With just one month to go until Tet, customers visiting a garden in Van Giang commune, Hung Yen province can experience the lively working atmosphere of farmers and the bustling trading activity.
As part of a long-standing tradition, Vietnamese people buy ornamental plants to decorate their homes during Tet, expressing wishes for good luck, happiness and prosperity in the new year. Among them, unique horse-shaped kumquat trees have proved hugely attractive to customers this year.
A gardener says it takes a great deal of time to create a bonsai tree with a unique shape to mark the Lunar Year of the Horse.
It's believed that the more fruits a kumquat tree bears inside a home, the more luck it will bring to the owner in the new year.
 Each horse-shaped kumquat tree standing about three metres tall costs around VND30 million, while smaller ones are priced at VND25–28 million each.
Horse-shaped kumquat trees are in high demand as they symbolise strength, perseverance, loyalty and a spirit of progress. In feng shui, the horse is believed to bring good fortune and success in work and life.
Apart from horse-shaped kumquat trees, growers also prune them into eye-catching shapes such as vases and gold bullions.
A pot of gold bullion-shaped kumquat tree symbolising the aspiration for family reunion, prosperity, and wealth in the new year is offered for sale at around VND6 million.
These bonsai kumquat trees named Tam Da Co Tu and Song Tu Bai Mau, measuring over 4 meters in length and approximately 3.5 meters in height, is worth VND150 million each tree.
Many kumquat trees symbolising good fortune and prosperity are ready to serve the Tet market.
New giant potted kumquat trees are expected to generate high incomes for gardeners this year.
 Manh Thuy, a local gardener, says most of the ornamental trees have already been pre-ordered by customers, while some high-value trees are reserved for display during Tet.
A customer transports a kumquat tree to decorate his home ahead of the Tet holiday.

VOV