Buzz
Hanoi, a piece of land enriched with a millennium of culture, featuring 36 ancient streets. Hoan Kiem Lake graces the mornings with tranquility, and West Lake boasts expansive golden-orange sunsets every evening. Especially during the arrival of spring, Hanoi drapes itself in a new ensemble, adorned with myriad vibrant flowers, welcoming the moment when the earth transitions to a new chapter. Join me in discovering a warm and diverse Hanoi through the colors of spring flowers!
Nhat Tan Cherry Blossoms
The radiant pink hues of Nhat Tan cherry blossoms celebrate the onset of spring. Nhat Tan Flower Village, adorned with its vibrant cherry blossoms, is a delightful exploration, capturing the essence of the approaching new year.
Kindly seek permission from the garden owner before capturing photos with the flowers.
An adorable baby joins their mother in selecting cherry blossoms for Tet decorations.
The vibrant cherry blossoms adorn every corner, signaling the arrival of spring. Harvested only once a year, these flowers receive meticulous care from the locals. Fortunately, favorable weather and reasonable prices have brought great excitement to the community this year.
Diligent farmers devote their expertise to nurturing these blossoms.
Fields of flowers awaiting the harvest day.
Taking a stroll around Mrs. Nga's peach garden – a peach orchard owner with years of experience in the profession. She enthusiastically shares her peach care tips with us: from planting to watering, fertilizing, and protecting the peach trees from the cold whenever the chilly air arrives. It's truly a meticulous and hardworking process. We didn't forget to support her by buying a fading peach blossom bouquet to decorate our small room, and she even gave us an extra graceful peach branch. She's really charming.
The achievement of a day spent visiting the peach orchard.
Quang An Flower Market
Quang An Flower Market in the days leading up to Tet.
On the way back from the Nhat Tan flower garden, you can explore another fascinating location – Quang An Flower Market. Also known as Quang Ba Flower Market, it is located at 236 Au Co Street. This place is renowned as the largest wholesale fresh flower market in Hanoi, supplying not only flowers for the capital but also for many nearby provinces.
Flower stalls bustling with buyers and sellers.
The market gathers its liveliest crowd from around 11 pm to 2-3 am the next morning. You'll feel like you've wandered into a flower 'forest' with a multitude of colors: from traditional flowers like peach blossoms, apricots, chrysanthemums, roses, and gladioli to exotic varieties imported from Dalat or abroad, such as tulips, lilies, orchids, and daisies.
Mao lilies, Tana chrysanthemums, Gladioli, and Cam Tu Bridge glimmer with vibrant hues.
Furthermore, the market also offers a complete range of floral accessories such as flower baskets, wrapping paper, ribbons, and more. The flowers are neatly arranged on shelves, meticulously categorized for easy exploration by buyers.
Bouquets are skillfully arranged, compact, and tidy.
Under the warm glow of yellow lights, roses exude their enchanting fragrance.
Three-wheeled vehicles transport flowers for the shops in the market, creating a bustling atmosphere. Be cautious while exploring. Visiting at midnight allows you to truly sense the livelihood of traders and locals who cultivate flowers from various regions.
Choose a beautifully crafted bouquet for yourself.
Amidst the quietude of Hanoi's streets, there are individuals persistently working hard. As the new day arrives, flower-laden vehicles roam the streets of Hanoi, adding vibrant colors to the millennium-old capital.
Hoang Dieu Orchid Flowers
Beneath the canopy of Hoang Dieu Street's orchid flowers.
Known as the distinctive flowers of the Northwest mountains, orchids carry a robust vitality. Introduced to the capital in the 1960s, every February, the blossoms paint the streets of Hanoi, especially along Hoang Dieu Street near Hoan Kiem Lake, Yen Phu, Thanh Nien. It has become a focal point for tourists to explore.
Rows of orchid bouquets gracefully greet the visitors.
This area, facing the Bac Son Memorial, offers a spacious setting with over 20 neatly aligned orchid trees. The pedestrian-friendly path is perfect for people to take photos and admire the flowers. However, as it is near administrative offices, please be mindful to walk quietly and speak softly.
A budding orchid blossom.
Orchids unfurl their dreamy pink and purple petals.
Each orchid flower typically features five petals in alternating shades of purple and white, blooming in clusters of five to seven. Shedding the winter layers, these flowers bloom like candy-like clusters of pink and purple.
The blossoming branches of orchids adorn the spring sky of Hanoi.
The orchids bloom for quite a while, extending the flower season until around mid-March. Choose a suitable time to leisurely admire this dreamy purple flower.
Petals fall gracefully, still retaining their beauty.
Economic National Flower Mimosa
The pure elegance of mimosa flowers on an early March morning.
Considered the exclusive flower of Hanoi, it becomes the unparalleled flower season of the city. If you're in Hanoi, you surely can't miss this flower season in early March every year. When the gentle spring rains fall in the characteristic damp and misty weather of the North, clusters of white flowers suddenly burst into bloom overnight. No wonder the song 'Hanoi with 12 Flower Seasons' has the line:
An Economic corner blanketed in blossom petals.
Despite being an Economics student for four years, I never paid attention to the corner of the campus where those two mimosa trees stood. It wasn't until after graduation, on my way to work, that I suddenly discovered the pure white beauty at the entrance of the National Economics University along Tran Dai Nghia Street.
The green leaves and white flowers intermingle, competing to bloom.
Clusters of densely-petaled flowers amidst the green of young leaves look truly refreshing. A gentle breeze passes by, causing the delicate petals to dance in the air – a sight both beautiful and poetic.
Let's laugh heartily beneath the mimosa blossoms.
Delicate and fragile flower petals.
You can also explore other locations to admire mimosa flowers, such as the area between Chua Mot Cot and Dien Bien Phu Street (near the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum), Le Nin Park (Dien Bien Phu Street), Thanh Nien Street, Phan Dinh Phung Street, Hoang Hoa Tham Street... With over 1400 mimosa trees scattered throughout the city, you can easily find a suitable spot to enjoy the flowers. However, since the flowers bloom and wither quickly, seize the opportunity to stroll through the streets and check out the blossoms.
Countless flowers blooming across the streets of Hanoi.
In its ninth year, Hanoi still has so much for me to discover. The street corners, bicycles laden with flowers, resilient smiles, shady tree canopies – all contribute to a charmingly simple Hanoi. Especially, visit Hanoi during the blooming season. Then, you'll witness the city adorned in its new attire, exuding a heartfelt charm.
Author: Ha Thi Hong Ngat
*Article participating in the Mytour Golocal program
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