Millennium Juniper in the Garden of Morning Calm!
Our Nami Island experience came to an end and took the ferry boat back to Gapyeong wharf. There's a ferry every 20-30 minutes so it was not very hard to get around. Our next destination was the Garden of Morning Calm, it takes almost an hour of bus trips going there and there was a specific time when the bus stopped at the Gapyeong stop.
We grabbed lunch real quick at a convenience store right opposite the bus stop. There was already a line of commuters taking the bus as well when we reached there but it was important for us to have lunch. The bus came as we were finishing the meal so we hurriedly ran to catch the bus.
While on the bus, we took some shots of the surrounding. It was nice to be inside the bus, we found comfort and we could rest our almost freezing hands.
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So they say no trip to Nami Island is complete without a visit to the Garden of Morning calm and it is true. You must take advantage of the chance, in fact, there's one more place to visit - Petite France but we have to choose only one as we know our time is limited. On our itinerary, we just put Petite France as optional. Unfortunately, we ran out of time and so we were not able to get there.
But it is certainly fine as we already spent lots of time exploring this huge botanical garden. We passed by this glittery hanging bridge, it was nice walking here into the garden. There were only a few people around, I am not sure if it was because there were changes being done to the garden or maybe it was not the most loved season to be here but nonetheless, we were glad there weren't many people.
So you might wonder why my husband's always the subject. Well, at this point, he was not in the mood to take photos because he didn't have any gloves on and so his hands were really freezing the entire time.
Just a few steps into the garden, I was already loving the autumn vibe, although the majority of the plants are already brown and withered, there was still beauty remaining in them. But we can't miss this beautiful tree somehow standing at the center of the landscape!
Millennium Juniper is a 1000-year Chinese Juniper tree that’s become a symbol of the garden. By just simply looking at it from a far, it definitely is gorgeous with its curves and the branches obviously like a bonsai - bent to how the owner wanted it but the difference is that, it isn't a bonsai but a 1000 year old Juniper tree! I am in awe thinking of it as a thousand year old! It's older than my great great grand grand parents!
We can't get enough of it from a far so we have to get nearer and just appreciate it! I took photos of its base up to its tip, it really is amazing to see an ancient tree!
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Here's some information placed right next to this Millennium Juniper:
Millennium Juniper was the sacred tree that watches over a village in Andong until the village was designated as a flooding area and a tree collector recognized its value and beauty. It has been consistently taken care of since then until 2000 when it was known to Professor Sang-kyung Han who founded the Garden of Morning Calm and was transferred to the garden through near a year of preparation and the transportation process bordering on military operation. The tree has been sincerely taken cared of since the transfer and now it welcomes visitors with its brilliance.
It appears that the Millennium Juniper has been taken cared of from the Joseon Dynasty considering its beautiful form and figure rather than it was naturally grown into today. It was named after its estimated age, which was determined to be approximately 1000 years through the comparison with other age-verified junipers that are natural monuments.
It's impressive how they had preserve the juniper. Our jaws dropped while reading the factual information about this tree. Now we have to move forward as there are five different gardens sections in this massive ground that we have to explore!
We past by the Maze and we saw how the garden is now really brown and dry here but the workers were putting up lights and had designed some of the shrubs into mini Christmas trees! They were preparing for the lighting festival, this is for winter and can only be appreciated at night. Here are the festivals in each season:
- Spring: Spring Garden Festival
- Summer: Festival of Roses, Hydrangeas, and Roses of Sharon
- Autumn: Festival of Chrysanthemums and Autumnal Tints
- Winter: Lighting Festival
We move on and followed the pathway from the Maze and saw an interesting house at the distance. We found this as the J's Garden. We are not sure why it's called J's Garden but it was inspired from the countryside houses in Cotswold, UK.
