A simple remark from his wife blossomed into an extraordinary 80-hectare labour of love when a man in southwestern China transformed barren land into a spectacular sea of hollyhocks.
A simple remark from his wife blossomed into an extraordinary 80-hectare labour of love when a man in southwestern China transformed barren land into a spectacular sea of hollyhocks. Zhou Xiaolin and his wife, Yin Jie, now live surrounded by thousands of vibrant flowers in Chengdu, Sichuan province, personally caring for the sprawling garden that has become a testament to their enduring relationship.
The couple appeared on a China Central Television programme, where they were hailed as a “dream couple.”
The journey began in 2013 when Yin reminisced about her childhood in Beijing and spoke fondly of hollyhocks. Determined to turn her nostalgic wish into reality, Zhou promised to build a garden filled with the flowers she loved.
With no formal gardening experience, Zhou sold his house, purchased land in Zhuanlong Town and taught himself the intricacies of cultivating hollyhocks. Over the following decade, he travelled far and wide, collecting seeds from China and abroad while painstakingly transforming the barren landscape.
The result is a vast garden spanning around 80 hectares. Open to the public, it features more than 700 varieties of hollyhocks, nearly 150,000 lilies and around 100,000 Chinese hibiscus plants. It is now regarded as one of the world’s largest and most diverse hollyhock gardens.
But the garden is only one chapter of Zhou and Yin’s extraordinary love story.
The couple first crossed paths in 1985 when Yin, then a nursing student from Beijing, travelled to Jiuzhaigou in Sichuan with her classmates. Zhou was the trainee tour guide assigned to their group and was immediately drawn to Yin’s quiet personality amid the lively gathering.
The two remained friends and exchanged letters for five years before Zhou travelled to Beijing to propose. Yin has said her affection for him grew gradually, with their deepest bond developing after marriage.
Zhou’s career in tourism planning took the couple across different parts of China. During one journey through Tibet, their relationship was tested by a brutal snowstorm. Zhou carried Yin on his back until they found refuge inside a cave, where they spent three days huddled together for warmth before rescuers arrived.
Even during financially difficult years, Yin recalled that Zhou always tried to give her the best they could afford.
“With a man this good, I knew I would stay with him for life,” she said.
For Zhou, his wife and his flowers represent the two greatest sources of beauty in his life.
“Happiness is finding the person you love most, or discovering the work you genuinely love doing,” he told the mainland media.
Inspired by the work of Chinese botanists, Zhou researched the flower’s history and cultural significance and compiled an illustrated guide recognised as the first scientific classification of the flower.
Although hollyhocks are indigenous to Sichuan, Zhou has highlighted their appeal across ethnic and religious communities.
“It is a flower of peace,” Yin noted.
Today, the childless couple continue to live peacefully in their flower-filled haven alongside several cats and dogs. Even after 35 years of marriage, their romance remains alive through a cherished tradition: exchanging handwritten letters on birthdays and anniversaries.