The colorful carissa carandas tree in front of Mr. Quoc Long's house
Previously, those who crossed Ton That Thiep street (Hue City), looking at Mr. Tran Dinh Quoc Long's house would be attracted by two fancy plants in front of the porch. It is a carissa carandas tree - a fruit tree that bears fruits used for soft drinks quite rare in the Central region.
Each tree is more than 4m high with countless small fruits hanging on the branches swaying in the wind. These fruits change color from white to pink, purple, and black depending on their stage, so every moment of enjoying this tree brings watchers a distinct interesting feeling.
Mr. Long shared that he asked for the seeds from a friend from another province and brought it home to grow for more than 10 years. When the fruits fell and grew into seedlings. Many people asked for the seedlings to plant their own trees; now all have developed very well.
"There were ones coming to buy these two carissa carandas trees at a high price, but we don’t sell them because they are like family members to us, witnessing the ups and downs of this house over time," confessed Mr. Long's family member.
The mango tree stump is protected and decorated as a tea and coffee-drinking area
While waiting for the house to be cleared, he worked hard to hire people to dig up the roots, pull up the whole tree, and plant it in front of the alley of the new house. “It's very interesting to hear the birds chirping at ripe fruits in the morning. The children gathered around to play, which is a familiar image of the old house appearing in everyone's mind," said Mr. Long.
Meanwhile, Mr. Le Van Hoa’s house on Tran Phu Street (Hue City), which has not been completed yet, attracts friends to visit and admire something special. It is a nearly 70-year-old sand mango tree that is cleverly kept by the owner, nestled in the back of a high-rise house.
“This mango tree belongs to the previous owner. Its fruits are big, sweet, and fragrant, so I did not chop it down but wanted it to become a part of the house. Just thinking that planting a tree takes a lot of care to produce sweet fruit, I feel sorry for it if it is cut down, so I find a solution," Hoa shared.
Mr. Hoa's "question" was discussed with the architect who designed the house. After "receiving the ordering" from the owner, Nguyen Van Quy, the architect, Q&Q Architect Architecture Company (Hue City) presented a reasonable conservation plan.
Nguyen Van Quy said, "Hoa's house has both a skylight and a green tree. The back of the house faces the west direction, keeping the mango tree not only creates a natural green space but also reduces heat, This is also very convenient to ventilate. Killing two birds with one stone".
According to Mr. Quy, the function of the house must be put on top of one’s priority, then they will propose a plan to preserve the tree in harmony. Most owners of large houses will prefer to keep natural trees.
If looked at from the side, each floor of Mr. Hoa's house has a natural shade of green. The bottom of the mango tree is surrounded by a protective fence with a few square meters, and the space around the root turns into a place to enjoy tea and coffee, looking very "chill". This area is located on the second floor with the ideal height to be an interesting sightseeing place.
For the tree to harmonize with the house, Mr. Hoa trimmed the branches and made some supporting stands for it. He is consulting a tree expert to create conditions for trees to continue to grow naturally.
José Martí, a Cuban leader, once said, “In this life, there are three things to do: planting a tree, raising a child, and writing a book”. If considering the story of keeping trees when building a house, this job is equally important. For many people, it takes a few hours to plant a tree, many days to take care of it, and sometimes a lifetime to enjoy and expect the results. Only those who plant trees can appreciate the value.
“Who plants a tree/ That person has shade/ In the canopy/ Forget the sun after travelling a long distance. Who plant a tree/That person is happy/ Looking forward to the tree/ growing fast day by day” (Be Kien Quoc).
Story and photos: Linh Tue