Tran Xuan Hai spent two years of hard training before becoming a professional florist.

The "sensitive"…boys

"Sensitivity" to flowers is what we perceive on contacting Tran Xuan Hai and Tran Van Nhat, florists in Hue. A florist job appears to be only suitable for females, but when asked, Tran Xuan Hai, a boy born in 1988, revealed, " Not only I but also many flower arrangers are males because in reality, when males love flowers, that love is great and profound.”

When a ninth-grader of the senior secondary school, Tran Xuan Hai had a strange sympathy on accidentally looking at beautiful paper flowers. After only three months of exploring and learning, the very masculine but extremely delicate boy has created beautiful confetti.

From confetti, the love with flowers is nurtured in the years of enlistment. In 2011, Tran Xuan Hai packed his bags to Ho Chi Minh City and fell in love with florist job. In 2013, when gaining a certain amount of knowledge, Xuan Hai decided to return to his home town and continue to live with passion.

Tran Van Nhat, a junior of the Faculty of Vocal Music, Hue Academy of Music is different. Nhat shared, “When young, I made acquaintance of flowers, so my love gradually grew. When looking at flowers and arranging flowers, I found myself very happy and serene, so I found out and sold flowers online.”

Looking at Nhat’s passionate eyes, we see the 24-year-old boy’s love for his passion. His eyes are delicate, cosseting and passionate like the time when Tran Xuan Hai carefully cuts each flower stem to arrange.

Both of the florists have slightly callous hands, nails with a little flower sap. With delicacy and only a glance at the flower basket in front, Phuoc Hai will know which direction the flower stem in that shape should take, which role it plays in a multitude of radiating colors and fragrance

A memorable moment

Tran Xuan Hai confided, “For nearly 10 years with my career, I have had many problems with flowers. Behind the gorgeous flowers are sweat, effort and even ... florist's blood. ”

While decorating the flowers at a wedding, Xuan Hai was pinned down by a fresh flower gate. The iron frame weighing 120 kg with a lot of flowers stunned Hai, but when able to stir, Hai only worried about the flowers.

"Each wedding party has a very strict organization and decoration time. If the flowers are bruised, they will affect my prestige. Also, I feel guilty with the bride and groom because I disappoint them in the best day of their life,” the boy said softly.

A florist job is also not easy; florists have to get used to moving flowers and pots. On the occasion of Tet holiday, big holidays, florists have to stand for hours on end to arrange flowers. For example, in March 8, Tran Van Nhat had to work continuously. Five, ten wedding bouquets, dozens of flower baskets, bouquets exhausted the 9X boy.

To become a professional florist takes a very long time. The process of work is the fastest and most effective way of training through which apprentices can accumulate knowledge to "transform" their status into accredited florists.

Up to two years long (in Ho Chi Minh City), Tran Xuan Hai hardly knew ... the sun not because he could not see the light but because his work schedule was too busy at the florist’s , which lasted from 5 am to 10 pm ( with only two days off a month).

Honestly, pointing to a flower basket, Xuan Hai revealed, “I learned a lot after years of hard work. I cite an example of this flower basket. It looks simple and natural, but its natural features are attributed to the flower formation, specifically the method of selecting, putting the flower-arranging sponge into the basket ...”

Tran Van Nhat is less fortunate than Xuan Hai; the student considers himself to be an amateur florist. Nhat diligently learned the flower arrangement online, from acquaintances and at forums.

Nhat’s love for flowers comes before anything else, and flowers also satisfy him. Many people love Nhat’s youthful style of flower arrangement. Although just an amateur florist, the boy easily earns more than VND 4 million a month, a desirable income for the undergraduates.

Constantly updating the trend, ceaselessly innovating are how florists can make an imprint, catch up with the pace of life and shape the style. Instead of using 100% of flowers, Tran Xuan Hai loves garden structure with the harmony of flowers and leaves. The unique trends such as flowers combined with stone lotus, variant flowers, and way-out flowers help the boy born in 1988 gain a foothold in the florist market in Hue.

Looking at the wedding bouquet Xuan Hai creates, we admire inwardly. The ephemeral, delicate butterfly orchid flowers that stoop down are interwoven with some vine leaves and timid roses. The moment when the beautiful bride is radiant with the bouquet is also the most valuable time of flower life. With the exquisite workmanship, emotional soul, the florists deserve to be the real wizards, turning the brilliant stage of flowers into memorable moments...

Story and photo: Mai Hue