After a period of temporary closure, in early August this year, Ngu Ha Vien – the garden house near Ngu Ha River - reopened with an engaging program introducing the Thanh Liễu woodblock heritage of Hai Duong.

Hue culture with its typical characteristics of the land is portrayed through many unique cultural values such as cuisine, clothing, garden house architecture, education, music, theater, language, and poetry. These values have become great potential for Hue to become an important tourist center of Vietnam and Southeast Asia.

Hue garden houses always carry a distinct charm, blending aristocratic elegance with traditional colors. With green and peaceful spaces of ‘tea’ (Acalypha evrardii) hedges, tiny yards, decorative guarding screens, as well as the yellow apricot blossom trees, and lovely persimmon plants in front of the house, etc. Hue garden houses reflect a slow-paced lifestyle that is close to nature and values the long-standing cultural values of Hue locals.

On September 29, the Hue Garden house Management and Protection Board, belonging to Hue People’s Committee held a groundbreaking ceremony for the renovation of the garden house located at No.3 Pham Thi Lien St., Kim Long ward, Hue City.

“I study garden houses as a connection between Vietnamese art and culture and a deep connection with the land and spirit of Hue. Hidden cultural features still thrive in the values and identity of Hue today,” said Professor and Landscape Architect Kimberlee Stryker (University of California, Berkeley) in her “Listening to the Gardens of Hue, Vietnam” 25 years ago.

Nguyen Huu Thong, researcher, former Deputy Director of Hue Sub-Institute of Vietnam National Institute of Culture and Arts, made such assessment of the story of Hue garden houses during a seminar held on April 21st at An Nhien Garden space (Phu Thuong Ward, Hue City).

Phuoc Tich ancient village is surrounded by the O Lau river in Phong Hoa Commune, (Phong Dien District), which is 40km north of Hue City. The village was founded in 1470, during the reign of Le Thanh Tong. With its poetic scenery, valuable architecture of ruong houses and garden houses, and unique cultural institutions, etc., the village was recognized as a national relic in 2009. Currently, the functional agencies are preparing a dossier to propose the village to be recognized as a special national relic.

Forty distinctive garden houses voluntarily registered to participate in the project, meeting the criteria and gaining approval to join the project for the period 2023 - 2026.

Recently there appeared in Hue many garden cafes, especially ones at ancient princes’ and princesses’ residences (Phu De.) Around a hundred years ago those houses were places for princes, princesses, mandarins and their relatives to gather on special occasions and death anniversaries.

At the seminar "Hollowness and Open Space of the City" jointly organized by ASHUI, Tich Thien Vien and Thua Thien Hue Association of Architects, speakers and architects with diverse perspectives exchanged many interesting stories and experiences about gardens and open space inside houses and the “hollow and open” space within the city.