◇ Yellow Iris in the Water Plants Garden ⓒ G-News Plus

The Eco-Garden has featured at the garden since its inception.

President Lee Taek-ju, founder, started planting wildflowers here in the West Garden in 1979, and it is now used as a place to breed plant species.

Though not open to the public, this is where the native plant garden was born.

The Eco-Garden, as the heart of the botanical garden, covers an area of 4,545 m² in a natural forest, where more than 1,000 species of native plants are planted according to each plant’s unique ecosystem.

Beyond the path along a natural forest of the Eco-Garden, is the Rock Garden, a combination of rocks and plants. More than 300 species of alpine plants including some plants from the Alps can be seen here in the Rock Garden.

The Iris Collection is a space dedicated to irises and Russian irises. It is a re-creation of the kind of iris colony that one encounters on a hiking trip to any local mountain in Korea.

In the middle of the path are benches where visitors can relax and enjoy the sunlight during the daytime.

The Hemerocallis Collection is home to more than 100 species of day lilies of extraordinary beauty. Some native day lilies can be seen here, too.

Daylily has long been used for both culinary and medicinal purposes in Korea, although these days it is also planted for decorative purposes due to its beauty.

Wild Flowers in Danger of Extinction Now Preserved
(Published February 20, 2012)

–[(3) Resting in a refreshing forest] Yongin Hantaek Botanical Garden
-36 Themed gardens in a 60,600m² site: largest general botanical garden in Asia
-Created in 1979; currently home to 10,000 plant species including many native and rare plants

◇ The Hantaek Botanical Garden, opened in 2003, is the largest botanical garden in Asia with 10,000 species of plants in 30 themed gardens covering 60,600 m². ⓒ G-News Plus

The Hantaek Botanical Garden is a paradise of wild flowers located in Oksan-ri, Baegam-myeon, Yongin City. Situated on the western slope of Bibong Mountain, the garden is endowed with many sunny and shady spots, and valleys and wetlands – everything you need for a wildflower paradise.

The garden encompasses a huge area of more than 60,000m². The 36 themed gardens are home to 1,700 species of herbaceous plants, 700 species of woody plants, 2,400 species of native plants and 7,300 species of exotic plants. The garden has more than nine million plants overall.

The two greenhouses in the garden, the Australia Plants Greenhouse and the South Africa Plants Greenhouse, are comparable to the biggest greenhouses in the world.

Originally opened back in 1979 by its founder, Lee Taek-ju, the garden was registered as a foundation in 2001 and designated by the government as a National Garden in 2002.

The garden, which was designated by the Ministry of Environment as a preservation area of rare and endangered plant species in 2001, is dedicated to the preservation of many native plants in their environment. For instance, the garden has recovered the horseradish of Ulleung Island (designated by the Ministry of Environment as a plant to be protected), Seorak nunjumok (T. caespitosa) of Seorak Mountain and Dunggeunip kkwongui bireum (Hylotelephium ussuriense) of Juwangsan National Park (designated by the Ministry of Environment as a plant to be protected), Chinese Twinleaf of Jincheon-gun, and Norangmunuibutkkot (Iris neosetosa) of Taebaek City.

The garden has also bred Hantaekjogaenamul (Ajuga multiflora) and applied for a patent. It plans to apply for patents for more than fifty species including Jageunnoruojum (Astilbe rubra) and Waeseongsulpaeraengi (Dianthus superbus) not only domestically but also internationally.

The garden is currently conducting studies on ways to grow native ‘mountain vegetables’ such as Cheongokjaok, Seomchorongkkot (Campanula takesimana) and Seomssukbujaengi (Asterglehni), as well as studies aimed at increasing their uses.

◇ Yellow Iris in the Water Plants Garden ⓒ G-News Plus

The Eco-Garden has featured at the garden since its inception.

President Lee Taek-ju, founder, started planting wildflowers here in the West Garden in 1979, and it is now used as a place to breed plant species.

Though not open to the public, this is where the native plant garden was born.

The Eco-Garden, as the heart of the botanical garden, covers an area of 4,545 m² in a natural forest, where more than 1,000 species of native plants are planted according to each plant’s unique ecosystem.

