Peach blossom growers in Phu Thuong busy as Tet nearing

As there is only half a month left before the 2021 Lunar New Year - the Year of the Buffalo - begins, residents in Phu Thuong village in Tay Ho district of Hanoi are now busy caring for peach blossoms with the hope that the flower branches will bloom in coincidence with the biggest traditional festival. Flower buds and blossoms are the symbols for new beginning, and peach blossoms are considered the symbol of the Lunar New Year festival, also known as Tet, in the northern region of Vietnam. It is the warm pink of peach blossoms that matches well with the dry and cold weather in the north in this occasion (Photo: VietnamPlus)

A peach blossom garden in Phu Thuong village. The branches now begin to bloom, creating a romantic landscape amid the vibrant Hanoi capital. Apart from peach blossoms, the yellow apricot flowers are also a symbol of Tet but typical for the southern region. These two distinctive kinds of flowers are widely sold and purchased ahead of Tet. The 2021 Lunar New Year - the Year of the Buffalo - falls on February 12, and the holiday will last for seven days. The biggest traditional festival in a year is an occasion for Vietnamese people to not only celebrate a New Year but also reunite and pay tribute to ancestors (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The several weeks ahead of the Lunar New Year are also the busiest time in a year for peach blossom growers in the villages of Phu Thuong, Quang An, and Nhat Tan in Hanoi’s Tay Ho district. Local farmers have grown the plant for generations. Peach blossoms, kumquat trees, and various kinds of fresh flowers are indispensable in Vietnamese families during traditional Tet. As peach blossoms are a symbol of Tet, they are also a popular item sold at markets before Tet. About one month before the festival, flower markets in Hanoi usually become busier and more crowded than other times in a year, attracting thousands of both Vietnamese and foreign visitors (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The pink and red colours of peach flowers blanket an alluvial ground on the Red River. If anyone pays a visit to Hanoi in the pre-Tet period which varies from year to year, normally around January and February, they can easily catch a sight of peach blossoms everywhere, from private houses, schools, hospitals to workplaces and public areas. Ordinarily, people buy the flowers two or three weeks ahead of the Lunar New Year’s Eve. In Hanoi, Phu Thuong, Quang Ba, and Nhat Tan villages are famous for growing peach blossoms. The cultivation is considered an art that has been passed down from generation to generation (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The weather has got colder when Tet is approaching, but peach branches still bloom on time to serve consumers’ demand. Peach blossoms are more than a decoration item as its vivid beauty and profound meaning form a big part in the life of Vietnamese people whenever Tet comes. They are considered a demonstration of novelty, proliferation and development, so it can deliver health, peace and good luck to people when a new year comes. Tet is also a special occasion for families and friends to gather after one year of hard work and wish one another all the best. Therefore, peach blossoms are also a token of happiness and cosiness (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Many farmers said thanks to this year’s favourable weather, peach branches will bloom at the right time, in the Lunar New Year festival, and they will be more beautiful than last year. As peach and apricot blossoms form an indispensable part of this biggest traditional festival, Tet is not Tet any more if there is no sight of peach blossoms in the northern or apricot blossoms in the south. The blossoms, together with kumquat trees and many other types of flowers and ornamental plants, are popular items in flower markets ahead of Tet. Many people go to the markets not only to buy flowers but also to enjoy the Tet atmosphere there (Photo: VietnamPlus)

For many farmers, they enjoy one of the most profitable peach blossom crops on the 2021 Lunar New Year festival, as the flowers bloom at the right time, in coincidence with Tet, and prices are also stable. Vietnamese people have a tradition of buying flowers to decorate their homes before Tet. About a week before the festival, people flock to the markets to purchase fresh flowers, ornamental plants, and an array of other Tet decorations. As the capital city has grown in size and is now several times larger than it was decades ago, a number of flower markets have mushroomed across the city to meet the increasing demand of residents in the expanded areas during the festival (Photo: VietnamPlus)

However, many growers still worry about the sale of peach blossoms due to impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it difficult for locals to visit traditional markets. Those who want to rush to the markets to buy necessary decorative items now have to wear face masks to prevent virus infection as recommended by authorities. Flower markets are popular destinations for local people ahead of the festival. Tet flowers are sold across Hanoi, but many people in the capital city still keep the habit of going to traditional markets in order to buy flowers and no less importantly, to enjoy the special Tet atmosphere there (Photo: VietnamPlus)

