TET IN BLOOM

Photos by Nguyen Thi Hop

As we count the days until the dawning
of Tet, starting Jan. 23, shoppers swarm to Little Saigon to stock up on
holiday essentials.

The brightest of these essentials: blooming orchids lovingly
nurtured and grown in different regions, including Southern California.

And
there are plenty of choices. Vendors expect visitors to bargain – bring
cash – and the selection is best early in the day, though prices drop
as it darkens.

Potted plants beckon from beautiful, hand-painted wooden or ceramic
containers. And if you’re lucky, you’ll score a gorgeous multi-orchid
arrangement at a fraction of prices shown in online catalogs or at a
fancy florist shop.

We always schedule to stop by, delighting in the fragrance and festive feel of the season.

If you go, please note the event is held from:
Friday, January 6,
through Saturday, January
21
10:00 am to 10:00 pm
daily
Asian Garden Mall hosts
the annual Flower
Festival. The Mall is located at 9200
Bolsa Avenue in Westminster.
Twenty plus vendors will be selling
fresh flowers (including orchids, mums and
gladiolus),
plants (including magnolia and citrus
trees) and fruit along with traditional Vietnamese New Year
gifts.