Osmanthus Farm in Tea Country Introduction
Osmanthus Garden is located in Longsheng Village, Shiding District, and is also known as Osmanthus Village. It is the largest osmanthus ecological farm in Taiwan and one of the country's ancient tea areas, situated at an altitude of over 300 meters. Given the gravelly soil and moderate annual rainfall, local tea farmers began using osmanthus as a spice for roasting tea leaves during the thriving tea era of the 1950s and 60s, enhancing the tea's value; for every 100 kilograms of tea, 25 kilograms of osmanthus were required, leading to the planting of large numbers of osmanthus trees beside the tea gardens. The osmanthus season runs from October to April each year, and after August, villagers of all ages can be seen wandering through the osmanthus forest to collect fresh flowers, creating a unique local landscape that is an important memory for residents. In spring, visitors can see butterflies fluttering about; in summer, fireflies illuminate the flowers and grass; and in autumn and winter, the fragrant osmanthus blooms, making it well worth a visit. The farm offers specialty dishes that incorporate osmanthus, including signature dishes such as osmanthus drunken chicken, tea oil handmade vermicelli, and osmanthus-flavored pig trotter, as well as osmanthus marinated delicacies and handmade cookies for souvenirs, along with tea brewing services. In addition to dining and tea tasting, the Osmanthus Garden has planned the establishment of Osmanthus Lane and the Century-Old Osmanthus Trail, attracting many visitors who enjoy the beautiful mountain scenery while savoring good tea and snacks, making for a leisurely afternoon tea experience.
