Casual Conversation: Sidewalk Flowers

While wandering the streets of Europe, one thing that fascinated and surprised me was the small floral displays placed on the sidewalks or under pretty windowsills.

A small wooden pot, made from a few simple wooden planks, or a plain ceramic pot filled with brightly colored flowers like petunias, daisies, pansies… can be placed anywhere along the path, looking pretty and not taking up much space. Once in the town of Baghburg, Germany, standing on a high slope looking down at the jumble of old rooftops, I saw a small street lined with flower pots resembling miniature wine barrels, arranged playfully like toys; and there was even a pretty little flower pot placed on… the roof. The owner, if they had the time to tend to it, would trim the flower clusters into heart shapes, or create a vibrant, artistic color scheme. These flower pots appeared as a greeting, a friendly surprise gift to passersby, whether familiar or unfamiliar.

On another occasion, in Quedlinburg, one of Europe's most beautiful medieval towns, a UNESCO World Heritage site with over 1,300 unique half-timbered houses, I was delighted to encounter vibrant, perfectly round "flower spheres" hanging high in the sky, held in place by sturdy steel wires. Roses, dahlias, chrysanthemums, yellow, orange, and red lilies... formed a spherical shape, appearing here and there like balls. Tourists strolling through the streets noticed these unique flower spheres, stopped to point them out to each other, and everyone smiled with delight.

Another striking impression was the flower baskets on the street-facing windows near the house of the musical genius Mozart in Salzburg, Austria. I was delighted to see that all the baskets were decorated in a vibrant red. I will always remember that striking red on the long, narrow street.

Restaurant and shop signs are sometimes transformed into charming miniature scenes. In the small town of Étretat, France, home to the "Elephant of God" rock formation with its arched dome resembling an elephant's trunk dipping into the sea, I was impressed by a pretty sign placed on a miniature scene resembling a tiny ox cart filled with fresh flowers, indicating the location of a herbal shop. The vibrant flower baskets on the "bicycle bridges" in Amsterdam, Netherlands, are sure to make anyone stop and take many souvenir photos… Flowers on the streets not only beautify the streets but also captivate tourists with their warm and pleasant feelings.

In recent years, it's noticeable that potted ornamental plants have become increasingly common in Saigon, not just in parks or street gardens. Cafes and restaurants decorate their premises with potted plants, and office buildings display miniature flower arrangements and potted flowers to beautify sidewalk corners. Plots of land around tree roots are "greened" with portulaca and impatiens; and residential areas have added more flowers like bougainvillea, roses, jasmine, sunflowers, and periwinkle… Flowers dot the sidewalks, seemingly belonging to more than one household, delighting passersby and offering a pleasant sight.

Instead of the large and small bags of trash carelessly discarded, the flower pots and baskets on the streets make me think of a change in awareness, habits, and cultural norms. During my morning walk, the fragrant scent of laurel after the night's rain made me pause for a moment; the air felt purified, fresh, and pristine.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nhan-dam-hoa-co-via-he-185250920180437019.htm