From the "golden hands"

We visited the family of Nguyen Dac Bich (born in 1957) in Ap village, Tan Quang commune, who is a bonsai artisan and Chairman of the Luc Ngan Ornamental Creature Association.

Visitors to the bonsai garden of Quan Van Long.

With that appearance, few people think that he is one of the billionaires planting fruit trees in Luc Ngan from decades ago. Coming to each bonsai pot, he meticulously introduced its name, shape, position, origin, care and value. Thanks to the talented hands, each plant has its own beauty and is very eye-catching.

Stopping by the three most prominent old toothbrush trees in the garden whose body is 2.5 m high and 2-4 m wide, enough for two people to make a circle, with a sophisticated posture, Bich said with pride: "These trees are more 350 years old, collected by me nearly 20 years ago.

Each tree was paid by customers for more than half a billion VND (22,000 USD), but the garden owner did not sell it. Because he wants to keep the "unique" trees as his own feature, creating a position for himself in the bonsai community to attract visitors.

The ancient toothbrush trees are "unique", so Bich has submitted an application to the Central Committee of the Vietnam Ornamental Creature Association for the title of "the ancient tree with historical and cultural value". It is expected that the Committee will award this title to his trees by the end of this year , said Vi Van Vu, Vice Chairman of the Intercommunal Ornamental Creature Association of Tan Quang, Phi Dien and Giap Son communes (Luc Ngan).

Nguyen Dac Bich takes care of the bonsai garden.

Luc Ngan has five bonsai artisans. Besides Bich, there are Nguyen Cong Don and Luong Xuan Hai, both in Quy Son commune; Mai Hung Son in Mi residential area, Chu township; and Quan Van Long in Bong 1 village, Thanh Hai commune. They are the artisans with "golden hands" in the movement of collecting and making bonsai trees in Luc Ngan who own a lot of strange and unique plants.

To the movement of the whole village making bonsai trees

Bich shared that “In 1993, I started collecting and following the profession of making bonsai trees. Taking care of bonsai trees makes me comfortable, thereby finding unique styles and shapes. Along with growing fruit trees, this profession brings me hundreds of millions of VND a year in income.”

From his passion, he created many works such as the bonsai Bodhi tree (70 years old) in the shape of "Saint Giong fighting the Shang enemy", winning the Gold Prize of the Bonsai Exhibition in Bac Giang province in 2016; an over-100-year- old Sanh tree that won the Gold Prize at the Bonsai Exhibition to welcome the 18th Bac Giang provincial Party Congress for the 2015-2020 tenure; and many other awards.

Visiting Quan Van Long's household, it is true what Bich has said, his bonsai garden has rare "unique flowers and plants" with dozens of species. More than 1,000 large and small pots are neatly arranged. According to Long, every year hundreds of customers come to visit and exchange bonsai trees. His family earns 400 million VND (17,660 USD) per year from bonsai trees.

Quan Van Long is taking care of bonsai trees.

Up to now, the Luc Ngan Ornamental Creature Association has 260 members, the largest number in the province, including 70 in Quy Son commune and 30 in the Intercommunal Ornamental Creature Association of Tan Quang, Phi Dien and Giap Son communes. From this profession, every year, people in Bong 1 village earn nearly 5 billion VND (220,760 USD). Each bonsai garden is worth from a few hundreds of millions to more than 10 billion VND.

In 2014, Bong 1 village was recognized as the first bonsai village of Bac Giang. Because the village has beautiful fruit and bonsai gardens, in recent years, Green Dream Education and Experience Co., Ltd. has cooperated with the Luc Ngan district People's Committee to organize many experience tours to Bong 1 village, helping increase locals’ income.

Before saying goodbye, Bich confided "The biggest wish of our Ornamental Creature Association is to receive support from authorities at all levels to promote products so that the bonsai making becomes a business, associated with eco-tourism experiencing the fruit tree area of Luc Ngan. In addition to beautifying life and preserving the ecological environment, this profession also creates jobs and incomes for people.

Ha Giang – the land of blooming flowers amid rocks

It is no coincidence that people who are passionate about travelling will join together and come to the mountainous province of Ha Giang each November.

Yellow flower tea, OCOP product in Luc Nam district

(BGO) – Currently, Luu Chanh Herbal Production Cooperative in Truong Son commune, Luc Nam district (Bac Giang province) has linked to build material area of yellow flower tea on about 20 ha. To meet the market demand, the Cooperative invested in modern processing line. 

'Super Flower Blood Moon' visible from Vietnam

Observers in several parts of Vietnam will be able to see on Wednesday a total lunar eclipse as the moon draws closest to Earth.

Wild black-jack flowers, an intriguing salad addition in Vietnam mountains

The black-jack flower, which grows in the wild in Vietnam, is used to make a delicate salad in the northwestern mountains.

Hai Phong Red Flamboyant Flower Festival 2021 slated for mid-May

The northern port city of Hai Phong will host its annual Red Flamboyant Flower Festival 2021 from May 11 to 13, as heard a press conference on April 16.