The Tet flower gardens in my hometown

I love the days from mid-December when I can drive around the Tet flower gardens in the communes of Dien Khanh district, my hometown. There are many famous places that grow Tet flowers; if I visited one area last year, I'll visit another this year. I'll roughly divide them into two regions based on the natural boundary of the Cai River flowing through Dien Khanh district. If this year I visit the flower gardens in Dien Tho, Dien Tan, Suoi Tien communes, etc., then next year I'll go to Dien Son, Dien Dien communes, etc. The most abundant flowers in the gardens are available before the 20th day of the lunar month.

A Tet flower garden on a country road overlooking the village temple.

Last year, I went to the Dien Son and Dien Dien areas. Before the flowers arrived in the city, I felt like I was lost in the exotic and exotic flowers of Dien Son. Some gardens only grew marigolds and cosmos; others had all kinds of flowers. The feeling of spring was fresh and pure. Sitting beside the flowers, listening to the bees buzzing, and hearing the gardener's gentle, even voice: "Depending on the type of flower, we start planting gradually from June, some sown in July, September... Marigolds are sown last, in November of the lunar calendar. The longest is chrysanthemum, which starts sprouting from June. We have to time it so they bloom exactly for Tet; if they bloom late, it's a failure. After a Tet flower season, the capital is reinvested in fertilizer, pesticides, soil, seeds... and the cycle continues. Throughout the year, we have vegetables and a few types of flowers to sell on the 15th and 1st of the lunar month, or flowers that can be enjoyed all four seasons..."

I'm addicted to admiring Tet flowers and want to enjoy the days before they arrive in the city. Sometimes I go in the morning, sometimes in the afternoon, just to admire the flowers in the setting sun or sunset behind the mountains. I love the flower gardens in the early morning, fresh, radiant, and full of energy. Everything is fresh when the dew still clings to the leaves and petals, prompting me to ponder trivial philosophies about human life. There are sunflowers, strong and full of vitality; rows of colorful impatiens, romantically swaying in the wind; pots of giant hibiscus flowers in yellow, pink, and red, overwhelming; grafted bougainvillea, strangely beautiful; pots of guava with tiny fruits but pure white, fragrant flowers; chili peppers and kumquats... There are so many I can't remember them all. And the main flower for Tet remains the bright yellow marigold, sturdy, calm, carefree, and gentle, bringing people faith in life.

On those fading afternoons, I enjoy photographing the flowerbeds against the sunlight, images that evoke a sense of longing yet peace. I gaze out at the garden, seeing how much investment the gardeners have poured into this for the Lunar New Year. I silently pray that all the flowers will find their way to each family, compensating for the hard work of planting and caring for them day and night...

I drove along the village roads, now mostly paved with concrete, past the village communal house where children played hopscotch in the courtyard, the tranquil temples, the bustling rural markets... Flowers were everywhere; people bought them to resell in residential areas. In the fields, a small plot of land, a narrow path… everywhere was covered in yellow flowers. During the rice growing season, the countryside was peaceful, the yellow flowers standing out against the rice fields, a simple, gentle beauty.

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This morning in Saigon, the weather was beautiful and sunny. As I walked past a car wash next to my apartment building, I saw rows of chrysanthemum pots arranged in a decorative style, waiting for Tet (Vietnamese New Year). The tiny flower buds, about the size of a little finger or smaller, created a delicate yellow-green hue that reminded me so much of the Tet flower gardens in my hometown and made me truly eager to return home for Tet.

DAO THI THANH TUYEN

Source: https://baokhanhhoa.vn/van-hoa/sang-tac/202501/nhung-vuon-hoa-tet-que-toi-2b82141/