The main structures for the various sightseeing spots at the 31st Nantong Chrysanthemum Expo are currently under construction. [Photo/ntfabu.com]

Preparations are ramping up in the run-up to the 31st Nantong Chrysanthemum Expo, to be held at Tangzha Park – located in the Chongchuan district of Nantong in East China's Jiangsu province – from late October to late November.

The main structures of the various key viewing spots are expected to be completed within the week and the flowers will be next arranged onsite.

This year, more than 100,000 pots of various kinds of flowers and nearly 500 pots of ornamental chrysanthemum flowers will go on display, according to the Nantong municipal and garden bureau.

The chrysanthemum was designated as the official city flower of Nantong in 1982, with the expo becoming a local convention since held there each fall.

At the end of August, the city's landscaping department sent 400 pots of chrysanthemum seedlings to locals interested in planting the flowers. A total of 100 pots will be selected to be displayed at the exhibition, a new idea for this year's show.

As one of the traditional Chinese chrysanthemum conservation bases, Nantong has been committed to research into the conservation of the species for over 30 years. The city has explored effective measures and established a complete scientific system for the flower's conservation, making contributions to inheriting skills and cultivating technical talent for chrysanthemum cultivation, according to Zhang Haitao, an official of the municipal and garden bureau.