A farmer named Hung in Phu Thuong village of Hanoi’s Tay Ho district said the peach blossom crop is good this year, and that he has sold more than half of the about 400 - 500 trees in his garden. Like pine trees on Christmas for Europeans and the yellow apricot flowers for Vietnamese in the south, peach blossoms are a symbol of the Lunar New Year in the northern region, with most people decorating their homes with the flowers to celebrate the biggest traditional festival. Peach blossoms represent good luck and prosperity for a new year and bring the spirit of spring to every family (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Garden owners said this year’s peach flower prices are higher than those of last year, and the quality is also better. In the north of Vietnam, peach blossoms are still the first image that comes to people's mind when talking about the colour of the Lunar New Year and spring, besides kumquat, despite increasingly abundant choices of ornamental plants and flowers for Tet decoration. Peach blossoms have long played an important part in the cultural life of Vietnamese people. While most people like them because of the beauty of their slender petal, some see a symbol of prosperity and good fortune in the vividness of their colours (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Although there are only 15 days left before the Lunar New Year, many farmers said only few buyers have come to their gardens, and the number of visitors is lower than the same period last year. During Tet, peach blossoms are an indispensable ‘spiritual treat’ and a cultural specialty in every Vietnamese family. Therefore, on the days leading up to Tet, peach blossom villages nationwide become busy preparing for the biggest harvest season in a year. Decorating homes with pink peach blossoms in the north or yellow apricot ones in the south is a tradition of Vietnamese families. Many people believe that Tet is not Tet any more if these symbolic flowers are absent (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Peach blossom branches are priced at between several hundreds of thousands of VND to 2 million VND while it takes several millions of VND to tens of millions of VND to rent a peach blossom plant with a special posture. Phu Thuong is one of the most famous peach blossom growing villages in Hanoi. It is located in Phu Thuong ward of the capital’s Tay Ho district. The local land area for peach blossom cultivation has shrunk considerably to give space to urbanisation and the construction of Nhat Tan Bridge. Farmers have had to make use of every inch of vacant land to keep their traditional craft alive and also to earn their living (Photo: VietnamPlus)

A grower pinches off the flowers already blooming to nurture the remaining buds for Tet. As a result of urbanisation, there is only about 60ha of land remained for growing peach blossoms in Phu Thuong at present, and the area is forecast to continue shrinking in the years to come. Some local people have moved to Hanoi’s outlying districts of Soc Son or Dong Anh, even Sa Pa in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai, to rent land for growing the trees. Many families have sought other ways to earn their living. However, a number of locals still wish to keep their farmland so as to sustain the traditional farming (Photo: VietnamPlus)

A farmer tends to peach blossom branches. Phu Thuong village, about 4km to the west of Hanoi capital city, has long been famous for the traditional cultivation of peach blossoms. With their skillful hands and experience, local farmers can meet every demand of flower buyers in Hanoi. Peach blossoms are distributed to various markets and usually sold from the beginning of the 12th lunar month. However, many buyers also come to gardens in this village to select the most beautiful branches for themselves or simply to enjoy the spring atmosphere and admire the rosy blossoms that are in full bloom and inspire the hope for a new year full of happiness (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Many peach blossom trees are about to be sold soon, but they still receive meticulous care by growers. The festival that best epitomises Vietnam's cultural identity is the Lunar New Year or Tet, with a lot of meaningful customs and traditional special foods. ‘Tet’ is the phonetic deformation of ‘Tiet’, a Sino-Vietnamese term which means ‘joint of a bamboo stem’ and in a wider sense, the ‘beginning of a period of the year’. There are many Tets throughout the year such as Tet Trung thu (Mid-Autumn Festival), and Tet han thuc (Cold Food Festival). However, the most significant of all is the Lunar New Year, and when standing alone, the word ‘Tet’ refers to this biggest traditional festival (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Growers in Phu Thuong village are also grafting peach nodes to prepare for the next Lunar New Year. Farming peach blossoms is a traditional craft that has been passed down from generation to generation.Many locals said this year’s Tet is the best-ever peach blossom crop as the flowers bloom right in coincidence with Tet and prices are also stable. Like pine trees on Christmas for Europeans and yellow apricot flowers for Vietnamese in the south, pink peach flowers are a symbol of Tet among people in the north. Peach blossoms represent good luck and prosperity for a new year and bring the spirit of spring to families (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Farmers in Phu Thuong village of Hanoi’s Tay Ho district care for peach blossom plants as the Lunar New Year is nearing. Traditionally, Tet is an occasion for family reunion, paying tribute to ancestors, happiness, and relaxation. Just as many people in the West buy pine trees for the Christmas holiday, Vietnamese often buy many types of flowers and plants to decorate their homes in this special holiday. The three plants that cannot be missed during Tet are peach blossoms, apricot blossoms, and kumquat. Peach blossoms and kumquat trees are common in the north while southern people prefer apricot blossoms for this biggest traditional festival (Photo: VietnamPlus)

