Chapter 5 Lilacs in Moscow and Chrysanthemums in Beijing

This summer, I saw an article about lilacs in the bi-weekly "News" published by the Soviet Union.Gardening enthusiast, Leigh Kolesnikov, has a lilac garden in Moscow; around his wooden house, there are various kinds of lilac trees planted, crossing the streets and alleys, the fragrance flows everywhere, and it has become one of the attractions of Moscow . People who come to visit here at home and abroad can arrive here effortlessly. The artist Kancharovsky and the writer A. Tolstoy admired this lilac garden very much.One soldier wrote: "Flowers are our joy. I have the highest admiration for those who contribute their power to increase the beauty in human life."

Thirty years ago, the young Soviet Republic was still in trouble, but new life was sprouting.Kolesnikov, who came back from the front, started his dream of a lilac garden at that time and planted his first lilac. Kolesnikov, not a botanist, but an auto worker, took gardening as his most "ideal rest" in his spare time.He studied the mating method of Michurin, tested new species every year, and produced new products every year. His achievements attracted the attention of scientists and got their help.In June 1941, when his garden was at its most beautiful and splendid, the war began.He joined the army and went to the front.In the autumn of that year, the cruel German aircraft fleet blew up the garden of "Lilac Dream", which was loved by the people, into ashes.

Kolesnikov was injured in the Anti-Japanese War, returned from the army, and started to cultivate cloves again.In two years, he completely restored the lilac garden, and a new species as white as snow - "Branches of Peace" opened up in the center of the once ruined garden.For this garden, for many excellent new species such as the light red "Moscow Beauty", the sky blue "Zoya", and the white and blue large-flowered "Michurin", etc., in 1952 In 1999, he received the Stalin Prize. Kolesnikov corresponded not only with the people of the Soviet Union, but also with gardening enthusiasts and scientists from all corners of the world.They unanimously congratulated him on the success of his experiment and asked for his opinion on planting flowers.

Kolesnikov's latest endeavor is the cultivation of roses.He also wants to grow roses of many colors in Moscow and her suburbs.He is adorning Moscow, Leningrad and other Soviet cities with his beautiful creations. A spectator wrote in Kolesnikov's notebook: "Li Kolesnikov, show us that decorative gardening is a new art form, and it must become a socialist A necessary part of the city." Chrysanthemum is the favorite flower of Chinese people.Our poets in the past dynasties, counting from Qu Yuan, almost no one has not sung the chrysanthemum that is resistant to frost and cold.They praised its brave and strong character, they sang its outstanding and unrestrained demeanor, and they saw the reflection of their own people's character in the chrysanthemum.

Beijing was originally a city of chrysanthemums.In autumn in northern China, when the flowers are withering and the leaves are not yet red in frost, the colorful chrysanthemums adorn our capital more beautifully, so that our working people will not feel lonely and desolate when they are wandering after work. In the capital in autumn, you can see chrysanthemums everywhere when you go to public places, people’s homes, in gardens or on desks beside steps; The "Tanghuawu" in Zhongshan Park, Pingshan, where potted chrysanthemums are arranged into flowers, makes people happy and admired unconsciously as soon as they enter the door.Among the thousands of pots competing for beauty, there are snow-white ones like "Yangchun Baixue", light purple ones like "Beauty Wearing Beads", golden ones like "Tonghuafeng", and dark green ones like "Green Peony"... …The shape of the petals includes spoon petals such as "Intoxicated", silk petals such as "Flower Field Trial Horse", wide petals such as "Apricot Blossom Spring Rain", and petals with hairy tips such as "Golden Dragon Presenting Claws"..., Among them, my favorites are "Treading the Snow and Looking for Plum Blossoms" with a red heart, "Golden Que Hibiscus" with yellow and red faces, and "Xiangbai Pear" with fragrant tentacles.

It's a pity that on the day I visited the garden, I didn't meet the comrades in charge of gardening in the park, so I couldn't learn everything about planting and cultivation. In addition, it is the garden of Mr. Liu Yuyuan in Xinjiekou. There are seven chrysanthemum exhibition rooms including "Yangzhi Lu" in the front and back yards of the garden, with more than 2,000 pots and more than 500 kinds of flowers stored.There is also a dazzling array of beauty inside, such as the "Purple Phoenix Crown" blooming on the flower, the "Golden Clothes" of golden filaments, the green "Bi Linglong", the black and purple "Yongshou Mo", and the white "Crane in the Cloud"... … Outside the "Yangzhi Lu", there are many pots of various small chrysanthemums in dark and light yellow, shining brightly, like thousands of stars. There are many kinds of lying chrysanthemums and cliff chrysanthemums planted beside "Wanghu Pavilion".

For twenty years, the old man in Qiyuan has concealed himself with art chrysanthemums.Beijing was liberated, and a new life was vigorously beginning. Under the care and assistance of the people's government, the old man in the garden continued his labor with optimism and even greater efforts.He is trying Michurin's method to cultivate new species. The new products such as "Dongfanghong" with deep red flowers and "White-haired Girl" with snow-white hair are the most eye-catching and outstanding among the new species. The chrysanthemum family in Beijing and Mr. Xie Hongbin and his old friends are also doing this kind of labor in their spare time.They not only cultivated it themselves, but also kept in touch with the southern provinces to exchange varieties.

Today, when we are working hard to build a socialist society, different labors in various positions are all heading in the same direction. Gardening is no longer just a personal hobby, but the most meticulous and scientific preparation for the beautification of socialist cities. Moscow's today is Beijing's tomorrow.Beijing's new urban construction has been proceeding steadily, and it is seen that in the near future, the city of Beijing will be more majestic, wider, more orderly and more beautiful.Alongside the multi-storey pavilions and broad roads, there must be plants, trees and flowers to decorate and embellish.In the future, there will be not only chrysanthemums, but also all kinds of four-season flowers, which will bloom continuously in this green urban garden, giving the working people after work the most refreshing and pleasant entertainment, and giving the children of New China a The most vivid and vivid aesthetic education textbook.I believe that our horticulturists, with their continuous labor and hard work, will create many new species of flowers and trees, starting from Beijing, to embellish our vast and vast land.

Here I would like to conclude by quoting the inscription written by Comrade Ulyanov, a Soviet expert, on the old man’s notebook in the garden: "This sea of ​​flowers makes us feel happy. We believe that the Chinese people, who are rich in creative genius, will make even greater miracles." November 12, 1953, Beijing. "After Returning". )