[Arboretum] Hwadam Botanic Garden is a surprise!

It's amazing to get to Hwadam Forest within one and a half hours' drive from Seoul. It is located in Gwangju, Gyeonggi-do. Hwadam Botanic Garden (Homepage) is inside the Konjiam Resort. So you are required to park your car in the entrance parking tower and get on the electric shuttle bus to the garden entrance.

LG Evergreen Foundation opened the arboretum in 2013 on 1,355 square kilo meters of land in a valley near Nogo Peak. The highest point of the park is 355 meters above the sea level.

 

Hwadam Botanic Garden is one of the best places to enjoy various kinds of spring flowers and autumnal foliage near Seoul. It boasts of a remarkable collection of 4,300 plant species and consists of 17 gardens with different themes.

* From Yonhap News Agency, "Autumnal foliage flares up at Hwadam arboretum", November 23, 2017.

 

* A symbolic pine tree stands at the entrance of the gatden.

Hwadam Botanic Garden has features for physically weak and senior visitors.

Built on a mountain area, the garden has many sloping pathways. But they have been carefully designed to allow the elderly, children, women and frail visitors to walk about easily.

 

* There exists a underwater garden for fish.

Hwadam Botanic Garden has four exhibition halls each themed with the country's beautiful mountains and rivers. The Freshwater Fish Ecology Hall shows some 40 rare native species of 8,000 freshwater fish, including golden mandarin fish (a natural monument), shiri (which inhabits pure water) and fat minnows.

Visitors can observe rhinoceros beetles (장수풍뎅이) at the Insect Ecology Hall consisting of a glass greenhouse and an outdoor garden.

 

The botanic garden operates a monorail enabling visitors to enjoy the scenery conveniently. The train then enters the marvelous "Tunnel of Seasoal Festivities," a section lined with thick, luxuriant maple trees. Passengers are amazed once again by a white birch forest that stretches out to the top of the mountain. Visitors get off the train and often walk on the pathway around the peak.

A monorail slides into the picturesque scenery as the surrounding green colors add to the freshness. A stroll through the forest refreshes visitors tired of city life.

 

* Birch forest stretches out at left hand side of monorail.

The park offers visitors excellent strolls through a variety of species, forms and colors of plants from the starting point of the monorail, through the birch forest, and to the mountain peak which commends a panoramic vista.

 

The visitors are welcomed to the Pine Tree Garden, where the well-kept lush green gives off plenty of the aroma of the forest.
They can also enjoy rare kinds of maple leaves in every corner of the garden, including "Naejang" and "Gongjak" species, which have smaller and prettier leaves.

 

You may find the plaque which explains Hwadam (和談) is the pen name of the late Chairman Ku Bon-mu who loved harmonious communications with others, and he took care of this garden with sincere heart until his last days.

 

소나무와 민물고기를 사랑한 재벌이
보통 사람들을 위해 아담한 숲을 조성했네
"정답게 이야기하자"는  화담(和談)의  뜻으로
A billionaire who loves pine trees and freshwater fish
Has made beautiful forest for common people
With a spirit of lovely conversation.

 

Hwadam trails are covered with wooden walkways, on which wheelchairs and baby carriages move easily.

The walkways are gently sloped and wide enough for two wheelchairs to pass at the same time.

 

You will be surprised to see name tags of each bonsi on display. It means that each of plants are carefully managed.
Though there are some grotesquely shaped bonsais, all those bonsais fit well other plants around them.

 

Visitors are greeted by seasonal wild flowers beside walkways.
You can find  a zelkova tree which scarcely survived the area submerged under water after the construction of a dam.
Yes, there are so many stories which each plant wants to say to visitors.

 

* A small pond with fountains gives a rest

* Lotus garden

Visitors are surprised to see a sanitory water closet. They feel secure and safe in the garden. When looking at a waterwheel, you cannot sense the time and stress. It is a really well-being and healing center far away from the bustling city life.

 

* A comic and colorful LOVE signboard for everybody

* The wall carries a sign in Chinese meaning "Everything depends on your mind." (일체유심조/一切唯心造)

Finally, visitors may have a cup of coffee or cold drinks at the cafe restaurant in the finishing line.  Suddenly a short poem came to mind.

 

부자의 여유로움이
서민들에게 행복을 안겨줬네.
이것이 모두 함께 평화롭게 사는 세상
Leisurely mind of the rich
Provides happiness to commoners.
That’s the peaceful world of all human beings.

 

* 우리나라에는 한국에 귀화한 미국인이 평생에 걸쳐 조성한 '천리포 수목원'이 있다.  제주도에는 평범한 농부가 자갈밭을 일구어 분재농원으로 가꾼 '사색의 정원'도 있다.

미국에서는 듀퐁가의 식물원과 정원을 일반에 공개한 Longwood Garden, 석유재벌 폴게티가 평생 동안 수집한 진귀한 미술품의 콜렉션을 누구나 찾아와 볼 수 있게 전시한 Getty Museum을 꼽을 수 있다. 

 

The next day we visited the ecology-based creek inside the Konjiam Resort. Various kinds of maple trees are expected to show beautiful changing colors this autumn.

Then kids are fond of rope ways to climb the ski slopes. At the peak, visitors may enjoy panoramic view while their children have good time playing with small animals and other playthings. 

 

* Hydrangea (수국/水菊) flowers are in full bloom at this time of the year.

* Night lighting and snow plow facilities prepare for the coming ski season.