Mid-December is the very best viewing time for the stunning scenery at the Qingdao Botanical Garden -- located in the Shinan district of Qingdao city, in East China's Shandong province.

The front gate of the Qingdao Botanical Garden [Photo/WeChat account: qdweishinan]

Elegant trees line the lake, forming an early winter lakeside oasis where the images of the imposing russet-colored trees are sharply reflected in the pristine water of the botanical park. [Photo/WeChat account: qdweishinan]

Clusters of withered lotuses stand silently above the water at Qingdao Botanical Garden, creating a scene reminiscent of a winter-themed Chinese poem. [Photo/WeChat account: qdweishinan]