Flower markets add colour to the pre-Tet atmosphere
Vietnamese people are bustling about preparing for the traditional Lunar New Year (Tet) festival, the country’s biggest in the year, while flower and bonsai markets add glowing, spring colours to the scene.
In Ho Chi Minh City, as many as 68 flower markets opened on February 3, selling various kinds of flowers and trees for Tet decoration. Among them, three large markets are located in the September 23 Park, Le Van Tam Park and Gia Dinh Park. The rest is in districts surrounding the city.
Baskets of flowers from Mekong delta provinces, are displayed at nearly 500 stalls inBinh Dong wharf and Phu Dinh port which look like floating markets.
Popular yellow apricot, dao (peach) and quat (kumquat) are befriended by a wide range of imported flowers, such as red apricot, over 100-petal yellow apricot, and bonsai trees, which are pruned to symbolise happiness, peace, luck and prosperity.
Flower growers and traders said prices remain the same as in previous year, except for some which slightly increase by 5-10 percent.
The Phu My Hung Spring Flower Fair has a total of 500 pavilions of flowers and bonsais and 200 additional stands to sell specialties coming from different parts of the country.
Dong Nai province boasts of more than 250 stands displaying different species of flowers, bonsais and trees.
In Thua Thien-Hue province, streets are coloured with a sea of flowers of different types, with the yellow of chrysanthemums dominating.
Hue residents have the tradition of decorating their homes with chrysanthemum, which is symbolised for immortality and prosperity.
Meanwhile, people in Binh Dinh province are flocking to the city of Quy Nhon to choose the most fresh and beautiful flowers for their homes from the spring flower fair, which opened on February 3.
Peach, often grown in the north, is found, along with bright chrysanthemums, forget-me-not, kumquat, at over 200 kiosks there.
In Hanoi, a huge array of exotic flowers on Nghi Tam street has attracted huge crowds of customers and viewers since early February.
Another highlight of the Tet holiday is a six-day flower show and trade fair at the Centre for Art and Cultural Exhibitions at 2 Hoa Lu Street.
The pre-Tet festive atmosphere, coupled with colourful flower markets nationwide, is expected to bring in happiness, luck and success to the nation in the year of snake in the zodiac cycle.