Initially, she announced on her personal page that the garden would open to visitors from the 4th day of Tet, but it was overwhelmed from the morning of the 2nd day. "I was in my hometown, watching the cameras, and saw crowds flocking to the gate. Unable to bear the thought of guests traveling long distances only to leave empty-handed, I returned that afternoon", Xuan recounts.

Stepping through the gate of Thanh Xuan's home in Vu Phuc ward, Hung Yen province (formerly Thai Binh), many visitors are surprised by the dense clusters of tomatoes hanging like red and yellow grapes.

In the right corner of the house stands a "Hellen" octopus tomato trellis, featuring six plants across a 12 square meter area. The sprawling canopy holds thousands of vibrant red fruits. Xuan states that each fruit weighs between 200 and 400 grams and has taut, shiny skin, leading many to mistake them for decorative plastic fruits. She estimates this trellis yields over 100 kg of fruit.

Cao Dung, 48, from Ha Noi, and her friends stayed in the garden for two hours to admire and take photos. "Stepping into this space felt so dazzling and perfect that I thought it was a product drawn by AI", Dung says.

To the left of the house is a fruit tomato trellis, spanning 25 square meters, showcasing a mix of yellow, chocolate, and red varieties. These tomato clusters have a subtly sweet taste and a natural fragrance, making them ideal for eating raw. This trellis has over ten plants, estimated to yield 100 kg of fruit.

In the photo, Xuan poses beside the fruit tomato trellis.

Beneath each trellis, the homeowners have added Tet-themed decorations, transforming the garden into an outdoor studio.

Xuan and her husband work as plant seed vendors. From mid-January, customers buying seeds noticed the beautiful tomato trellises and often asked to take photos. "However, the thousands of visitors who have flocked here in recent days were completely unexpected for us", Xuan shares.

With many visitors during the day, some chose to visit the garden at night. The red and yellow fruit trellises seemed to glow in the darkness.

By the 7th day of Tet, the garden had welcomed approximately 2,000 visitors. Not only local residents, but groups from Dong Nai, TP HCM, Cao Bang, and Lao Cai also traveled to admire the two tomato trellises. A video Xuan posted on her personal page garnered 10 million views after 10 days.

Behind the "much-admired" fruit trellises lies Xuan and her husband's five-year diligent journey. Previously, she was an accountant, and her husband worked in construction engineering. Their love for plants led them to leave their desk jobs to become farmers.

In the photo, a visitor enjoys the octopus tomato trellis on the 7th day of Tet.

Despite previous experience, Xuan admits this year's tomato trellises are the most beautiful, thanks to meticulous care. The soil mixing process was rigorously ensured to provide sufficient nutrients for hundreds of kilograms of fruit on each plant.

In the photo, a group of visitors from Thanh Mien, Hai Duong, tours the garden.

The most labor-intensive task is pressing the branches close to the trellis and pruning old leaves to expose the fruit clusters below.

"Every three days, my husband and I have to crane our necks to prune leaves in the evening, when the plants are softest, to ensure the fruit is exposed and has optimal space to develop", Xuan explains.

Beyond opening her garden, the owner also serves as a photographer for guests, as she best understands "which angles showcase the garden's beauty".

Despite the overwhelming number of visitors, which sometimes left her tired and needing to rest indoors with energy drinks, Xuan does not charge an entrance fee. "When people are happy, I feel like I've made a big profit", she says.

Currently, even after the Tet peak, the garden continues to welcome dozens of visitors each day.

In the future, Xuan plans to introduce more unique varieties, such as striped and black-purple tomatoes, to make the garden even more vibrant and distinctive next year.

Phan Duong

Photo: Provided by subject