Winter getaway without the travel

Seoul Botanic Park, the largest indoor botanical garden in the country, in Magok-dong, on the western edge of Seoul, is a four-story greenhouse that showcases unmatched varieties of plants from tropical to Mediterranean plans in two separate gardens.

The Tropical Garden houses plants native to four countries: Indonesia, Vietnam, Brazil and Colombia. Plants indigenous to Greece, Italy, Spain, Turkey Uzbekistan, Australia, South Africa and the US make up the Mediterranean Garden.

“The tropical space works more for me now, because it’s freezing cold out,” said Kim Hyun-gil, a retiree from Incheon who came looking for “someplace warm and cozy.”

Kim, clad in a puffer jacket he had unzipped the moment he stepped inside the garden, added that he didn’t mind the humid air inside the warm greenhouse.

“We’ve gotten used to it. Of course, it felt stuffy at first but repeat visits have made us increasingly tolerant,” said Ham Young-sun, Kim’s wife. The couple said they travel from Incheon to the park at least once a year, but always on a Tuesday.

The park, open year-round except Mondays, appears least crowded the following day, giving them space to stroll at their own pace, according to the couple. The park website recommends visiting on weekend mornings for a more comfortable experience.

Park Mi-jung, a mother of two preteens, came out with the children to see the Mediterranean Garden for herself after finding it “exotic yet familiar” in online ads promoting the park.

“The kids seem to like it too,” she said. “My favorite is the audio guide that walks me through every plant on display,” she added, referring to an app visitors can download to their smartphone upon scanning QR codes on each plant label. The audio tour is provided in Korean, English and Chinese.

A walkway overlooking both gardens on the second floor caps the garden tour, leading to the Seed Library.

Since 2019, the library has been freely lending seeds to encourage gardening.

“Learning how to germinate seeds is a rewarding and soothing experience, and we have long wanted to build a culture around it,” said Kim Soo-hyun, an official who has been with the park for the past six years, and is also filling in for the librarian for the time being.

The seed catalogs are lined up in the order of difficulty germinating them, with canola and buckwheat the most recommended to novice gardeners, according to Kim.

“Borrowers span the old and the young, and Koreans and foreign nationals,” Kim added, saying preschoolers often visit the library in groups to grow their garden at the kindergarten.

The library’s proximity to Gimpo International Airport, a 15-minute drive, has helped attract overseas visitors, Kim said of its growing popularity among them.

“Winter is undoubtedly the peak season for the library,” Kim said, describing the season as a time to try indoor gardening.

Song Ji-hee, a first-timer looking to take advantage of the advice offered at the library, said she was surprised at the seed variety available and how the library lends again as long as the borrower returns new seeds from successful germination.

A special exhibition entitled “Rhythm: Being Two in Nature” is taking place through March 9, asking visitors to rethink the harmony between natural and artificial objects.

“Creature” by installation artist Lee Byung-chan, a mixed media work of plastics and packing films knit together with used air motors, is on display suspended from the ceiling.

A video on site explains Lee’s work in detail.

“Just as beats come together to become a tempo and tempos come together to form a rhythm, we hoped to create new, unique rhythms by bringing natural and artificial beings together,” a park official said of the inspiration that led to the exhibition.

Seoul Botanic Park is operating on its winter schedule through the end of February. The themed gardens and the greenhouse are open from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the ticket booths closing at 4 p.m.