New buds have started to grow as peach blossom growers in Phu Thuong are preparing for a new crop for the next Lunar New Year. Taking care of peach blossom trees is said to be not too hard, but it is not easy to ensure the flowers bloom at the right time, right at Tet, because it depends much on the weather. Weather conditions are the key factor to determine when peach blossoms bloom and whether they are beautiful or not. Peach blossoms, kumquat trees, along with various kinds of fresh flowers are indispensable in every Vietnamese family during the traditional Tet festival (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Buyers and traders are flocking to Phu Thuong as well as other peach blossom farming areas in Hanoi to choose the best branches and trees for themselves. Flower buds and blossoms are the symbols for new beginning. Vietnamese people have a tradition of buying flowers to decorate their houses during Tet and to offer fresh flowers to deities and their ancestors to pray for good luck and peace. As the capital city has grown in size and is now several times larger than it was decades ago, a number of flower markets have mushroomed across the city to meet the increasing demand of the additional residents during the festival (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Young people come to a peach blossom garden in Phu Thuong village to take photos. In recent years, flower growing areas across Hanoi capital have become popular destinations for the young to capture impressive photos, and peach blossom gardens like those in Phu Thuong are also a magnet to young visitors whenever Tet approaches. Many buyers come to those gardens to select the most beautiful branches of blossoms for themselves or just simply to go for a stroll, enjoy the spring atmosphere there, and admire the rosy blossoms that are in full bloom and inspire the hope for a new year full of joy and happiness (Photo: VietnamPlus)

A man ships a peach blossom tree to the home of a buyer. The several weeks ahead of the Lunar New Year are the busiest time of a year for peach blossom growers in Phu Thuong, Quang An, and Nhat Tan, which are famous peach flowers growing villages in Hanoi. Peach blossoms, kumquat trees, and various kinds of fresh flowers are indispensable in Vietnamese families during traditional Tet. The 2021 Lunar New Year - the Year of the Buffalo - starts on February 12, and the holiday will last for seven days. The biggest traditional festival in a year is an occasion for Vietnamese people to not only celebrate a New Year but also reunite and pay tribute to ancestors (Photo: VietnamPlus)

A national flag pole stands out amid a peach blossom garden in Phu Thuong village. It is the warm pink of peach blossoms that match well with the dry and cold weather in the north in this occasion. The flowers are a symbol of the New Year in the northern region, so they are also a popular decorative item during this time of a year. If anyone pays a visit to Hanoi in the pre-Tet period which varies from year to year, normally around January and February, they can easily catch a sight of peach blossoms everywhere, from private houses, schools, hospitals to workplaces and public areas (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Peach blossoms branches grown in Phu Thuong village are now ready to warm up the Tet atmosphere in every family. They are more than a decoration item as its vivid beauty and profound meaning form a big part in the life of Vietnamese people wheneverTet comes. They are considered a demonstration of novelty, proliferation and development, so it can deliver health, peace and good luck to people when a new year comes. Tet is also a special occasion for families and friends to gather after one year of hard work and wish one another all the best. Therefore, peach blossoms are also a token of happiness and cosiness (Photo: VietnamPlus)

A peach blossom garden in Phu Thuong village of Tay Ho district in Hanoi. The weather has got colder when Tet is approaching, but the plants still bloom on time to serve consumers’ demand. In the capital city, Phu Thuong, Quang Ba, and Nhat Tan villages are famous for growing peach blossoms. The cultivation is considered an art that has been passed down from generation to generation there. During Tet, peach blossoms are an indispensable ‘spiritual treat’ and a cultural specialty in every Vietnamese family. Therefore, on the days leading up to Tet, peach blossom villages nationwide become busy preparing for the biggest harvest season in a year (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Peach blossom branches are carried on a motorbike to the market. Local farmers said thanks to this year’s favourable weather, peach branches will bloom at the right time, in the Lunar New Year festival, and they will be more beautiful than last year.  In the north, peach blossoms are also the first image that comes to people's mind when talking about the colour of the Lunar New Year and spring, besides kumquat, despite increasingly abundant choices of ornamental plants and flowers for Tet decoration. While most people like them because of the beauty of their slender petal, some see a symbol of prosperity and good fortune in the vividness of their colours (Photo: VietnamPlus)