[Botany Garden in Korea] Daegu Arboretum

Daegu, South Korea

대구수목원 Daegu Arboretum

Blog by Jenikah Joy

A preview of the arboretum awaits at the exit of the Bus Terminal at Dong Daegu Station

Winter ​blues ​got ​you ​down?

One ​of ​the ​most ​surprising ​things ​I’ve ​learned ​about ​Korea ​is ​the ​vast ​amount ​of ​color ​that ​seems to ​appear ​all ​throughout ​the ​cold ​winter ​seasons. ​As ​a ​California ​girl, ​I’m ​used ​to ​only ​seeing beautiful ​flowers ​blooming ​in ​the ​springtime, ​but ​here ​in ​Korea ​you ​can ​see ​them ​any ​time ​of ​the year. ​It ​was ​this ​alluring ​concept ​that ​brought ​me ​down ​to ​Daegu ​this ​weekend ​to ​experience ​it ​in person ​at ​the ​infamous ​Daegu ​Arboretum. ​Nature ​travel ​has ​always ​been ​one ​of ​Korea’s ​most ​well known ​activities, ​but ​this ​is ​the ​first ​year ​I ​was ​able ​to ​check ​it ​out ​for ​myself.

I​ ​was​ ​introduced​ ​to​ ​a​ ​whole​ ​new​ ​world​ ​of​ ​color.

Daegu ​Arboretum

This ​arboretum ​is ​the ​perfect ​place ​to ​visit ​if ​you ​want ​to ​do ​a ​little ​hiking, ​or ​sight-seeing, ​while enjoying ​rare ​botany ​and ​exotic ​plants. ​The ​park ​has ​a ​variety ​of ​sites ​and ​green ​houses ​that ​hold special ​collections ​of ​plants ​from ​all ​over ​the ​world.

Located near Daegok Station, the arboretum is just two bus stops away on local yellow bus #5. Get off at the Central Government Office and you can walk right in.

 When ​you ​first ​arrive, ​there ​is ​a ​large ​parking ​lot ​for ​families ​and ​visitors ​who ​are ​able ​to ​drive ​in. The ​walk ​in ​is ​lovely ​in ​and ​of ​itself ​as ​the ​streets ​are ​lined ​with ​tall ​trees ​that ​are ​turning ​beautiful shades ​of ​yellow ​and ​red ​in ​the ​late ​fall ​season. ​You ​can ​either ​walk ​on ​a ​dirt ​path ​or ​a ​paved ​path on ​the ​other ​side ​which ​is ​convenient ​for ​people ​with ​strollers, ​kids ​with ​scooters, ​or ​the ​elderly. Now ​this ​time ​of ​year ​there ​is ​a ​very ​impressive ​flower ​festival ​going ​on ​as ​well, ​although ​it ​only runs ​for ​a ​short ​time ​in ​November ​I ​was ​fortunate ​enough ​to ​enjoy ​it.

The ​Chrysanthemum ​Festival

After ​walking ​up ​the ​hill ​there’s ​a ​big ​display ​of ​interesting ​floral ​figurines ​in ​all ​shapes ​and ​sizes. The ​overwhelming ​amount ​of ​colors ​and ​flowers ​is ​really ​something ​to ​behold. ​However, ​this event ​was ​extremely ​popular ​among ​natives ​and ​tourists ​alike, ​so ​getting ​photos ​was ​something ​of a ​challenge!

Exotic ​Flower ​Greenhouse

Since ​the ​festival ​is ​only ​there ​for ​a ​short ​amount ​of ​time, ​we ​decided ​to ​check ​out ​the greenhouses ​that ​are ​there ​year ​round. ​The ​first ​one ​we ​stopped ​into ​was ​the ​exotic ​flower ​house which ​was ​gorgeous! ​The ​vibrant ​colors ​and ​abundant ​pedals ​made ​every ​flower ​unique ​and special ​in ​its ​own ​way. ​I ​have ​never ​seen ​so ​many ​varieties ​of ​the ​same ​types ​of ​flowers ​all ​in ​one place ​together.

Desert ​Greenhouse

Now ​this ​was ​one ​of ​my ​favorite ​places ​in ​the ​entire ​arboretum. ​Perhaps ​because ​it ​reminded ​me of ​my ​hometown ​in ​California. ​I ​have ​always ​been ​a ​huge ​fan ​of ​succulents, ​and ​was ​impressed ​by the ​collection ​of ​plants ​inside ​the ​greenhouse. ​While ​walking ​through ​I ​could ​tell ​many ​of ​these plants ​were ​foreign ​to ​other ​visitors ​who ​had ​not ​seen ​these ​in ​person ​before.

A ​Beautiful ​Day ​for ​a ​Walk

Outside ​of ​the ​greenhouses ​on ​this ​side ​of ​the ​arboretum, ​is ​a ​path ​that ​winds ​around ​the ​outside and ​is ​perfect ​for ​a ​leisurely ​stroll ​or ​power ​walking. ​Although ​there ​is ​a ​full ​hike ​routed ​here, ​it was ​closed ​when ​we ​were ​visiting, ​so ​many ​people ​opted ​to ​walk ​the ​back ​paths ​instead. ​The ​trails are ​lined ​with ​beautiful ​trees ​that ​are ​changing ​colors ​and ​the ​ground ​is ​covered ​with ​leaves. 

Plants and More Plants!

If ​you ​explore ​farther ​in, ​there ​are ​more ​and ​more ​greenhouses ​which ​house ​other ​plant ​varieties.

That’s ​Not ​All

Although ​we ​did ​not ​make ​it ​to ​every ​single ​greenhouse, ​there ​was ​also ​a ​traditional ​Korean garden, ​a ​tropical ​fruit ​tree ​greenhouse, ​a ​bamboo ​forest, ​fountains, ​a ​play ​area, ​open ​grassy areas, ​a ​museum, ​and ​street ​performers. ​Many ​people ​were ​having ​picnics ​in ​the ​shade, ​or ​playing in ​the ​fallen ​leaves. ​You ​could ​easily ​spend ​an ​entire ​day ​at ​the ​arboretum ​and ​I ​know ​they ​host many ​school ​trips ​and ​tourists ​groups. ​I ​can ​only ​imagine ​how ​often ​this ​place ​changes ​with ​each season. ​I ​would ​love ​to ​go ​back ​and ​walk ​more ​of ​the ​trails ​in ​the ​snow ​or ​come ​back ​in ​spring when ​even ​more ​flowers ​are ​blooming.