Flower Guest Project, Gochang

In autumn, a farm at the foot of Seonunsan Mountain in Gochang looks as if it has been covered in pink mist. Flower Guest Project (Kkotgaek Project) is a farm-style garden described as the first registered private garden in Jeonbuk Province, where seasonal flowers are planted among garden trees that are close to half a century old. The name means roughly "guests who come for the flowers", and that is exactly who it opens its gates for.

A garden made by a returning farmer

The project began when a farmer who had moved back to the countryside to look after his parents turned the family yard and fields into flower beds. By October 2019 the garden was already holding a month-long pink muhly festival, and it has since run a series of seasonal "flower parties". The owners' house and yard sit in the middle of the garden, and the beds around them are laid out in sections, so you can walk between the rows without stepping on the plants. Photo spots and rest corners are dotted around the beds, and the owners' yard itself is open as part of the walk, which makes it feel like being invited into someone's private garden.

What you will see

• Pink muhly: the signature plant. The feathery heads start turning pink in mid-September, peak in October and take on a deeper purple tone towards late autumn. The colour looks best in low morning or late-afternoon light.
• Autumn beds: cockscomb, zinnia, globe amaranth and kochia grow between the muhly. The planting and the festival names (Gochang Pink Muhly Festival, Gochang Cockscomb Festival and others) change a little from year to year.
• Garden café and rest areas: there is an outdoor garden café and a separate area where you can stay with your pets.
• Mountain backdrop: the forest of Seonunsan rises right behind the garden, so green ridges frame the flower fields.

Tripto tips

• Getting there: the address is 307 Bokbunja-ro, Buan-myeon, Gochang-gun. Leave the Seohaean Expressway at Seonunsan IC, head towards Seonunsa Temple and turn off the main road into a short village lane. There is a car park; public transport is impractical, so driving is the realistic option.
• Hours and tickets: the published visitor information gives opening hours of 09:00–18:00 and admission of KRW 5,000, with combined tickets that include a drink or dessert voucher. It closes in winter and rest days vary, so check the notices on the official blog before you go.
• When to go: for pink muhly, aim for late September to October. Weekend middays get busy; arriving at opening time makes photos much easier.
• Time needed: about 1 hour for the garden.
• Etiquette: the garden is attached to a family home. Do not step into the beds for photos or pick flowers, and take your rubbish with you.
• Combine with: Seonunsa Temple and the Midang Poetry Museum are each roughly a 10-minute drive away, which makes an easy autumn day out. The Seonunsa valley is known for red spider lilies in September and for its late-autumn colour, so the two pair well.