On the morning of 14/2, numerous boats laden with Tet flowers from the western provinces arrived at Tau Hu canal, mooring along Binh Dong wharf (Binh Dong ward). The 'on the wharf, under the boats' flower market officially opened two days prior, but many traders had brought their boats up to a week before Tet.

With a history spanning nearly 50 years, this year's Binh Ngo Tet flower market has attracted around 100 boats from traders in the western provinces, primarily from Vinh Long and Dong Thap, who sailed downstream to moor at Binh Dong wharf in Ho Chi Minh City.

The boats are moored close to the Tau Hu canal bank, stretching for over one kilometer. This year's flower market features over 500 stalls from businesses, cooperatives, and garden owners from Ho Chi Minh City and neighboring provinces.

The boats carry various typical Southern Tet flowers such as mai (Ochna integerrima), bougainvillea, chrysanthemums, and marigolds. Traders arrange the boats by area, separating the sales of flowers and ornamental plants on the canal bank and along Binh Dong wharf road.

Small traders are busy moving Tet flowers from their boats ashore. On one flower boat, Nguyen Van Ut brought about 400 mai pots to Ho Chi Minh City for sale. He stated that most traders moored at the wharf originate from the Cho Lach flower growing region in Ben Tre province, having 'carried spring' upstream to the city for the past 15 to 20 years.

"Every Tet, my whole family stays here until the afternoon of the 30th before returning home. The purchasing power here is better than in my hometown, and business has been quite stable this year, with the mai flowers blooming at the right time. I hope to sell the larger pots quickly", said the 62-year-old man.

For two consecutive years, 16-year-old Bui Trung Kien has joined his aunt on her boat to help sell flowers during the Tet holiday. This trip, their boat carries about 400 pots, mainly bougainvillea, chrysanthemums, and marigolds, priced from 80,000 to 300,000 VND per pot. Kien noted that, as in previous years, the market usually becomes crowded from the 27th day of Tet, when people are off work.

Boat owners purchase fresh water from nearby residents for daily use, averaging about three barrels per day. One small trader explained that securing a selling spot involves renting space, covering living expenses, fuel, and labor costs; each trip incurs a minimum cost of about 50 million VND.

Colorful ornamental flower pots stretch along a street corner, attracting people to stop their vehicles near the sidewalk to admire and inquire about flower prices.

On the first day of the Tet holiday, the flower market bustled with buyers and sellers. Many residents were willing to travel over 10 kilometers to visit due to the abundant flower selection and reasonable prices. "I bought these three bougainvillea pots for only 100,000 VND. I liked them, so I just took them without bargaining", said Dinh Thi Thu Thuy, 62 years old.

Many people hired taxis to transport small flower pots home. Along Binh Dong wharf road, a team of hired cargo vehicles was constantly active, serving customers purchasing flowers for Tet decorations.

The street at Binh Dong wharf, vibrant with Tet flowers, attracted many tourists and young people who came to visit and take photos in the days leading up to Tet.

People busily carried ornamental flower pots home for Tet decorations, and at times, the flower market experienced localized congestion. The flower market at Binh Dong wharf remains open until the 29th day of Tet; beyond buying and selling, it also features a calligraphers' street, traditional Southern Vietnamese folk music (don ca tai tu) performances on boats, and lion and dragon dances at the main stage. *Quynh Tran*.