Suzhou, a popular scenic tourist destination in east China's Jiangsu Province, is planning a botanical garden for the blind.
An official with the rehabilitation section of the Suzhou City Disabled Persons' Federation said the projected 3,000-sq-m botanical garden will be situated inside Tongjing Park of western Suzhou, a city long renowned as "paradise on earth".
The requirements for the garden's plants are that they be not too tall, have no thorns, be non-toxic or not bear any strange smells, in a bid to cater to the special needs of the blind.
The new garden will also be installed with audio warning devices, passages with slow slopes and barrier-free toilets, said the official.
Work has begun on designing of the new garden, which will be ready for service by October this year.
(Xinhua News Agency July 15, 2003)
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