Travel & Life - April 14, 2018 | 08:21 pm PT

Shining bright: Flower fields blossom in heart of Vietnam’s capital

Dozens of flowers are in full bloom across a 70,000-square-meter valley near Hanoi's biggest lake.

Fields of flowers near Hanoi's West Lake have been drawing attention from passers-by and tourists thanks to their vivid colors.

Nguyen Thu Thuy, a staff member, said the fields cover an area of 70,000 square meters. During summer, the area is always submerged and covered in lotus flowers. But when the lotus start to wither and the mud become dry, local residents have come up with the great idea of growing seasonal flowers to create a tourist attraction.

Since the Lunar New Year, locally known as Tet and Vietnam’s biggest holiday, dozens of flowers such as petunias, geraniums, roses and sunflowers have been blossoming in vibrant colors under the glistening sunlight.

Take a breath before taking in the magnificent sight, and remember to bring your camera with you to capture the scene.

Workers are busy to pruning and watering the flowers every day

Seeds imported from the U.S., Europe and Indonesia are being grown on an experimental basis to see how they adapt to the weather adaptation before mass planting.

The climate in norther Vietnam is characterized by the sunny summer and chilly winter, which are a challenge for flower growers. “We have to look for various kinds of flowers that are resistant to the weather so that the garden blossoms all year round,” Thuy said.

A picturesque scene in the flower garden evoked memories of the famous Sa Dec flower village in the Mekong Delta.

It takes visitors several hours to walk through the magnificent fields.

The spot is frequented by tourists and receives up to a thousand visitors a day, who pay VND80,000 ($3.5) per person to stroll through and pose for photos.

Ngoc Thanh