Garden of Morning Calm (아침고요수목원)

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아침 (ah-chim) means Morning
고요수 (go-yo-soo) means Quiet or Still
목원 (mok-won) means a Wood Garden

Fun Facts

The Garden of Morning Calm serves as a botanical treasure trove containing over 5,000 species of plants including rare and endangered varieties, 300 of which are native to Baekdusan Mountain.
One of the key design points and philosophies of the Garden of Morning Calm is that there are no straight lines on display as there is beauty in curves and asymmetry.
In the winter, snow can form a thick blanket which covers the whole garden making it shimmer, turning it into a completely different world.
There are many different festivals all throughout the year. In the winter the gardens are illuminated into a magical wonderland.
The Garden has been used as a K-drama filming location in several major productions, including, The Love in the Moonlight (AKA Moonlight Drawn by Clouds), Now We Are Breaking Up, and She Was Pretty.

The Garden of Morning Calm is located just two hours outside of Seoul and visiting can be easily combined with other sites. The beautiful backdrop of Chungryeongsan Mountain makes the garden a great place for a serene morning stroll or afternoon walk at any time of the year. There are over twenty themed gardens: traditional Korean gardens, English cottages, colorful conservatories, and pretty ponds to explore. It was opened in 1996 and curated by Professor Sang-Kyung Hang, who was inspired after a teaching exchange in the United States. The Garden of Morning Calm is the result of his vision and is truly one of the most incredible arboretums in the world.

The Garden features various attractions for visitors to explore such as the Millennium Juniper–an over 1,000-year-old tree which was relocated to the site–and the colorful Sunken Garden shaped after the Korean Peninsula, in honor of their continued desire for reunification, which bursts with blooms throughout the seasons. The Road to Heaven, adorned with blooming flowers and towering trees, offers picturesque walks while the Moonlight Garden and J’s Cottage Garden provide tranquil spots for relaxation and photography. Visitors can also explore the Seohwayeon Pond Garden, known for its reflections and vibrant chairs, and learn about the garden’s history and philosophy at the onsite museum. With its diverse attractions and natural beauty, the Garden of Morning Calm offers a delightful retreat for nature lovers and cultural enthusiasts.

Travel Tips

Combine a visit to the Garden of Morning Calm with a tour to Seoraksan and Nami Island. There are many tours on offer and this full day tour is a great way to see some of Korea outside of the city.
Just outside the main gate, there are a couple of hot food stalls selling traditional Korean street food snacks such as fishcakes, tornado potatoes, tteokbokki, cheese hot dogs, as well as ice cream.
Pets are not allowed in the garden, and all areas of the garden are non-smoking.
Plan to spend at least 2 hours in the garden, more time will be needed if you want to visit the restaurants or cafes.

Address

English: 432 Sumogwon-ro, Sang-myeon, Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do

Hangeul: 경기도 가평군 상면 수목원로 432

The Gardens are a great place to get competitive with picture taking. Our family competition is extreme but I always try to win! From the moment you enter the garden and cross the suspension bridge you are transported to an almost fairy-tale land full of beauty. The millennium tree is really amazing. I’ve never seen anything quite like it and am so happy that it survived being replanted in this beautiful space. I loved visiting both in the early summer when all the flowers were blooming, as well as the autumn with everything changing color. In the Fall it was quite cold so I especially enjoyed visiting the Good Morning Coffee Shop for one of the best hot lemon teas I have ever had. A definite – do not miss.

This garden is extremely peaceful, we arrived in the evening after most of the larger tour groups were leaving. In one area of the garden there is a traditional Hanok house that you can walk through. There was no one else around when we made it to this area, and I was able to take my shoes off and wander through the whole building by myself. We joined an all-day tour from Seoul that included Seoraksan, Nami Island, and then ended here at the garden. After hiking the Seoraksan Trails, and chasing the elusive white peacock on Nami Island, the Garden was a perfect and restful way to end the day. Also, I always win our family photo competition! Some of our best shots are below or here in our photo gallery.