Seongdong-gu, Our Neighborhood Everyday Garden Made by My Own Hands

17 Neighborhood Resident Autonomy Committees Promote Three Areas: ‘Our Neighborhood, Our Flowers Gardening,’ ‘Seongdong Gardening Program,’ and ‘Caring for Companion Plants’... Creating Gardens Reflecting Each Neighborhood’s Characteristics Through Landscaping and Gardening Education and Practice, Actively Utilizing Small Spaces and Illegal Dumping Areas to Improve Urban Aesthetics... Fostering a Healthy Community Culture Through Plant and Gardening Education, Providing Communication Opportunities for Elderly Living Alone and Single-Person Households via Companion Plants

Seongdong-gu, Seoul (District Mayor Jeong Won-oh) is focusing on promoting the “5-Minute Everyday Garden City Seongdong” this year. The 17 neighborhood residents' councils within the district announced that they will create “Our Neighborhood Small Garden” so that anyone can cultivate and enjoy a garden close to their home in daily life.

The “Our Neighborhood Small Garden” project, selected in April as part of Seoul’s regional specialized residents' autonomy project, reflects the high demand for gardens among residents. It will be promoted in three areas: “Growing Our Neighborhood Flowers,” “Seongdong Gardening Program,” and “Caring for Companion Plants.”

First, “Growing Our Neighborhood Flowers” will be conducted in four neighborhoods: Wangsimni 2(i)-dong, Seongsu 2-ga 1(il)-dong, Songjeong-dong, and Yongdap-dong. Residents, including the neighborhood residents' councils, will receive professional landscaping and gardening education and practical training to directly create gardens. They will select neighborhood flowers reflecting environmental and cultural characteristics and provide effective garden management education, operating as a resident-participatory garden.

The education will be held over five sessions from September 19 to October 25, including two theoretical classes and three practical garden creation sessions. On October 31, a performance sharing meeting will be held to share the results of the garden creation.

Through this, Wangsimni 2(i)-dong plans to create year-round green spaces and resting areas accessible to all residents; Seongsu 2-ga 1(il)-dong will develop flower paths and photo zones along walking trails; Songjeong-dong will establish green spaces themed around the Mugunghwa (Rose of Sharon); and Yongdap-dong will create a year-round plum garden. In particular, actively utilizing leftover spaces and habitual illegal dumping areas is expected to greatly improve the city’s aesthetics.

The “Seongdong Gardening Program” is an educational program combining theory and field practice to learn the meaning and value of plants and gardening and to foster a healthy community culture. It will be implemented in 13 neighborhoods including Wangsimni Doseon-dong.

Starting with a group education session on September 9 under the theme “The Joy of Garden Activities,” a total of six sessions will be held, including neighborhood-specific practical training, “Decomposition Garden” which uses food waste as compost to cultivate gardens, and a “Winter Garden Special Lecture.”

“Caring for Companion Plants” is conducted alongside the “Seongdong Gardening Program” targeting elderly living alone and single-person households. It provides guidance on planting and caring for companion plants and offers opportunities for communication through plants.

Jeong Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, stated, “The ‘Our Neighborhood Small Garden’ project is significant in that residents take the lead in gathering their will and strength to directly cultivate and create gardens.” He added, “We will continue to show interest and support so that all residents can feel the happiness that everyday gardens bring close to where they live.”