Beyond the path along a natural forest of the Eco-Garden, is the Rock Garden, a combination of rocks and plants. More than 300 species of alpine plants including some plants from the Alps can be seen here in the Rock Garden.

The Iris Collection is a space dedicated to irises and Russian irises. It is a re-creation of the kind of iris colony that one encounters on a hiking trip to any local mountain in Korea.

In the middle of the path are benches where visitors can relax and enjoy the sunlight during the daytime.

The Hemerocallis Collection is home to more than 100 species of day lilies of extraordinary beauty. Some native day lilies can be seen here, too.

Daylily has long been used for both culinary and medicinal purposes in Korea, although these days it is also planted for decorative purposes due to its beauty.

◇ Baobab Trees at the Australia Plants Greenhouse ⓒ G-News Plus

In the Australia Plants Greenhouse, located at the center of the botanical garden over an area of 892m² there are more than 150 Australian and New Zealand native species.

In the greenhouse, there are some familiar plants, too, such as eucalyptus trees, whose leaves are the staple food of Koala bears, and baobab trees that appear in the French novel ‘The Little Prince.’

The Middle & South American Plants Greenhouse houses a variety of cacti grown in Mexico and other Central and South American countries, as well as plants that are usually found growing at the foot of the Andes. The South Africa Plants Greenhouse is home to more than 300 species of South African plants including some native plants and fleshy plants.

Notably, in this greenhouse there are three species of aloe tree, which is protected internationally as a species in danger of extinction, thanks to the permission of the governments of Korea and South Africa.

◇ Paeonia Garden ⓒ G-News Plus

Beyond the Cornus officinalis Path, there is the Grass (Silver Grass) Garden, where some gramineous plants, Cyperaceae, a variety of wild flowers and more than ten species of silver grass from the United States and Europe are planted.

The Paeonia Garden was created with 350 species of paeonia and 80 species of peony donated by the Beijing Botanical Garden, as a symbol of friendship, following a mutual exchange agreement signed between the Hantaek Botanical Garden and the Beijing Botanical Garden in 1995.

In the Rare Plants Garden, ten species in danger of extinction, including Gaebyeongpung (Astilboides tabularis) and Chinese Twinleaf, and some species whose numbers are on the decline, grow in an environment suitable for plants whose habitat is usually mountainous. The presence of tall Canadian maple trees ensures sufficient sunlight for the garden.

The Water Plants Garden (7,272m²) features 65 species of lotus, 45 species of water lily, and 100 species of other water plants. There is also a colony of Chinese Lizardtail, a plant protected by law.

Thanks to an eco-friendly method of planting, Waterplantain Ottelia, a rare species in Korea, has been recovered in the garden. Water beetles abound, and the ecosystem has also been recovered. This garden is regarded as a precious resource for academic research.

◇ Visitors enjoying their outing among tulips

Furthermore, visitors can enjoy the Children’s Garden and Open Space for a variety of events and the Border Garden with its long lawn. Diverse seasonal festivals and events are held in the garden including the Spring Flower Festival, Firefly Experience, Summer Eco-School, and Chrysanthemum & Fall Foliage Festival.

Situated around the Hantaek Botanical Garden are the Sejoong Museum, where stone relics are exhibited on an area of 16,528 m², Jukjusanseong Fortress, the site of fierce fighting during the Japanese Invasion of Korea in 1592, Waujoengsa Temple, which is famous for the world’s biggest wooden Buddha, and Yongseol Lake.

To get to the Hantaek Botanical Garden by bus, take a bus to the garden from Yongin Intercity Bus Terminal or Baegam Bus Terminal.

The garden is open from 9am till sunset all year round. Admission is KRW 8,000 for adults, KRW 6,000 for adolescents, and KRW 5,000 for children.

Inquiries: 031-355-35580, www.hantaek.co.kr

ⓒ G-News Plus/ Lim Jeong-seon / jslim123@kg21.net

http://gnews.gg.go.kr/news/news_detail.asp?number=201202201244117055C049&s_code=C049