Beyond the Gray, the Green
Botanical Gardens, Arboretums Unleash the Beauty of Nature
By Chung Ah-young
Staff Reporter
As the early summer heat wave bakes the nation, vacationers are hitting the road to cool off at beaches.
But if you don't have the time or money to get there, why not go to a botanical garden or arboretum just outside the city for a reprieve and some fresh air?
After all, this is the season of deep greens that cover the mountains and give gardens their splendor.
You can reach several botanical gardens and arboretums in Gyeonggi Province, only an hour and half from Seoul.
Garden of Morning Calm
The Garden of Morning Calm is located at the edge of Mt. Chungnyeong in Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi Province, one and a half hours north of Seoul.
The name ``Morning Calm'' comes from the Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore, praising Korea as the country of the morning calm.
Founded in 1996, the garden attracts more than 650,000 visitors annually, showcasing about 1,000 different varieties of flowers and plants. Eco-programs for children are also held each season.
The garden gained a reputation when it was used as the background for the film, ``The Letter'' (1997) featuring Choi Jin-sil and Park Shin-yang.
Thirteen small theme-oriented gardens including two indoor gardens, woodlands, traditional Korean houses and an auditorium make up the facility.
The first garden that greets visitors upon entering the arboretum is the Korea Garden, adorned with traditional Korean architecture.
Next, the Wild Flower Garden has a collection of various native wild flowers. The Bunjae Garden has potted plants grown into works of art.
The most popular tourist attraction is the Hagyeong Garden, which has an observation tower from which you can see the entire arboretum.
The Morning Square at the center of the arboretum is an open grass field with a wonderful view and spacious atmosphere. The evergreen tree that appeared in ``The Letter'' can be seen here.
Visitors can also enjoy the Chimyeopsu (Needle-leaf Tree) Garden, Mugunghwa (National Flower) Hill, and the Herb Garden.
The arboretum dazzles from April to May when the flowers are in full bloom and also in the fall when the leaves turn colors that blend elegantly with the surrounding gardens.
Each season brings a unique festival at the arboretum: the Nan (Orchid) Exhibition in March, the Royal Azaleas in April-May, wild flowers in May and irises in May-June.
The arboretum is beautiful any time throughout the year but it is recommended you stroll around in the early morning fog. For more information, call 1544-6703 visit www.morningcalm.co.kr.
Pyunggang Botanical Garden
June is the perfect time to enjoy the beauty of Pyunggang Botanical Garden. The blooming season comes late here because of its northern mountainous location in Gyeonggi Province.
Making the best of the geographical conditions, the garden features various alpine plants.
The garden has 12 small theme-based gardens, boasting more than 5,000 varieties of plants, 100 varieties of trees and 50 varieties of flowers.
The gardens include the Native Plant Garden, the High Moor, the Alpine Bog Garden, the Meadow Garden, the Rocky Garden, the Moss Garden, the Bog Garden, the White Garden, the Fern Garden, the Rhododendron Garden, the Pond Garden and the Lawn Garden.
The White Garden, adorned with plants with white flowers, exudes a romantic atmosphere.
This month, flowers such as Trollius Chinensis (globe flowers) and Berberis will peak in beauty.
The garden's restaurant``Elm'' offers well-being foods made with ginseng, jujubes and various herbs.
For more information, call (031) 531-7751 or visit www.peacelandkorea.com.
Hantaek Botanical Garden
Nestled on Baekam mountain in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, this garden is the largest botanical garden of its kind in the nation, which was established in 1979.
Early on, admittance to the garden was strictly prohibited to members and for educational purposes, but the garden opened to the public in 2003.
The garden consists of the East Garden, which is open to the public and the West Garden, which unfortunately is closed off as the botanical habitat is a national preservation zone.
The garden showcases 2,400 varieties of native plants and 5,400 varieties of foreign plants.
The Garden Center offers many convenient facilities for visitors. The Herb and Carnivorous Plants Garden is home to 100 varieties of insectivorous plants, including flycatchers and an array of herbs.
The environment is pristine with a variety of species of legally protected, near-extinct plants.
The garden boasts specialized facilities that grow and exhibit 500 herbal species as well as the Dye Plant Garden, which exhibits 200 dye plants.
The Aquatic Botanical Garden is a 3-hectare artificial marsh that is home to 100 naturally-growing aquatic plants of Korea and 200 species of lotus native to China.
Tickets cost from 7,000 won on weekdays to 8,500 won on weekends. For more details, call (031) 333-3558 or visit www.hantaek.com.
Korea National Arboretum
The Korea National Arboretum is located in Gwangneung forest in Gyeonggi Province, about an hour's drive north of Seoul.
There are forests with patches of mature trees and dense undergrowth.
The arboretum, which belongs to the Korea Forest Research Institute, was opened to the public in 1987 and became the Korea National Arboretum in 1999.
There are 15 specialized plant gardens, a forest museum, a forest zoo, herbarium and seed bank. The arboretum has a total of 3,344 varieties of trees and plants.
You must make an advance reservation to visit the arboretum during the week; it is not open on the weekends or on national holidays.
For more information, call (031) 540-1030 or visit www.kna.go.kr.
Wild Flowers Garden
Surrounded by the Namhan River, this garden features one of the most scenic riverside views among the gardens and botanical parks in the region.
A variety of wild flowers, herbs, ponds as well as an eco-museum await visitors.
Some 200 varieties of wild flowers including endangered native species are showcased for children and students to study as part of their field education.
In the herb gardens, some 50 varieties of herbal plants grow, offering a pleasant aroma for visitors.
For more information, visit www.nemunimo.co.kr or call (031) 772-1800.