Getting up close and personal with nature

Volumes of online searches for information on trips to see flowers in China and abroad are surging, according to travel agency Ctrip

With glorious spring fast-approaching and temperatures rising throughout the nation, the country is now festooned with flowers, from cherry blossoms to magnolia and lilac - and flower lovers in China have never been so enthusiastic.

Ctrip, China's largest online travel agency, reports that in March, the volume of searches for information about dazzling golden cole flowers, as well as for peach blossoms and cherry blossoms, has surged more than 500 percent on February's levels.