I have 142 flower pots in my garden, several were made in Vietnam. I purchased them at my local nursery, less than 3 miles from my garden.
I’ve just returned from traveling in Asia, and one of the places I visited was Vietnam. My awareness of Vietnam began in the late 60s. I had a pre-teen crush on our assistant county extension agent, who was in charge of the 4-H programs. To my great dismay, I discovered he was leaving his position to go to Vietnam to help with agricultural projects there. He even studied the Vietnamese language for a year before he went.
Shortly after that, Vietnam became a household topic; with my brother drafted, we heard about Vietnam on the news every night. The Mekong River Delta was a significant location of military action.
Last month, I took an excursion from our cruise ship to the Mekong River Delta. Living in the desert, I don’t see much mud. The Mekong is a very muddy river. A river delta is formed by sediment washing downstream. As the sediment moves, it creates a wide shallow river delta. The sediments from the delta are used to make clay. This excursion included a visit to a brick factory. But to my surprise, bricks were not the primary thing they were making.
They were making flower pots, just like my garden’s flower pots. Hundreds of pots in all shapes and sizes were stacked around the factory, some waiting to be fired and others already finished—flower pots from the clay of the Mekong Delta. After making the clay, the molds are poured and allowed to set and harden. The pots then require another month to complete, a week to load the kilns, a week to fire, a week to cool, and a week to unload the kiln after the firing.
Young men attended the kilns, adding rice husks to fuel the ovens. The heat was intense. The men wore bandannas to absorb their sweat and walked around in flip-flops and western-style sportswear.
The finished pots will be loaded onto a river boat, moved to a dock, put on a truck, driven to a port, packed into containers, and loaded onto a cargo ship sailing international shipping lanes. Offloaded for my garden, maybe in LA, and then moved again by truck or rail to eventually end up in my neighborhood nursery.
What a connection! Sailing in Asia, surrounded by hundreds of ships moving products from all around the world reinforces my idea that the United States is not a stand-alone country. We cannot be isolated. Every country has something valuable to share: history, talent, wisdom, and products. Products end up in cargo ships winding their way to my garden. Talent, wisdom, and history are shared by those who immigrate to our country. Flower pots are one connection.
Linda, please continue to share the traveling gardener
We need the beauty and the back story of one of the significant symbols of civilization – gardens.
Those journeys would help me survive the next four years
And thank you for the visual reminder of the interconnectedness of our world Sending lots of love,
Great article. We enjoy seeing the world through your eyes and words. Thank you so much.
Dear Linda, please don’t give up. Your blogs and posts are a wonderful diversion and inspiration – something we all need now more than ever. I too am deeply troubled, saddened, and gut-punched by the election results. Especially since this is the first time I actively got involved by doing lit dropping, postcard writing , etc. You will do us all a great service by continuing. I prefer to not have the loss of the Traveling Gardner heaped on top of all the other changes we are about to encounter. Sending heartfelt hope and encouragement to you and Rich!
Susan and Joe
Thank you, so glad you are following along
Please do not quit the Traveling Gardner. It is something positive in the world. We need more positive in the world. The election has made it bad enough!
Thank you!
It would be most interesting to look at the carbon footprint and financial cost of those clay pots as they travel from the muddy Mekong River Delta to wherever the store is and look at what they are sold for.
As far away as whether you should continue your Garden Articles I have found them to be most interesting and informative. I have learned a lot from them. I would encourage you to continue but only if it brings you satisfaction as well.
The idea of the transportation cost is really valid, and when I bought them I considered them an investment because though they were large pots I didn’t think they were cheap. The other question then is how much do the workers make? The guys doing the heavy hot work, are along way from the retail price!
True and just something else to consider.
I also sent you a reply to your post. I hope you got it as it is well intentioned and sent with much love. Brenda
I love your reports. They are so informative.
Keep up the wonderful work you do.
Fantastic! Who really thought about where their pot was made or how it was made. What a great insight into Vietnam’s contribution to our garden experience with their lovely pots.
Thanks for sharing.
Keep up the travels and postings, Linda. They are wonderful – and give us a glimpse of a world we might otherwise not see.
Curtis
Dear Linda,
The thought of you no longer taking us along with you on your wonderful journeys brings tears to my eyes. Yes, I know that may sound a tad melodramatic, but the fact is that not only your sense of beauty but also you thoughtful insights are needed now more than ever. Please don’t give up although I understand (and it’s part of the reason for the tears) it’s all too tempting.
Love, Sherry
Dear Linda,
Thank you for another interesting article. I, too, am saddened
with the results of this election, but please continue with the
Traveling Gardener. I thoroughly enjoy traveling with you.
Traveling Gardener is always a bright spot in my day and gives
me many smiles.
I’ll try to keep you smiling, Jo.
How can we escape if you are not traveling and sharing your journeys?! What a joy it is to see the places I will never see in my lifetime—please don’t deprive me of your pictures, details, information and the works of magic and beauty of gardeners all over the world! Thank you for sharing your exciting life!
Hi Linda, I was so totally disappointed in the election also. Please keep on with The Traveling Gardener. We need it so much now. Oh, and I must say, they sure don’t believe in worker safety in those factories in Vietnam!
This is so interesting — and in new ways for your TG group to learn and ponder. When I read of your trip and all the places, I admire your undertaking — and I would look forward to and love to read more insights and information and see pictures too. That being said, I so appreciate too that such a trip and then such a return in times of unsettlement here at home too requires thought and consideration and not least of all, rebuilding stamina and a spirit to digest all you’ve done — and what lies ahead in many ways too. I have loved TG for so many years and I’ve so often become inspired and seen things in new ways that I wasn’t able to often see in person. You have give such a gift to your readers. SO, if some time is needed, I will surely be a reader who is willing to wait — or even willing to reread your always thoughtful words — often inspiring, entertaining, instructive, sometimes funny and quirky, as well as deep and thoughtful. If you regroup in new ways, do know that your readers are here for you no matter what with cheers and hugs and thoughts — and even cups of tea. Thank you for all you’ve done for the followers of your unique contributions to our lives.
Always a delight…
Hello Linda,
I agree with all your fellow traveler’s – PLEASE don’t give up = you are so needed in these difficult, conflicting, disturbing and unsure times. Your journeys always bring us hope , with the joy the pleasures, and untold benefits, that gardening and visiting beautiful places brings us.
You and our friends in America are very much in our thoughts
Keep travelling
Jan from Surrey UK,
Look forward to seeing the unique flowers that will go in the new pots