Besides West Lake, recently lotus lovers have made their way to Ninh Xa pond on the outskirts of Hanoi to admire the beauty of twelve rare varieties of lotus.
The one who built this lotus pond is Nguyen Van Hanh, a resident of Ninh Xa Village, Ninh So Commune, Thuong Tin District, Hanoi who is known as a lotus enthusiast. In 2010, he rented the commune’s pond in front of his house and took a chance to build a lotus pond for himself.
In the 5,000m2 pond, Hanh grows different varieties of lotus. With the help of the head of Hung Phuc Pagoda in Thanh Tri District, Hanh managed to breed a rare variety of white lotus which has double petals with violet edges.
Hanh said that he tried to go to many areas such as Hung Yen and Bac Ninh to find the seedlings and tending methods of different lotus varieties. Sometimes he asks for help from friends to buy rare lotus varieties from faraway areas such as Hue to get royal lotus, or pink single-petal lotus from southern provinces. Hanh has devoted much effort in adjusting the water level and the amount of mud to change the pond into a favourable environment for these varieties of lotus. In the future, he hopes to invest in a 10,000m2 pond and grow other kinds of lotus.
Thanks to its diversity, the pond attracts a lot of lotus lovers to come, admire and take photos of lotus. The flowers are most beautiful when they start blossoming and can be best photographed at dawn in weak sunlight.
In Ninh Xa pond, the most special lotus variety is the white, pink-edged one with double petals. Sometimes this breed can produce flowers that have both white and pink petals.
Twelve varieties of lotus do not blossom at the same time so not every visitor to the pond can admire all of them but enjoying the light and relaxing aroma of lotus only can offer visitors unforgettable memories.
In the 5,000m2 pond, Hanh grows different varieties of lotus. With the help of the head of Hung Phuc Pagoda in Thanh Tri District, Hanh managed to breed a rare variety of white lotus which has double petals with violet edges.
Hanh said that he tried to go to many areas such as Hung Yen and Bac Ninh to find the seedlings and tending methods of different lotus varieties. Sometimes he asks for help from friends to buy rare lotus varieties from faraway areas such as Hue to get royal lotus, or pink single-petal lotus from southern provinces. Hanh has devoted much effort in adjusting the water level and the amount of mud to change the pond into a favourable environment for these varieties of lotus. In the future, he hopes to invest in a 10,000m2 pond and grow other kinds of lotus.
Thanks to its diversity, the pond attracts a lot of lotus lovers to come, admire and take photos of lotus. The flowers are most beautiful when they start blossoming and can be best photographed at dawn in weak sunlight.
In Ninh Xa pond, the most special lotus variety is the white, pink-edged one with double petals. Sometimes this breed can produce flowers that have both white and pink petals.
 Lotus flowers in bloom in the early morning. Photo: Cong Dat/VNP  A blossoming lotus flower.  A gorgeous flower under early sunlight.  A type of white lotus with single petals that blossoms in June.  A rare variety of white lotus in full blossom.  A variety of pink lotus from West Lake has a distinctive scent. Photo: Cong Dat/VNP  A variety of lotus from Thailand.  It has a layer of large petals outside and hundreds of small ones inside blooms for two weeks. Photo: Cong Dat/VNP  A closer look at the pink lotus.  Pink lotus with double petals.  The Cung dinh (royal) lotus, a rare and valuable variety in the pond. Photo: Cong Dat/VNP  A rare variety of white lotus with double petals with pink edges. Photo: Cong Dat/VNP  Bees are attracted by the scent of lotus flowers.  Lotus grown in nature develop unique stems.  A visitor takes photos of a white lotus.  The pistil of a pink lotus with double petals is good for health and often used to aromatize tea.  A large number of professional and amateur photographers go to the pond to take photos of lotus during blossoming season from May to August.  Nguyen Van Hanh, owner of Ninh Xa lotus pond, grows many rare varieties of lotus. Photo: Cong Dat/VNP  Visitors to Ninh Xa pond can enjoy memorial experience of admiring rare varieties of lotus. |
Twelve varieties of lotus do not blossom at the same time so not every visitor to the pond can admire all of them but enjoying the light and relaxing aroma of lotus only can offer visitors unforgettable memories.
By Cong Dat
