Seongdong-gu Creates 44 Everyday Gardens... 30 Alley Gardens to Be Added This Year

Expanding Green Spaces Within Five Minutes
Wins Two Awards at the Seoul Landscape Awards

Seongdong-gu in Seoul (Mayor Jeong Wono) accelerated its efforts to realize a “5-Minute Everyday Garden City” last year by establishing 44 everyday gardens throughout residential areas. The district has designated this year as the “Year of Alley Garden Expansion” and plans to create an additional 30 gardens.

A view of Seongdong-gu Public Health Center Donghaeng Garden. Provided by Seongdong-gu.

On January 4, the district announced that it had created a total of 44 everyday gardens covering 29,279 square meters over the past year. The gardens were established in three categories: 10 Donghaeng Gardens (for the elderly and vulnerable), 24 neighborhood gardens, and 10 waterside gardens.

The Donghaeng Gardens, spanning 8,030 square meters, include the Public Health Center Donghaeng Garden, the Healing Garden at the Seongdong Senior Welfare Center, and the Eungbong Safe Green Forest for Children. The 24 neighborhood gardens (4,470 square meters) include the Sangwangsimni Station and Singeumho Station Everyday Gardens, Oksu-dong Rest Area, and Dumugae Village Yard Garden, allowing residents to experience green spaces during their commute and near their homes.

Ten waterside gardens (16,779 square meters), such as the Jungnangcheon Yongbi Rest Area Garden, Jungnangcheon Picnic Cherry Blossom Garden Trail, and Jeonnongcheon Iris Garden, have also been established and are being used as leisure spaces along the riverside.

With these achievements, the district received Excellence Awards for the “Hangang Signature Garden” and “Rest When Tired Garden” at the 2025 Seoul Landscape Awards. The “Daehyeonsan Forest Book Shelter Small Forest Garden,” which was created and managed with participation from village gardeners, won the Encouragement Award at the Seoul Garden City Awards.

The “Seongdong Gardening Center,” a hub for spreading garden culture, was also actively operated. This year, 95 village gardeners were appointed, and 39 completed the newly established advanced course. Five gardens were designated for exclusive management by village gardeners.

The Companion Plant Clinic handled a total of 569 cases with 317 participants, while the newly launched Mobile Companion Plant Clinic visited five apartment complexes, serving 485 cases and 206 participants. The Mobile Senior Garden Therapy Program was run 40 times at eight institutions, with 675 participants.

Last year’s '9th and 10th Seongdong-gu Village Gardener Appointment Ceremony'. Provided by Seongdong-gu.

This year, the district aims to establish 30 alley gardens covering 26,363 square meters, building a dense network of gardens. To strengthen the capabilities of village gardeners, field training hours will be increased, and a new Eungbong Nadeulmok Practice Garden will be operated in collaboration with garden designers. The number of dedicated gardens will be expanded from five to ten, and participation in garden management programs will be diversified to include children, adolescents, and seniors.

Mayor Jeong Wono of Seongdong-gu stated, “Everyday gardens are essential elements for a livable city, serving as spaces for healing and leisure in nearby residential areas. Going forward, we will expand gardens beyond simple landscaping to become everyday infrastructure that connects rest, care, and community, so that ‘5-Minute Everyday Garden City, Seongdong’ can become even more established.”