Water Fairies (fragrant white jonquils) are one of the most popular seasonal flowers for Chinese New Year. They got the name because they grow from bulbs placed in water & without earth. We obsessed, not only by their beauty & elegant fragrance, but also by the belief that their blossom resembles wealth and prosperity. By the end of each year, flora markets all over China, especially southern China, are selling different water fairies from Fujian Province, from various class/size of bulbs with dried mud covered, from fully grown flower in different arrangements.

Last year, Granny met 2 European ladies asking a local flower seller about water fairies while she was doing her New Year shopping at a flower market in Hong Kong. Surely, it will not be easy to explain the skills & know-how to a foreign people in such a hurry. And this triggers the idea of sharing this traditional practice on-line with simple illustrations. Our parent and elderly relatives will give us "red packet" during New Year, and may our Elves present you how to arrange water fairies as a little red-packet & wish you a happy & fruitful Chinese New Year.

Next time when you visit Hong Kong during Jan to early Feb, don't forget to place a visit to our Flower Markets (we've about a dozen flower fairs in different districts), and they all open to mid-night at the Chinese New Year Eve (the one in Victoria Park, Causeway Bay open up to 5:00am), and you will get how popular Water Fairies are in our home town.