Plant Encounters Summer Theme: Awakening of Memories: Ethnobotanical Stories of Tai Mo Shan

From February 2025 to January 2026, Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden (KFBG) partnered with Koon Man Space to carry out an ethnobotany research project in Chuen Lung village, located on the mid slopes of Tai Mo Shan. The team conducted in-depth interviews with Chuen Lung villagers to document the plants they use in various ways, the personal and community reasons for these uses, and the broader connections between people, plants and place that have evolved as a result. KFBG staff also conducted field surveys, aiming to situate the stories thus elicited within a contemporary understanding of Hong Kong's vegetation and flora.

The exhibition “Awakening of Memories: Ethnobotanical Stories of Tai Mo Shan” features 10 plants that hold a significant place in the lives and memories of local villagers. Showcasing a blend of photography and illustration, the exhibition is held at the Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden, which is also nestled on the slopes of Tai Mo Shan. It highlights how villagers have used generation-spanning wisdom to transform these plants into everyday essentials, from food and clothing to shelter and medicine, allowing the memory and culture of ethnobotany to flow and endure across the mountain.

This immersive plant experience is a special session uniquely designed for the exhibition. We are honoured to invite Chuen Lung villager Ms Kwong Yuk-ying (Janney) to join participants on a dedicated shuttle bus from the lower to the upper hills. Together, we will tour the 10 large-scale photographs, admire and learn about these botanical protagonists on-site, and discover how deeply they are woven into the fabric of villagers' daily lives.

You can also take this opportunity to get a hard or soft copy of the new publication Plants, People and Village Life: Ethnobotanical Stories of Chuen Lung!

Income will be used to support KFBG's plant conservation work. Spaces are limited, so sign up now!

Note:

• Please arrive at the Plant Encounters registration counter, KFBG main visitor reception, no later than the specified gathering time.
• The guided tour will begin with a walking visit to the exhibition sites in the Lower Area of KFBG, followed by a dedicated shuttle bus to the Upper Area to tour the remaining exhibition locations.
• The tour will conclude at the T.S. Woo Memorial Pavilion near Kwun Yum Shan. Participants may take the dedicated shuttle bus back down the mountain with the group, or choose to stay and explore that area and Kwun Yum Shan on their own (refer to the KFBG map). Please note that if you wish to take our regularly scheduled shuttle bus back down later, tickets must be purchased in advance at the reception. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
• Places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

1. Target Group
   We welcome participants aged 6 and above.
   
   
2. Language
   Cantonese
   
   
3. Fee
   

   Visitors	Fee
   Aged 12 and above	HK$250*
   Aged 6 to 11	HK$200*

   Note:
   *The price includes KFBG admission fee and the shuttle bus to the Upper Area. Income will be used to support KFBG's plant conservation work.
   
   
4. Application
   Pre-register online at the KFBG website by 5:00 pm three days before the scheduled session (Link).
   
   
5. Remarks
   • Participants will be guided along one or more of KFBG’s narrow trails in the Lower Hillside area, some of which have uneven surfaces, steps and slopes. Applicants should assess their own physical/health condition before applying. Also, please wear appropriate shoes.
   • Plant Encounters may be cancelled or rescheduled at short notice in the event of severe weather warnings (e.g., Typhoon Signal no.3 or above, Red or Black Rainstorm Warning).
   • In the event of heavy rain (including Amber Rainstorm Warning), an indoor or semi-outdoor session will be offered instead, subject to the actual weather.
   • Payment is not refundable unless the event is cancelled due to severe weather warnings.
   • Parking spaces are extremely limited at our venue. Participants must reserve parking spaces online in advance.
   • We encourage visitors to use public transportation to reduce carbon footprint. Click here for details.
   • KFBG staff or volunteers will take photographs and record videos during the programme for documentation and promotional use.
6. Enquiry
   For more information, please visit our Facebook or Instagram pages for updates. Please email fiona.lo@kfbg.org for any event-related enquiries.