When the Lunar New Year festival (Tet) is approaching, garden owners in the Tu Lien kumquat village in Tay Ho district, Hanoi, are busy preparing and producing unique new year products to attract customers. The bonsai kumquat trees of Tu Lien village, with their unique shapes and sizes, are becoming more popular Tet decorations in Hanoi and surrounding areas. Tu Lien kumquat trees are famous for their unique and eye-catching shapes and, every Tet, people are willing between a few and tens of millions of dong on a tree to decorate their home because kumquat is among indispensable items in Vietnamese houses during the festive season. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
This Tet (Lunar New Year) festival, a garden owner in the Tu Lien kumquat village, Tay Ho district, Hanoi, has introduced to the market bonsai kumquat trees planted in artistic and unique house-shaped pots. In the past few years, gardeners here have begun planting kumquats in vases, porcelain statues, or art ceramic pots to meet the needs of customers. These small plants are only about 80 – 120 centimetres tall, making them suitable for narrow spaces like apartments or offices. The shape and pot of the plant can be customised by the gardeners based on the age and preferences of the owner. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Ornamental kumquat trees are planted in ceramic pots with shapes of different houses such as rong (communal) houses in the Central Highlands, houses in the Hanoi Old Quarter, and traditional three-room houses in the north region. Such designs are favoured by customers thanks to the creativity of gardeners in Tu Lien village. According to a local garden owner, the unique and most important thing is the design of the house models to grow the tree. From the front, each pot of kumquat is a complete house model, but in the back, holes are skillfully dug to put the kumquat tree inside. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Ngo Thu Trang, a garden owner in Tu Lien, says to grow a bonsai kumquat tree in a house-shaped pot takes years. The most difficult and time-consuming step is shaping the kumquat trees and taking care of them so that they can bear fruit in time for Tet. The kumquat trees are specially designed by artisans for the Lunar New Year. They are planted in artistic pots to bring a new year of luck and peace to the owner. Kumquat and peach trees are indispensable items in Vietnamese houses during Tet. It is believed that the more fruits there are on a kumquat tree, the more luck will come to the owner. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
It takes gardeners at least eight months to create a bonsai kumquat tree in an artistic house-shaped pot and the failure rate is high. The most difficult and time-consuming step is shaping the kumquat trees and taking care of them so that they can bear fruit in time for Tet. The kumquat trees are specially designed by artisans for the Lunar New Year. They are planted in artistic pots to bring a new year of luck and peace to the owner. Kumquat trees are an indispensable part of Tet. With the creativity of Tu Lien gardeners, they have become more and more unique in shape, bringing bright and radiant spring colours to everyone. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Pots with unique house shapes create an impressive highlight for the potted ornamental kumquat trees serving Tet. According to a local garden owner, the most important thing is the design of the house to grow the tree. From the front, each pot of kumquat is a complete house model, but in the back, holes are skillfully dug to put the kumquat tree inside. Kumquat trees are believed to symbolise prosperity because they are always laden with fruits. During Tet, it is believed that the more fruits there are on a kumquat tree inside a house, the more luck will come to the owner in the new year. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
According to gardeners, a beautiful bonsai kumquat tree is based on elements like flowers, the size and colour of fruits, and the harmony of the shape of the tree with the house-shaped pot. Ornamental kumquat trees are planted in ceramic pots with shapes of different houses such as rong (communal) houses in the Central Highlands, houses in the Hanoi Old Quarter, and traditional three-room houses in the north region. Bonsai kumquat trees are an indispensable part of Tet. With the creativity of Tu Lien gardeners, they have become more and more unique in shape, bringing bright and radiant spring colours to everyone. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
According to Ms Trang, a local garden owner, these unique potted kumquat trees are sold at prices ranging from 3 million - 15 million VND (approximately 130 – 600 USD), depending on designs and types. The kumquat trees are specially designed by artisans for the Lunar New Year (Tet) festival. They are planted in artistic pots to bring a new year of luck and peace to the owner. Ornamental kumquat trees are an indispensable part of Tet. With the creativity of gardeners in Tu Lien village, they have become more and more unique in shape, bringing bright and radiant spring colours to everyone. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Ms Trang also reveals that she has got many pre-orders. ‘After choosing a tree that they like, the customer will leave it for us to take care of. It isn't until about a week before Tet that they return to the garden to pick up their trees.’ This year, despite the pandemic, gardens in Tu Lien village still have a lot of pre-orders. On weekends, hundreds of people come here to buy kumquat trees for their homes during Tet. According to many local gardeners, most of the kumquats in their garden, which are in good shape, were ordered one or two months ago. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
