The elegance in the Hanoi Tet space
According to Mr. Tong Hong Cam - who has been attached to water lilies for more than ten years, this flower hobby has been introduced to Vietnam hundreds of years ago, then received by Vietnamese people and associated with the spiritual life of a part of urban residents, especially Hanoians.
Playing water lilies is not a popular hobby in ancient Vietnamese society, but for Hanoians, it is almost an indispensable flower during Tet. On the last day of the year, no matter how busy they are, people try to arrange to have a pair of water lilies bowls in the house," Mr. Cam shared.
Not as brilliant as peach blossoms, not as passionate as chrysanthemums, water lilies are present humbly but delicately. White petals, yellow pistils, and a gentle fragrance spreading in the living space.
For many ancient Hanoi families, if at the moment of New Year's Eve in the house there is a bowl of water lilies, with the first petals blooming, it is considered a sign of a new year of luck, prosperity, and fullness.
Trimming and care - factors that determine the beauty of the flower pot
Unlike many Tet flowers that only need to be bought for display, playing water lilies is a process that lasts for months. According to Mr. Tong Hong Cam, to have a beautiful water lily pot with artistic trim, players must go through three main stages: trim, care and arrangement, in which the care stage plays a direct decisive role in the quality and durability of the flowers.
Peeling water lilies requires very high concentration. Each knife line must be precise and meticulous, because just violating the flower bag can damage part or all of the flower bulb," Mr. Cam said.
After pruning, the bulbs are completely fed with clean water for about 18-25 days. Flower caregivers must change water periodically and clean bulbs regularly to avoid infection and spoilage. Throughout this process, monitoring the development of the leaves and stems to shape and adjust the direction of development is a key factor to help flowers maintain their shape and bloom at the desired time.
If impacted too early or too strongly, leaves and flower stems may be damaged and develop poorly; conversely, if not observed, flowers will develop beyond control, losing their original shape. Therefore, taking care of water lilies requires patience, meticulousness and accumulated experience.
Besides technique, growing conditions also greatly affect the quality of flowers. Water lilies prefer natural light, airy space, and moderate humidity. The most suitable temperature for flowers to develop and maintain their durability is about 15 to 22 degrees Celsius. If the temperature is too high, flowers will bloom quickly and wither early; if too low, flowers will develop slowly and easily bloom late after Tet.
For each water lily variety, players also need to have flexible care methods. "European varieties such as Paper White, Winter Sun or Chinese Kim Thuy Tien varieties have hard but sensitive leaves and stems. Therefore, it is necessary to affect the leaves later and carefully control the development of the stems to avoid flowers blooming out of place or losing shape," Mr. Cam noted.
When the flowers are about to bloom, players enter the arrangement stage. Bowls, vases, plates, and dong ky are carefully selected to enhance the pure beauty of the flowers. From when the flowers bloom to when they wither, it usually lasts about 7-10 days. To make the flowers durable and retain their fragrance, caregivers need to continue to change the clean water regularly, avoid placing the flowers in places with strong drafts or direct sunlight.
In the current Tet flower market, water lilies have quite diverse prices, depending on the quality of the bulbs, level of shaping, care and decoration. According to Mr. Tong Hong Cam, popular water lilies products, without elaborate shapes, are priced around 300,000-500,000 VND per pot.
Flower pots that are trimmed, shaped and carefully cared for usually cost from 800,000 VND to about 1 million VND. With artisticly arranged water lilies, accompanied by bowls, vases, dong ky and selected accessories, the price can be up to several million VND.
Many players are willing to spend a large amount of money to own a complete work, because the value of water lilies lies not only in the blooming flowers, but also in the efforts, time and experience of the flower maker," Mr. Cam said.
