Hue City is the urban area with the highest density of trees in the country, with more than 64,000 trees lining its streets, parks, and lush green garden houses. These trees are cared for and protected by both local authorities and residents, beautifying the city while serving as a natural shield that brings a refreshing sense of coolness during the scorching summer heat.

In the depth of Hue culture, gardens are not merely green zones, acting as supporting elements for architecture, but a constituent factor shaping the urban identity. Hue is famous for the Perfume River, Mount Ngu, the Citadel, royal tombs, pagodas, and noble residences, but Hue is also well known for its gardens. In Hue, gardens soften architecture, calm the everyday life, deepen poetry, and create a unique urban style: a garden city, a city of poetry, the harmony between man and nature, or “an urban poem” as said by M’Bow, former Director-General of UNESCO.

Many journeys back to old Hue begin with seemingly small details. For me, it was a visit to An Thu garden house in Gia Hoi old quarter - a contemplative Hue residence nestled behind lush green trees. Mr. Vo Chanh Tien, the current caretaker, led me through the rooms while sharing the house's history and stories of generations tied to the garden and the rhythm of the old Gia Hoi. But what made me linger the longest was actually… beneath my feet.

From a modest family yard to a Hue yellow apricot garden spanning thousands of square meters, the journey of Mr. Nguyen Phi Truong (Quang Dien), a 9X businessman, is not only a successful youth startup story but also a testament to the momentum of modern agricultural thinking in the digital era.

On the evening of February 11 (the 24th day of the 12th lunar month of the Year of the Snake), in the shimmering garden setting of the Royal Treasury Palace, Hue Imperial Citadel, Hue Monuments Conservation Center organized the “Royal Tet” program, opening a spring celebration space rich in ancient royal tradition. Being held over two nights, February 11 and 12, the program attracted a large number of locals and visitors.

In Hue, authentic local tourism experiences are created not only by luxurious resorts or packaged tours, but also by farmers, garden-house families, and fishing village residents...

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.

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.

As the old saying goes, “vải Trạng cung Diên, nhãn lồng Phụng Tiên” (Trang Lychees from the Cung Dien area; spathe-wrapped longans from Phung Tien, a former royal garden district). Today, Hue’s longan season still preserves its original sweetness, enticing those passing the ancient citadel to pause and savor the taste.

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.