May you be healthy and peaceful! Pyeonggang Botanical Garden

A hill on which we were having fun, feeling happiness.
There was a boy deploring the exploitation of the hill in the name of development.
He made a pledge that when he grew up and made a lot of money, he would revive the hill he loved to play on. The hill in the boy's mind was finally resurrected. That is 'Pyeonggang Botanical Garden.'

The hill remains entrenched in the minds of people as a warm and snug place.
I invite you to Pyeonggang Botanical Garden.

The thought of Lee Hwan-Yong who is the chief of Pyeonggang Botanical Garden and a doctor of Oriental Medicine 

'Umulmok', an area named thus because water gathers there, is situated in Pochen where there are good mountains and streams.

Pyeonggang Botanical Garden is located in this Umulmok which is fringed by Mt. Gwanuem, Mt. Sahyang and Mt. Myeongseong. The name ‘Pyeonggang’ of Pyeonggang Botanical Garden, which was established in 1997 and opened to the public on May 2006, has a meaning. It means 'peaceful mind and body.' That is the chief's intention. He wants to use his botanical garden to make people's minds and bodies pure and healthy, so all details of the garden work with nature’s laws. 

There are many distinctions between Pyeonggang Botanical Garden and other botanical gardens.
Pyeonggang Botanical shares seeds with sixty two other botanical gardens all over the world. It holds presentations and seminars, and classifies its plant divisions into Eco-type, Research-type and Exhibition-type to emphasize its specialization and popularity. The 325,327 square meter-sized Pyeonggang garden consists of twelve themed gardens and contains 5,000 varieties of plant. These are attracting not only many tourists but people from related academic circles around the world

The following highlights some of the gardens.

 

The exhibition of Highland plants                          – the rock garden The rock garden is second to none in Asian gardens that contain highland plants and succulent plants growing on land at 2,500m above sea level. Rare highland plants and succulent plants growing on Mt. Baekdu, Mt. Hanra, the Rocky Mountain range, the Himalayas and the Alps are found here. In order to grow them successfully, the garden created a special environment suitable for them.  Aerological wetlands valuable to research Due to its value, the aerological wetland is catching the attention of researchers. This garden has included a  reconstruction of the aerological wetland's unusual environs by creating a model of Jangji pond on Mt. Baekdu. Pond garden and Wetland garden There is the 'Pond garden' and the 'Wetland garden'. The former has 50 kinds of water lilies and lotuses and the latter has a small eco-system where insects and birds live in and around the water. It is used as a study field by students. Moss garden and turf square The four-season-green turf square on which children can run and play freely and 'Wild flower hill' that is known for its various colors are getting approving responses from people and  attracting lots of attention.

Medicinal Plant Restaurant 'Elm' 

The thinking of the chief, Lee Hwan-Young, who emphasizes fitness, is affirmed in this restaurant. All menus consist of medicinal plants that he recommends. It provides 'Pyeonggang Yakgyetang,' 'Pyeonggang Yakseonsanchaejeongsik' which are very healthy and pork cutlets for children.    

Experience & study program 

Education is the duty and responsibility of the garden. This policy existed from the beginning, so an instruction team was specially created to make the garden a professional education centre. Seasonal eco-system experience programs are led by a lecturer referring to a textbook used in elementary schools. This program is very popular since children can directly see, hear, touch, taste and smell real plants. In addition, there are many other programs like dyeing handkerchiefs with colors from flowers, making wooden necklaces and changing flower pots. The works can be taken home after the programs. Pyeonggang tries to make new programs each year and develop programs combined with science and the emotions.  

To be a botanical garden for the promotion of health 

Pyeonggang is establishing 'Yakchowon' to cultivate, maintain and preser

ve numerous medicinal plants systematically. If completed, 'Yakchowon' will contribute to the study and the development of herbal medicine in the country.

"Pyeonggang Botanical Garden will encourage the culture of botanical gardens in Korea and contribute to obtaining plant gene resources as well as provide people with a space within the eco-education field." says the chief, Lee Hwan-Yong, announcing his expectations and hopes. Even now, he and all the garden's staff are struggling to make the best botanical garden to promote our fellow citizens' health.

[Information]
Opening Hours
May-October: 9am-6pm
November-April: 8:30am-5:30pm
The entrance is limited 1hour prior to closing
Open 365 days a year.
Contact 031)531-7751

Admission fee
Adult (aged 18-64):5,000won, Student:4,000won, Children aged under 7 :3,000won  

Discount rate
A group of 30, Physically challenged, Soldiers, Veterans : 1,000won discount
Over 65years of age: 2,000won discount
Babies : free
Umulmok residents : free(ID card required) Sanjeongri residents : 50% discount(ID card required)  

How to get there:
Web search : '평강식물원’ ‘산정호수’ ‘산정호수 한화콘도’
Address : 경기도 포천시 영북면 산정리 668

By car
*From Gimpo airport, Incheon, Ilsan
Seoul Ring Road toward Songchu and Uijeongbu - way out via Songchu IC and take national road #39 and go straight to Uijeongbu - turn left at Gyeongmin University intersection and take the underpass - take national road #43 toward Pocheon and go straight - pass by Udumji Pension and Ungoksanjeonghosu Eustown and turn right after 700m at Jeongsu Restaurant 3-way junction across a bridge - there is a road sign guiding you to Pyeonggang Botanical Garden.
*From Gangnam, Guri, Namyangju
Seoul Ring Road toward Guri, Twegewon - over Guri IC way out of Twegewon IC - Sano IC and take national road #43 toward Pocheon - Bears town - pass by Ildong, Eedong, and Jamyang sam bridge and turn left at Eedong 3-way junction and take national road #78 toward Sanjeonghosu - there is a road sign guiding you to Pyeonggang Botanical Garden.  

Public transfortation
From Dong Seoul terminal, Uijeongbu terminal
Bus to Pocheon, Uncheon - get off at Uncheon (1hour 30minutes) - transfer to a bus for Sanjeonghosu and get off at Jeongsu Restaurant - go on foot for 30minutes to Pyeonggang Botanical Garden
(taxi available)  

Contact

Pocheon Culture Department Office 031)538-2068

the source -
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