I visited Dang Mau Tuu’s Song Nhu Gallery many times and realize that he paints a lot about Hue gardens. Each of his paintings tells a story about trees, people, and “fragrant” silences.

The lush lawns and shaded canopies of ancient trees in the Imperial Citadel, Co Ha Garden, or Thieu Phuong Garden are not naturally self-sustained. Behind that serene beauty lies the quiet dedication of dozens of workers who care daily for every tree and flowerbed, helping preserve the “green soul” of Hue’s heritage.

For the Pa Co people in Ra Looc – A Soc Hamlet, A Luoi 2 Commune (a merger of Hong Bac, Quang Nham, A Ngo, and A Luoi township), village elder Nguyen Van Trinh is like an ancient tree.

While not as famous as the Sonneratia forest in Cu Lao Dung (Soc Trang), the Sonneratia forest along the Lam River in Nghe An, or the one in Cu Lao Bac Phuoc (Quang Tri), etc., the Sonneratia trees along the coastal areas of Hue City are nevertheless taking root deeply in the mud and soil of the land every day.

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.

The spring afternoon sunshine on Vong Canh Hill convers the landscape with a golden glow, filtering through the whispering pine canopies and stretching silent shadows across the ground. A gentle breeze drifts by, carrying the fragrance of grass and trees along with the mild and damp scent of the winding Perfume River below.

On February 6th, Hue Monuments Conservation Center (HMCC) launched the At Ty Spring (Lunar New Year of the Snake) 2025 “Tree Planting Festival – Forever Grateful to Uncle Ho” at Emperor Gia Long’s Mausoleum.

For Hue and Hue people the Thanh tra tree has been named for hundreds of years now. Over time, this speciality fruit tree is gradually degenerating and becomes weakened. Dr. La Thi Thu Hang, an expert on agriculture at University of Agriculture and Forestry, Hue University, has succeeded in introducing “high-tech” Thanh tra trees to many gardeners in Hue.

On November 24, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Van Phuong and Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee Hoang Hai Minh attended the ceremony on planting trees to embellish Kim Phung Mountain.

The collection of essays and notes, “A Yellow Apricot tree in front of the house: Notes on Hue - The elegant land of moss” (Vietnam Women’s Publishing House), was introduced by its author, Minh Tu, journalist, to book lovers at Hanoi’s Book Street (Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi).