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Apricot blossoms, peach blossoms, and chrysanthemums blanket the pathways in the park.
On the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month (February 10th), while many people were still busy with year-end work or offering sacrifices to the Kitchen God, 23 September Park, Le Van Tam Park, and Gia Dinh Park were ablaze with vibrant flowers covering the walkways, lawns, and sidewalks. Since the previous weekend, trucks and large boats had been transporting flowers into the city, and within just a few days, the flower markets were completely full.
23 September Park (Ben Thanh Ward, former District 1), once a place for people to exercise and stroll, has now become a colorful "map." Yellow chrysanthemums are arranged in pairs, apricot blossoms bask in the sun, kumquats are laden with fruit, and Northern peach blossoms stand out against the Southern sun.
Tet flowers have started being sold at 23 September Park.
At Le Van Tam Park, a wide variety of flowers are displayed: chrysanthemums, marigolds, cockscomb, kumquats, peach blossoms, etc., arranged in separate sections. Gia Dinh Park is equally vibrant, especially with its large quantity of peach blossoms and large chrysanthemums. Many stalls selling chrysanthemums outnumber those at other flower markets.
Gia Dinh Park has the largest number of flowers for sale.
Not only during the day, the park area remains brightly lit well into the night. The sounds of people calling out to each other, forklifts and trucks coming and going, and the unloading of peach tree trunks over 2 meters tall blend together, creating a unique symphony of Saigon in the days leading up to Tet.
Even as darkness fell, these "Tet flower markets" remained bustling with buyers and sellers.
Sellers stay up all night, buyers choose early.
Behind that dazzling display lie long journeys. Mr. Nguyen Vinh, a gardener in Vinh Thanh commune (Vinh Long province), transported nearly 100 pots of apricot blossom trees by large boat to Binh Dong Wharf to sell for Tet (Lunar New Year). This year, the price of apricot blossom trees ranges from about 400,000 VND to nearly 5 million VND per pot, depending on the size. According to him, selling early at a lower price helps to quickly rotate inventory and avoid accumulating stock closer to Tet when the pressure of costs for rent, transportation, and care all increase.
At 23 September Park, large chrysanthemums occupy a significant area. Mr. Hung, a gardener from Khanh Hoa, and his family transported thousands of pots to the city. In just a few days, he sold more than 200 pairs of large chrysanthemums – a sign he considers "slightly better than last year."
The pots of chrysanthemums were taller than a person's head.
Chrysanthemums are a common ornamental flower found in most parks.
The price of large chrysanthemums this year remains stable, ranging from 1.5 million to 12 million VND per pair, depending on size and shape. For many families, a pair of large chrysanthemums placed in front of the house is still an indispensable symbol of Tet (Lunar New Year).
In another corner, Ms. Yen from Dong Thap brought over 500 pots of marigolds and chrysanthemums. “The prices this year are similar to last year, marigolds are 250,000 VND/pair, chrysanthemums are 240,000 VND/pair. There are so many flowers, so I'm selling them early to clear the stock,” she said.
The price of marigolds this year is the same as last year.
The story of "selling early to lighten the load" is repeated at many stalls. Ms. Huyen, a flower grower from Vinh Long selling chrysanthemums at Gia Dinh Park, said that prices haven't increased, but the weather has caused the flowers to bloom early. "If the flowers bloom early and sell slowly, it's very risky, so we just hope to sell quickly and don't dare to keep the price high," she shared.
Behind every potted plant lies the pressure of time. Flowers are at their most beautiful for only a short period. If you miss the opportunity, the entire season can be considered a failure.
Behind every flower pot lies the story of gains and losses for the sellers.
Peach blossoms in the middle of Saigon
Nearly half of the area at September 23rd Park is dedicated to peach blossom trees from the North, with those from Thai Binh province accounting for the majority. Prices for peach blossom trees remain relatively stable: small ones cost 500,000-600,000 VND/tree; medium-sized ones cost 1-2 million VND; and large ones cost around 4-5 million VND/tree.
These peach trees were transported from the North to serve the people during Tet.
About 10 stalls specializing in selling peach blossoms are concentrated here. Most of the vendors come from orchards in Hung Yen, Hanoi, and other places. Many have been bringing peach blossoms to Ho Chi Minh City for nearly 20 years.
The family of Mr. Phan Ngoc Ha, from Bac Cuong peach orchard (Hung Yen province), has been involved in the Southern market for 16 years. "Last year, I sold all my flowers by the 28th of the 12th lunar month and went home early. This year, prices are stable and the quality of the flowers is good," he said.
The peach blossom trees that customers have "finalized" are being prepared for transport, bringing with them the festive atmosphere of Tet in Northern Vietnam.
Potted peach blossom trees shaped like vases, peach blossoms cascading softly along tree trunks, or miniature branches for vases… all have their own customers. Some buy them to display early, from mid-December; others just stop by to look, promising to “come back in a few days.”
Despite the unusually bustling activity in the parks, order was maintained thanks to security guards and park management coordinating vehicle traffic and ensuring safety. In the heart of the city, a "temporary flower village" was set up, only to disappear after a few weeks.
The cherry blossom garden in 23 September Park.
As people stroll amidst the atmosphere of the approaching Lunar New Year.
More than just places for shopping, parks have become meeting points. In the evenings, when the weather is milder, more people flock there. There are families with young children admiring the flowers, groups of young people taking advantage of the opportunity to take photos, and older people leisurely choosing potted plants.
Not only Vietnamese people, but many foreign tourists visiting Ho Chi Minh City during this time also expressed surprise and delight at seeing the green lawns of the parks covered with yellow, red, and pink flowers.
Foreign tourists come to the park to buy apricot blossoms for Tet (Lunar New Year).
Staying at a hotel near Nguyen Thi Nghia Park during their trip, Sam and Anita from Australia were introduced to Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) by their tour guide and were curious to see the locals selling flowers in the area. “We found the atmosphere here very lively; people not only came to buy flowers but also to take pictures. Many adults, young people, and even children wearing traditional ao dai (Vietnamese long dress) walked among the flower gardens, creating a very impressive glimpse of Tet and Vietnamese culture,” the two tourists shared.
Therefore, Tet in Saigon doesn't just come from the lantern-decorated streets or the dazzling shopping malls. Tet comes from the smell of damp earth under the apricot blossom trees, from the quiet bargaining, from the potted flowers being carried down from the vehicles in the night.
Sam and Anita, two tourists from Australia, stand amidst a stall selling daisies in 23 September Park.
In the heart of the bustling city, parks suddenly become transitional spaces: from the rhythm of daily life to the countdown to spring. Just by walking along a flower-filled path, one feels the old year gradually closing with colors, scents, and even the restless sleeps of those bringing the Lunar New Year to the city.