During the Tet, festival, it is a tradition for Vietnamese families to put up ornamental plants outside and around their houses to liven up the atmosphere, while expressing a wish for good luck, happiness, and prosperity in the new year. Apart from peach blossoms that symbolise strength and vitality, Vietnamese people also decorate their houses and offices with kumquat trees in the festive season. Kumquat trees are believed to symbolise prosperity because they are always laden with fruits. During Tet, it is believed that the more fruits there are on a kumquat tree inside a house, the more luck will come to the owner in the new year. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Many customers come to Tu Lien village to buy kumquat trees for their homes during Tet. According to local garden owners, customers began choosing their kumquat trees a few months ago. After choosing a tree that they like, customers leave it for the garden to take care of. It is not until about a week before Tet that they return to the garden to pick up their trees. Kumquat trees are an indispensable part of Tet. With the creativity of gardeners in Tu Lien village, they have become more and more unique in shape, bringing bright and radiant spring colours to everyone. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
House-shaped pots are designed meticulously and made manually by artists from the famous Phu Lang pottery village in Que Vo district, Bac Ninh province. About 60km to the northeast of Hanoi capital, Phu Lang village is worth a visit for its famous eel skin or cockroach glazed lusterware, decorative pattern of tu linh (four sacred mythical creatures - dragon, kylin, phoenix and tortoise) and pottery wall art. Products of Phu Lang pottery village are very plentiful, ranging from everyday items, ceremonial objects and decorative items to pottery wall pieces. At present, several Phu Lang pottery products dating from the 17th to 19th centuries are on display at the Vietnam National Museum of History. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Pots with the shape of houses in the Hanoi Old Quarter are inspired by works of well-known Vietnamese artist Bui Xuan Phai. The garden owner wants to combine the old and modern features so people not only understand the way of decorating the house with bonsai kumquat trees but also love Vietnamese culture. Bui Xuan Phai (1920-1988) made his name by creating art in Hanoi's Old Quarter. He used many materials such as canvas, paper, wood and even old newspapers, due to a lack of material. He was among the last artists to graduate from the Indochina Fine Arts College in 1941-1945. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Another work in the garden is a bonsai kumquat pot combined with driftwood, priced at up to 100 million VND (4,300 USD). The driftwood is mostly from huge trees that are several hundred years old. Due to various impacts, the trees were buried in the riverbed for hundreds of years, causing the wood to disintegrate and leaving only the core of the tree as strong and hard as iron and stone. Artworks are sculpted by craftsmen based on the natural shapes of driftwood. The beauty of the driftwood is often hidden so the creator must have a keen eye and imagination to explore it. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
A bonsai kumquat tree combined with driftwood. According to garden owners, this year, bonsai kumquat trees ‘Thuan buom xuoi gio’ (Smooth Sailing) and ‘Ma dao thanh cong’ (Win Instant Success) are the most sought-after trees ahead of Tet. Kumquat trees are believed to symbolise prosperity because they are always laden with fruits. During Tet, it is believed that the more fruits there are on a kumquat tree inside a house, the more luck will come to the owner in the new year. A kumquat tree with many fruits makes a house brighter and warmer, especially in the cold weather in the north. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Another garden owner in Tu Lien village introduces bonsai kumquat pots embraced by a tiger, the oriental zodiac animal of 2022 – The Year of the Tiger. During the Tet festival, it is a tradition for Vietnamese families to put up ornamental plants outside and around their houses to liven up the atmosphere while expressing a wish for good luck, happiness, and prosperity in the new year. Kumquat trees are believed to symbolise prosperity because they are always laden with fruits. The tree is a popular decoration for the living room during Tet. Its fruits symbolise the fertility and fruitfulness that the family hopes will come in the coming year. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
A yellow-coated tiger hugging a ceramic pot creates a unique feature for this Tet – 2022 which is The Year of the Tiger. Kumquat trees are an indispensable part of Tet. The trees are believed to symbolise prosperity because they are always laden with fruits. During Tet, it is believed that the more fruits there are on a kumquat tree inside a house, the more luck will come to the owner in the new year. A kumquat tree with many fruits makes a house brighter and warmer, especially in the cold weather in the north. With the creativity of Tu Lien gardeners, they have become more and more unique in shape, bringing bright and radiant spring colours to everyone. (Photo: VietnamPlus) 
Local garden owners say they bought, grew and took care of the trees for a year to have the most beautiful bonsai kumquat trees, which are sold at prices between 1.2-1.5 million VND each. According to the gardener, the most difficult and time-consuming step is shaping the kumquats and taking care of them so that they can bear fruit in time for Tet. Tu Lien kumquat trees are famous for their unique and eye-catching shapes. Every Tet (Lunar New Year), many people are willing to pay from a few million to tens of millions of dong to buy a tree for their home. (Photo: VietnamPlus) VNA
