Small-scale gardens spring up on idle land across the capital

A "walkable street" garden created in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul. [Yangcheon-gu]
A "walkable street" garden created in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul. [Yangcheon-gu]

Seoul's district governments are moving quickly to convert idle urban land into small-scale gardens, in line with the Seoul Metropolitan Government's flagship "Charming Garden City Seoul" policy. Traffic islands, roadsides, disused railway land and vacant corners of parks that once sat neglected are being replanted with flowers and trees, giving residents places to rest and recharge in their daily lives.

Yangcheon-gu, Guro-gu and Gangdong-gu have each recently completed distinctive themed green spaces that have drawn an enthusiastic response from local residents, according to the district offices Tuesday.

Yangcheon-gu is working toward a goal of placing a garden within a five-minute walk of every resident, with plans to build 1,004 themed gardens across its residential areas by 2029. The district created 237 gardens covering roughly 40,000 square meters last year and has set a target of adding 250 more this year. So far this year it has opened 83 new sites, including a tulip garden at Sinjeong Herb Park, a shade-tolerant plant garden at Yangcheon-gu Office Station and a compact specialty garden in front of the district office. Yangcheon-gu plans to develop these gardens into signature local destinations tied to the 2026 Seoul International Garden Expo.

Guro-gu has turned a 4,600-square-meter strip of idle railway land near Guro Station into a green community space. The site, at 644-15 Guro-dong, is state-owned land belonging to the Korea National Railway, and the district signed an agreement with the agency last year to put the unused land to use. At 1.55 billion won (about $1 million), the project went beyond simple landscaping to create a multi-generational rest area designed for children, teenagers, middle-aged residents and seniors alike.

Gangdong-gu, meanwhile, has opened a "Breeze Herb Garden" on idle land near the entrance to Myeongil Neighborhood Park's Farmix Garden — an urban-agriculture complex that combines cultivation, education and community activities. The new garden is planted with familiar medicinal herbs including balloon flower, peony, chrysanthemum and Korean mint, letting visitors stroll through and take in their natural fragrance.


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