The Tiger Hill, Couple’s Garden Retreat, Canglang Pavilion, Keyuan Garden, and Yiyuan Garden will all extend their opening hours to nighttime during the summer season. On June 30, the Suzhou Gardens and Landscaping Administrative Bureau announced that, in response to the growing demand for night tours from both residents and tourists, these five garden attractions will remain open until 9:00 p.m. from July 1 to August 31, with last admission at 8:30 p.m.
In addition to the extended opening hours, each garden has carefully arranged a series of featured activities, study programs, and public welfare initiatives, aiming to offer an all-in-one summer garden experience for visitors.
In terms of featured activities, the Lotus Flower Exhibition at the Humble Administrator’s Garden has taken the lead in unfolding its grand display, bringing together 1,500 potted lotus plants, 500 special varieties, and tropical water lilies from renowned gardens in more than ten provinces nationwide. The “Three Flowers Summer Fair” at the Tiger Hill offers a day-and-night experience, with a cultural and creative market during the day and illuminated ancient buildings among woods at night. The Agapanthus Exhibition at the Shangfang Hill and the Cymbidium Exhibition at the Canglang Pavilion have also been launched. The classic night tour programs at the Humble Administrator’s Garden and the Master of Nets Garden remain available, where lights shimmer on flowing waters and traditional music mingles with cicada chirps, fully capturing the gentle charm of a Jiangnan summer night.
Also, the gardens offer a wide range of study programs targeting adults, families, and primary and secondary school students. These include long-term intangible cultural heritage classes, garden study tours, wetland summer camps, night wildlife observation, farming and nature practice, Song-style aesthetics workshops, and intangible cultural heritage handicraft sessions. Some courses waive admission and material fees, while others only charge for materials. The programs integrate traditional cultural heritage, patriotic education, ecological science popularization, and family leisure experiences, providing a comprehensive summer cultural study experience that meets diverse needs.
Meanwhile, a full range of public welfare activities will be held, including intangible cultural heritage study tours, patriotic lectures, revolutionary history tours, botanical science popularization sessions, handcraft DIY workshops, and wetland observation trips. Most activities are free of charge; others only require a valid garden ticket with no extra activity fees. Registration is available via WeChat official accounts of “苏州园林旅游” and “成长苏州”.
