The monthlong 2026 Shanghai International Flower Show is set to open on April 18, transforming the city into a sprawling showcase of color, design and horticultural innovation.

Running through May 10, the festival spans two main venues, 10 sub-venues and a wide range of flower-themed activities across the city.

The 40-hectare Shanghai Botanical Garden in Xuhui District serves as the "flagship venue," featuring more than 400 newly introduced plant species, 41 floral landscapes and 20 activities.

The site is divided into four themed sections: a New Plant Garden, a Superior Plant Garden, an Edible Garden and a Community Garden.

An immersive "From Garden to Table" experience will be offered in the Edible Garden, while the Rare Plant Garden highlights alpine azalea and the biodiversity conservation of rare gesneriads.

In Huangpu District, the main venue spans Xintiandi and Gucheng Park, covering 41 hectares and organized into five themed sections, including the World Garden and Forest Art Season. The area functions as an art and lifestyle hub, featuring around 20 events, 40 themed gardens and 60 floral window installations.

Design teams from the Chelsea Flower Show, along with horticultural designers from the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Germany, will contribute to the World Garden. Xintiandi and Sinan Mansions will be transformed into mobile floral art galleries.

The festival extends across 10 sub-venues throughout the city, activating major commercial districts, waterfront areas and public parks.

Key locations include Pudong's Qiantan, Lujiazui and Zhangjiang areas, Xuhui's Huangpu River waterfront, Jing'an's Suzhou Creek waterfront, and Yangpu's Fuxing Island. The network also reaches major green spaces such as Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, Shanghai Gongqing Forest Park and Shanghai Binjiang Forest Park.

The festival will also open a flower market in partnership with Yunnan flower enterprises and Hongqiao Flower Valley in Qingpu District, with Yunnan-grown blooms sold through both online and offline channels.

A "Blossoms All the Way" low-carbon campaign will run alongside three themed tourist routes linking main and sub-venues in downtown areas.

Public events will include a Natural Lifestyle Festival, lawn concerts, art exhibitions, and coffee and reading events held across multiple sites.

Education and community activities will feature guided plant tours, family horticulture workshops and Nature Education Week sessions. Community Garden Week will offer hands-on planting and nature-learning experiences in neighbourhood gardens.