Colorful flowers adorn a courtyard in Huzhou. [Photo/Tide News]

In Xifengba village, Changxing county, Huzhou, Zhejiang province, a floral paradise thrives at the home of resident Fan Xiaohong. Over a thousand pots of plants have turned her courtyard into a colorful tapestry.

"At first I just wanted to decorate my yard with a few flowers, but now I have been growing plants for a decade," explained Fan. Her courtyard boasts a diverse array of over 300 plant species, attracting not only passing tourists but also flower enthusiasts specifically to buy flowers.

With an annual income reaching tens of thousands of yuan solely from flower sales, Fan's success story extends beyond personal enrichment. She also teaches over 30 neighboring households how to select, cultivate, and sell plants, creating new avenues for income generation in the village.

Fan's flourishing courtyard epitomizes the "Beautiful Courtyards" initiative in Huzhou, a program that takes advantage of unique local attractions such as homestays and agritainment to unlock economic potential within aesthetically pleasing living spaces.

To date, Huzhou has established 180,000 beautiful courtyards, 30 city-level beautiful courtyard demonstration zones, and 28 provincial and municipal-level characteristic villages.