Kim Mijeong Returns to Hometown to Create Garden
Wins Grand Prize at Beautiful Garden Contest
Five Themed Gardens Including Rock Garden
The Haenam Biwon (Secret Garden) officially opened in May to celebrate Family Month. Photo by Jeonnam Province
On May 12, Jeonnam Province announced that the Haenam Biwon (Secret Garden), registered as the 28th private garden in the province, officially opened in May to celebrate Family Month.
Biwon (Secret Garden) is located in Samsan-myeon, Haenam. The garden was created to maximize the natural terrain, harmonizing beautifully with the surrounding forests and village fields.
Oksan Mountain lies in front of the garden, while Udalmaegol is behind it, with the area surrounded by gently sloping hills. The garden preserves the natural beauty of terraced rice paddies beneath the slopes of the old village.
The garden owner, Kim Mijeong, returned to her hometown of Haenam in 2006 and began cultivating the garden. On May 2, she held an opening event for Haenam Biwon, inviting local residents and garden enthusiasts.
Kim said, "Last year, I won the grand prize at the Jeonnam Province Beautiful Garden Contest. I wanted to share this honor with the local community, so I pursued registration as a private garden, which has now led to the official opening. I hope to make this beautiful garden, which shines like a jewel of Haenam, a space for mutual prosperity with local residents."
The garden covers an area of 10,769 square meters. Kim personally sourced and planted trees and flowers, and visitors can see over 7,000 varieties of plants, including hackberry, elm, azalea, plum, fragrant olive, and quince.
The garden features five themed sections: Hanul Garden, Rock Garden, Garden of Wind, Hydrangea and Camellia Garden, and Rose Garden. The signature Hanul Garden means "our rightful home." It includes low hills, a pond, winding walking paths, and a waterfall cascading from the mountain throughout all four seasons.
Biwon contains a total of nine ponds, both large and small. These are connected to the Rock Garden, and climbing along the Rock Garden leads to the Garden of Wind. From here, visitors can enjoy panoramic views of Biwon and the expansive southern fields, as well as sunsets that display different colors each day.
Park Jongpil, Director of the Environment and Forest Bureau of Jeonnam Province, said, "It is significant that a unique garden, cultivated by an individual over many years, has been registered as a private garden in Jeonnam Province and is now gaining national recognition. We will continue to discover and promote private gardens to vitalize garden culture in daily life."
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