Nanyang’s budding hopes to host int’l rose show

Nanyang in Henan province has been tipped as a favorite to host the 2019 World Federation Rose Society (WFRS) Regional Convention after a top level visit by the society's president and committee chairman.

Kelvin Trimper, president of WFRS, along with Helga Brichet, chairman of the committee, paid a three-day visit to Nanyang on Sept 9, taking in the city's rose gardens, and rose exposition park.

The pair praised the developments made in, and the current state of Nanyang's rose industry.

Kelvin said, "Nanyang has lived up to its reputation as being a hometown of roses. I believe it has the qualification to host a satisfactory rose convention."

The WFRS Regional Convention is held every three years, and is an international platform for the host cities to exchange their research ideas and achievements on cultivation, landscaping, breeding, culture and other aspects on roses.

The result of Nanyang's bid will be unveiled in mid-October. It is expected to provide a great boost to the city's rose industry as well as local tourism if won.

With a history of planting roses dating back 2,000 years, Nanyang's rose industry continues to blossom to this day.

In 2010, the city established its own rose culture festival, hoping to boost tourism and trade cooperation. The event has been hailed an overwhelming success, stunning visitors with a wide range of rarely seen roses.

WFRS officials smell the roses in Nanyang. [Photo/Nanyang Daily]

A pathway is lined with colorful rose blooms in Nanyang. [Photo by Zhou Yongsheng/hnr.cn]