landscape architecture practice Grant Associates for the Chinese city of Guangzhou, which is the sister city of Bristol, aims to highlight how planners must work in harmony with nature.

Bristol City Council Deputy Mayor Councillor Asher Craig, Director of The West of England China Bureau (WoECB) Mr Yang Ding, and Mr Kam Wong, Co-founder of the Bristol China Partnership attended the opening of the garden at the show, meeting Chargé d'Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in the UK, Minister Yang Xiaoguang.

Bristol, having been paired with Guangzhou since 2001, has business, cultural and educational links with the Southern Chinese city. The WoECB, facilitates initiatives and maintains representatives in Guangzhou. As well as working with the UK Trade and Investment department.

The visit comes in the run up to the China National Tourist Office’s new three-month ‘All Under One Moon 2021’ campaign, in which Bristol will participate.

The campaign aims to help build a resonant picture of China, its culture, and its connections with the wider world through China-UK projects in the cultural and tourism industry. The campaign’s namesake is associated with the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival, a traditional lunar calendar event celebrating the harvest.

Dianne Francombe OBE, Chief executive of the WoECB, said: “It is a privilege to partake in the All Under One Moon campaign and reaffirm the ties between Bristol and Guangzhou. This campaign will boost China-UK cultural exchanges and help build a closer bond between our two cities.

“The garden captures and represents the nature of Guangzhou, encouraging us to think about our cities as areas that allow for green and urban spaces to co-exist.

“We hope that participating creates many opportunities that will help our two cities learn from each other and enrich both our countries.

“Bristol businesses will be celebrating the Chinese Mid-Autumn festival with a banquet and mooncakes at Wongs Restaurant on October 6 and welcome those with an interest in China to join in.” Details of the Bristol event can be found at www.chinabureau.co.uk/events.