Plugging the green deficit

Aging problem

But horticulture is facing a crisis, says Cheng, as, according to her, the average age of various professionals in gardens and scenic spots is 45 and positions like groundskeepers and display workers are often left open.

Also, the demand for horticulture professionals is growing as the market has boomed in the past 10 years.

So, as plant growers reach retirement age, there are too few gardeners arriving to replace them, says Zhao Shiwei, the chief engineer of the Beijing Institute of Landscape Architecture, the only municipal public welfare landscape research institute in Beijing.

"There's an obvious gap in plant cultivation and maintenance talent in recent years, especially those who have an overall understanding of horticulture landscape designs and garden flower cultivation," he says.

Zhao also says that horticulture involves a wide range of fields, and a long period is needed to train professionals.

"More importantly, the work is relatively tedious for young professionals. Nowadays fewer young people are keen on the horticulture industry, and we are concerned that the industry is facing difficulty to attract and retain talent," he adds.

As for front-line gardeners, many of them are known as "city farmers" as they need to weed and mulch for the plants.