The Korea Arboreta and Gardens Institute is paving the way for Korean-style gardens abroad. The institute, operating under the Korea Forest Service, showcased the beauty and traditional philosophy of Korean gardens on a global stage by setting up a special garden at the International Horticultural Expo in Doha, Qatar, last October. This garden, covering 1,200 square meters, created an oasis in the desert using 350 trees, 600 shrubs and 1,500 herbaceous plants, sourced locally.
According to the institute, the project showed that Korea's gardening skill could match up to global gardening standards. "Constructed at the Al Bidda Park in Doha, the Korean garden offers a contemporary reinterpretation of traditional Korean gardens, primarily using local materials to enhance sustainability," said Kang Shin-koo, business director of the Korea Arboreta and Gardens Institute. He then mentioned that the institute is proactively assisting emerging domestic garden designers to establish a larger presence abroad.
For instance, the Korea Arboreta and Gardens Institute supported Hwang Ji-hae, a garden designer who won a gold prize last May at the Chelsea Flower Show, a garden festival held in the UK. The institute assisted her with design and video production. With the institute's support, Hwang has continued her efforts to showcase Korean gardens worldwide, including her “Sunkiss” garden presented at this year's Singapore Garden Festival held from Aug.
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