The hobby of growing apricot blossoms in a foreign land.

Perhaps the Vietnamese community in Seattle (Washington state, USA) were the first to fire the first celebratory shots in the series of Lunar New Year festivities in the United States.

The non-profit organization Tet in Seattle will bring a warm Tet atmosphere with a series of exciting programs including games, food stalls, entertainment, fashion shows, lion dances, and more, on January 14th and 15th (the 23rd and 24th of the 12th lunar month) at the Seattle Center.

Speaking of Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year), besides the vibrant festive atmosphere, the hobby of growing flowers and ornamental plants is also an unforgettable and charming aspect. For many Vietnamese people in Australia, the bright yellow blossoms of apricot blossoms are indispensable.

The apricot blossom has soft, delicate petals that retain their vibrant color even after falling. Perhaps that is why the apricot blossom is considered the most precious of the four noble plants (apricot blossom, orchid, chrysanthemum, bamboo). The yellow apricot blossom is closely associated with Vietnamese traditional culture, symbolizing beauty, wealth, and power.

Apricot blossoms bloom in the garden of a Vietnamese family in Brisbane, Australia. Photo: SBS

For those living far from home, Tet memories are always associated with branches and pots of apricot blossoms placed in the middle of the house. Mr. Thanh Tan, originally from Tay Ninh and now living in Brisbane (Queensland, Australia), firmly states that seeing apricot blossoms evokes the vibrant Tet atmosphere everywhere.

Mr. Thanh Tan further shared with SBS: "The vibrant yellow of the apricot blossoms is the color of family reunions, meeting relatives and friends, and having fun. Peach blossoms and apricot blossoms are two things that I think anyone who misses Tet in their hometown can never forget."

At Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) markets in Australia, it's easy to find chrysanthemums, marigolds, cockscomb flowers, both cut stems and whole plants in pots. There are also artificial peach and apricot blossoms made of fabric or plastic, which people buy to attach to tree branches at home.

In the early years in Australia, few people thought about growing apricot blossoms. However, after the hustle and bustle of life in a foreign land, many people planted a few types of trees, with a few colorful flowers, to remember their homeland. When Tet (Vietnamese New Year) comes, visiting a friend's house and seeing an apricot blossom tree, childhood memories suddenly flood back. So they put even more effort into caring for the tree, trying their best to make it bloom on Tet day.

Having a plum blossom tree in a home garden in Australia requires meticulous care. Growing plum blossoms is not just about watering, fertilizing, and pruning. The weather in Brisbane is sometimes hot, sometimes cold, so timing the plum blossoms to bloom precisely for Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) is no easy feat, according to SBS.

The trick to getting apricot blossoms to bloom on time is to remove all the leaves a month before spring arrives. In spring, around the beginning of October or the end of September, the flowers will bloom profusely. To celebrate the 2023 Lunar New Year, you need to remove the leaves again at the end of December. Although this bloom won't be as abundant as the previous one, you can still enjoy the apricot blossoms on New Year's Day.

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