September 2023

Korea¡¯s Largest Garden Festival

It has been 10 years since the last Suncheonman International Garden Expo. This expo was organized by the current Mayor of Suncheon, Noh Gwangyu, who also orchestrated the Suncheonman International Garden Expo 2013. Perhaps that¡¯s why this year¡¯s event offers more special attractions than ever before. You can experience the beauty of gardens no matter where you go in Suncheon. The expo¡¯s venue is spread over three areas: the Suncheonman Bay Wetland, where you can explore the natural environment; the ¡°Exhibition Center,¡± which features various exhibitions; and in various places in the city¡¯s downtown area. The expo will run until Oct. 31. The theme of this year¡¯s expo is ¡°We live in a garden.¡± That is why the expo is being held beyond the Exhibition Center and in gardens throughout downtown Suncheon. You can get a sense of the garden expo no matter where you go in the city: in areas between houses, in alleyways and streets and in offices and schools. There are things to enjoy that can only be experienced at the expo venue, including the ¡°Shilange,¡± a garden-themed hotel that allows visitors to spend a night inside a national garden of 1,983,000 m©÷; the ¡°Secret Garden,¡± which provides a glimpse of future gardens; and ¡°Kids Garden¡± and ¡°Dream Playground,¡± which is great for kids.
If you want to check out what¡¯s special about the expo, it¡¯s not a bad idea to visit the gardens in the daytime. But it¡¯s an even better idea to visit the gardens in the early morning or late in the evening. In the early morning, you can feel the morning¡¯s fresh air and see morning dew on tree leaves while walking the grounds. It¡¯s also great to take an evening walk in the gardens after the sun has gone down. The gardens have a wide range of night-time sights for you to see. Get on the Garden Dream to feel the strong breeze along with Korea¡¯s first floating garden called the ¡°Garden on the Water.¡±
The Ocheon Green Square is a place for leisure built right in the middle of the city. It is one of the key sights to see at the expo and has gained attention for bringing the ¡°culture of squares¡± to the city. The Green Square was originally a reservoir built to prevent massive floods. Suncheon took the unprecedented step of transforming this reservoir into a grass garden that can be enjoyed all year round. As part of efforts to make the square an important place to be, diverse cultural events are held on the weekends, and famous Korean bands and singers hold performances here as well.

A Village Without Fences

As one would expect from a city of gardens, Suncheon residents are taking part in cultivating gardens in their own living spaces. The garden village in Jeojeon-dong is a perfect case in point. Here, local people started building gardens by first getting rid of ¡°fences.¡± With the fences gone, everyone shares their own gardens with their neighbors. Each season, small empty lots in each alleyway and flower gardens erupt in colorful blossoms, all thanks to locals taking the initiative to take care of the plots.
These efforts by local residents have even led public service organizations to cultivate gardens. Jeojeon-dong atholic Church and Suncheonnam Elementary School have gotten rid of their fences and cultivated gardens. These efforts have not only created beautiful gardens but also made it easier for people to get around. That¡¯s why, if you stroll the alleyways of Jeojeon-dong, you¡¯ll be able to see aromatic trees and flowers of various colors. There are more than 45 gardens here cultivated by locals.

A City of Birds

Suncheonman Bay Wetland is a garden created by nature. Nature¡¯s resources are preserved there so well that the wetland has been designated a Ramsar site and a UNESCO Natural World Heritage site. Endangered bird species like the hooded crane and yellow-billed spoonbill live here. During each winter, thousands of migratory birds gather at the wetland, which is a spectacular sight to behold. Visitors to the etland can see a massive reed forest along with the beauty of the sea¡¯s ecological system, making it a perfect place for people who love nature. You can walk the Reed Forest Trail, which stretches over around ,619,800 m©÷, to catch sight of nature¡¯s beauty.
The highlight of Suncheonman Bay Wetland is at the Yongsan Observatory, which offers panorama views of the wetland. From there, you can clearly observe the ¡°S¡±-shape that the wetland makes, and enjoy the beauty created by the mud flats, sea and reeds. If you visit this place at sunset, you can see an even more beautiful sight: Suncheonman Bay Wetland turns yellow in the disappearing sunlight. As all of this shows, Suncheonman Bay Wetland is a place full of beautiful treasures.