Mulhyanggi Arboretum

Mulhyanggi Arboretum is a Gyeonggi provincial garden just a five-minute walk from Osan University Station on Seoul Subway Line 1. As the name ("scent of water") suggests, it specialises in water-loving plants, with paths winding between ponds and wetlands, and in autumn the maple garden and dawn redwoods turn red and gold. Entry is free, so it is an easy place to spend a relaxed day.

From forestry station to arboretum

A forestry experiment station moved to this land in 1937, and for decades after the war Gyeonggi Province's forest researchers grew and tested trees here. The province decided to open part of the grounds to the public, started building the arboretum in 2000 at a cost of about KRW 7 billion and opened it in May 2006. The name comes from the local district, Sucheong-dong, meaning "place of clear water".

The arboretum now covers 35 hectares, with 25 themed gardens and about 2,015 plant species. It is still run by the Gyeonggi Forest Environment Research Institute, which offers guided forest walks and hands-on programmes.

What to see

• Water gardens: the wetland garden, aquatic plant garden and moisture-loving plant garden follow a chain of ponds. In autumn the conifers standing at the water's edge turn gold and are mirrored in the ponds.
• Maple garden and dawn redwoods: the busiest part of the arboretum in late October and early November, when red maples and russet dawn redwoods colour together.
• Korean pine garden, maze and topiary: a collection of native pines, a hedge maze that children love and shrubs clipped into animal shapes.
• Greenhouse: warm-climate and tropical plants, worth a visit in winter.
• Forest paths: the natural woodland section, with bamboo groves and boardwalks, stays shady even in midsummer.
• Fruit tree and native plant gardens: collections of fruit trees and of trees native to the hills of central Korea, at their best in autumn when fruit and leaves colour together.

Learning programmes

Because a forest research institute still runs the arboretum, there are plenty of educational programmes: green classes for primary school children, guided forest walks for adults and seasonal hands-on activities. If you are coming with children, check the schedule on the website first.

Tripto tips

• Opening hours: 09:00–18:00 from March to October and 09:00–17:00 from November to February. Last entry is one hour before closing.
• Closed: every Monday (the next day if Monday is a public holiday), 1 January, and the Seollal and Chuseok holidays.
• Admission: free. The car park fills early at weekends, so the train is the better option.
• Getting there: Line 1 to Osan University Station, Exit 2, then about a five-minute walk. The address is 211 Cheonghak-ro, Osan.
• Time needed: 90 minutes to 2.5 hours for a loop of the main gardens.
• Best time: April–May for blossom and fresh leaves, late October to early November for autumn colour. Weekend afternoons in the foliage season get crowded, so arrive at opening time.