Tourists will see colorful blossoms and flourishing plants in Yunnan Province even in winter, says Yan Shuping, the man in charge of gardening affairs at the ' 99 World Horticulture Exposition.

The organizing committee said that all the gardens will remain unchanged for the next six months, even though the exposition ended on October 31.

The working staff in the botanical garden will cover the stems of the tropical plants with high-quality plastic, and they will also maintain the temperature, said Yan.

Although Kunming, the provincial capital, is known as the "City of Spring" in China, it may well see snowfall during the winter.

The forecast of a warm winter made by the local weather bureau has put the staff at ease, but, "we have made full preparations and allocated 100,000 yuan (about 12,000 US dollars) to ensure the tropical plants will survive the cold days," said Yan.

"We will change the plants and flowers every 50 days, and all the scenery will remain as beautiful as before," added he.

"Plants, like human beings, need some time to adapt to a new environment, and they will be able to live in the city if they survive the first winter," said Yan.