Small efforts behind the big expo (4)

Zhang Mei and her fellow workers carry some of the pots of flowers being put in place for the Nov 5 to 10 China International Import Expo in Shanghai, China. [Photo by Xing Yi / chinadaily.com.cn]

Zhang and her villagers take a two-hour bus ride to come and work eight hours at the site, earning about 150 yuan per day.

"We all feel proud of our country as we see many high rise buildings on our way here. And we feel happy to be able to work in this beautiful sea of flowers," she said.

Three hundred horticulture workers from the Shanghai Gardens Group, including the temporarily employed, like Zhang, have put a whopping 1.8 million pots of flowers around the venue, according to the project manager, Xin Lixun.

"Decorating the venue with plants gives the concrete-and-steel building a feeling of nature," he said.

The landscape project started in July, and the most difficult part includes choosing the right flowers and estimating the right blossom period.

"We have made the calculation so that the flowers reach their full blossom to welcome the guests during the expo," Xin added.