Blooming Time

The grounds around the National Stadium and National Aquatic Center are still dirt and bare.

But later this month a giant operation will begin to beautify the area with flowers and shrubs.

One of the groups hired to supply some of the plants is the Horticulture Research Institute in Beijing.

Outside and in covered areas, tens of thousands of plants are standing in small pots waiting to be transported and bloom in time for August.

There are marigolds, pansies, daisies, and geraniums, trying to look their best outside the Olympic venues.

Since August is not usually the time flowers are in bloom, they've done five years of research to make sure they do. This involves giving them some chemical fertilizer they promise is no different from the ones backyard gardeners use. Many of the plants are also imported from overseas, including the United States and Germany.

They are supplying tens of thousands of these plants and at between 1.50RMB to about 15RMB, this institute will be raking in the money for this international event.

The flowers as supposed to bloom for one month.

There's been lots of local media interest over the flowers, so we'll have to see how they turn out in the end.