--- --- # Flower industry pioneers profit from fields of dreams  _This content was paid for and prepared by China Daily, an official publication of the People's Republic of China. The TIME editorial and advertising departments were not involved in the creation of this content._ A grower hosts livestreaming sales of her flowers at a planting base in Qingdao, Shandong province. LIANG XIAOPENG/XINHUA By YANG FEIYUE In a quiet corner of Jiaxing, Zhejiang province, a former overgrown plot has been transformed into a natural paradise — lush, unmanicured and pulsating with color under the sun. On weekends and holidays visitors from across the country, especially neighboring Shanghai and Jiangsu province, trek to the flower farm in Changan town, Haining, to admire thousands of plants and blooms that give the visitors memorable moments on social media platforms. “What sets us apart is not just biodiversity but a philosophy of ecological harmony,” said Xu Zhufeng, founder of the Plant Library. Xu chose Plant Library as the name because the farm is home to a wide variety of species. “Our goal is to create an environment where plants can grow in harmony with one another, turning the Plant Library into a miniature version of nature,” Xu, in his 30s, said. Instead of placing plants in neat rows, Xu uses natural patterns — shade-loving plants in cooler areas, sun-seeking ones in open fields. This approach has won the site a faithful following. “Our loyal customers, especially those in commercial photography, tell us it’s unlike anywhere else,” Xu said. “Here they find scenery that feels untouched and is unexpected.” The thriving business is part of prospering flower plantations across Changan, which have become a pillar industry that has significantly raised residents’ income and rejuvenated the town. About a 30-minute drive away from Xu’s place, Lou Yongli is preparing to host her popular livestream in Tianming village. Inside a greenhouse, Lou, in her 30s, looks in a mirror and carefully applies eyeliner. At 3 pm her livestream account on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, goes live, and within minutes her virtual audience begins to grow. The livestream has turned Lou into a local celebrity and made her flower business, Yongli Gardening, a thriving undertaking, with annual revenue of more than 1 million yuan ($137,200). “Our No 1 bestseller today is multi-bloom lilies,” she tells viewers. “Grab them now for a surprise deal.” Lou beams as she stands framed by a ring of light in a sea of freshly cut flowers. Viewers’ comments begin to roll in. With practiced ease, Lou lifts one bouquet after another to the camera and confidently gives expert explanations of the different varieties and care instructions. She also makes a point of answering questions in the comments area. To expand beyond Douyin, Lou regularly takes photos of her flowers and shares them on WeChat Moments, another social media platform in China. Customers who have befriended her spot something they like, screenshot it and message her directly to order. Over time she has cultivated a loyal customer base and transformed her venture into one of the leading horticulture businesses in Tianming, home to more than 100 flower-farming households. The village sells more than two million pots of flowers a year, with revenue of nearly 100 million yuan. A few minutes’ drive away, Li Zhengping’s garden resembles a French impressionist’s canvas. Since the arrival of spring, dozens of multicolored blossoms have emerged, drawing visitors from far and wide to take pictures and trim petals. “This garden has served both as a showcase of our products and an experimental field,” said Li, explaining the original reason for establishing the garden, which has grown to become a favorite spot for flower lovers. “Our facility stretches 260 feet. When it bloomed in recent weeks it was like a dream,” he said. “People come all the way from Hangzhou and Shanghai just to take pictures. It makes them happy.” “Since 2019, with the explosion of online videos, and especially during the 2020 homebound economy, our sales have skyrocketed. We have surpassed 80 million yuan in sales. The demand for land and labor has grown with it.” Today his company Three Lazy Ants is a major rural employer and a showcase for innovation. “We created a packaging workshop with room for 60 to 70 workers, mostly elderly residents or low-income villagers,” Li said. Each of them earns 3,000 yuan to 5,000 yuan a month. China is the world’s largest producer of flowers, and the China Flower Association said the country has nearly 220,000 seedling and flower companies, with total annual revenue exceeding 520 billion yuan. The potential has drawn in a rising number of young people who are breathing new life into the industry. Xu said that in the future he will focus on sustainability of land and his business, and will take a creative approach. “Each season brings a need for new maintenance and new inspiration, which I see as a beautiful cycle. It never ends, and that’s the point.” Flower industry pioneers profit from fields of dreams ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/branded-content/china-daily/flower-industry-pioneers-profit-from-fields-of-dreams/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/branded-content/china-daily/flower-industry-pioneers-profit-from-fields-of-dreams/"},"headline":"Flower industry pioneers profit from fields of dreams","datePublished":"2026-06-18T14:28:28.304Z","dateModified":"2026-06-09T07:28:09.992Z","description":"","url":"https://time.com/branded-content/china-daily/flower-industry-pioneers-profit-from-fields-of-dreams/","keywords":[],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[],"articleSection":"","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/branded-content/china-daily/flower-industry-pioneers-profit-from-fields-of-dreams/","name":"Flower industry pioneers profit from fields of dreams"}}]}] ```