We took photos together here and there were no other tourists around so we also did a kissing photo in front of the house. It's not included here though, teehee! The house is closed and unavailable but it is just there for props of the garden. I guess it might have been used before as a real house but we were just scared to peek into the house, still it looked really nice and photography pleasant
We walked to the left side of J's Garden and we found many viewing decks to see a wider view of the garden! I guess we had covered half of it by that time, I am not sure but we reached this viewing spot that has this site of a Korean house from afar.
Mind you, this spot looked extra beautiful in person! It has this magnificent background of the trees and the almost leafless trees spreading out their branches were mystical. We decided to take photos again here.
We didn't bring a tripod in this trip so we have to make use of our camera bag. Our friends are always amazed at how we get good photos together but they are not aware of how much time we had spent just to get this shot. We have to secure the camera to balance on top of our bag, the viewing deck's floor is made of wood so we got to be careful in walking so not to move the bag, else, it will outbalance the camera and it might fall.
We did a few takes here, timelapse helped as usual! I guess this was the spot that we spent a long time in. We loved the scenery, I watched the sunrays striking through the mountains behind, I could imagine Bella running with Edward in the woods, lol!
But our time was also spent taking lots of photos! The husband was not in the mood to take photos of me so I was the only one who was all out putting the camera in for timelapse if I wanted a couple shot while he would just cooperate. I was okay with the set up though as long as he won't complain. Haha!
We moved on and reached the morning calm walk. This is a forest trail into the woods of Korean pine trees. It connects the Korean Garden to the Moonlight Garden. There were some plants on the side in green but they seemed lifeless. I think they had flowered before too but now dead because of the change of season.
Along the path, we took photos of the flowers which had still survived up to that day. We decided then not to proceed to the rest of the garden, and you might know why, well, the husband was already tired and sleepy! I wished I could leave him at a corner and I'll proceed going to the Moonlight Garden but of course I have to stick with him. So we ended up going back to the Juniper tree where we started.
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I think I was okay as well going back as the time was also running late. We still have to go back to Seoul and catch the next available bus that will take us to the train station. But as we were going out, I spotted a couple, Koreans I suppose and it just looked like they were on a date or what, they were not holding hands but they seem sweet. Oh yeah, I was already thinking of a K-drama! Whenever I see Korean couples, that's always running in my mind.
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It's funny because as we were about to go to the exhibition room, I spotted a nice area and asked the husband one more time to pose for me. He did willingly though so I am glad! Then we just look at photos of the garden at the exhibition room. It showcases the view of the garden in different seasons, definitely, Spring would be the best time to go here as all the flowers are in bloom, the garden will be in color but for sure it also will be filled with tourists and local visitors by that time!
Nonetheless, we enjoyed our visit and I wish we could have explored the entire garden but its such a huge place that it will require perhaps the entire day! I saw some photos of families just staying here and letting their kids run and play!
Entance fee here by the way is 11,000 KRW, around Php 464.
We got in the bus and my husband was happy again, at last as it was warm inside the bus. While traveling, I tried taking photos again of the houses there, no tall buildings but just small communities, it's actually serene!
Thank you for joining me here at the Garden of Morning Calm!
J U N E B R I D E
Boholana | Cebu | Philippines | Travel | Photography Enthusiast | Calligraphy | Art
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When you share pictures like this, or when I see pictures like this, I feel as if I am living in another world. We, I need to travel and explore more, and these travel articles give me that feeling.
oh..thankyou so much for your comment dear... I appreciate it!
An article showcasing the beauty of Korea. Wishing someday I could visit this wonderful place.
Let's hope and pray for it sis
Speechless! Jaw dropped! Everything around is soooo beautiful
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Thank you dear
Wow @junebride, that's paradise. The architecture and the nature over there are so beautiful. And people did a great job to preserve the nature. The 1000 year trees are really rare. I'm sure you have a good time there with your loved one. Have a nice day.
You are right dear...it was truly an experience
Do you have details sa expenses @junebride? hehe
Around 30k... I'll check sa file if naa pa... Hehe
Sana all nkapag Nami 😱.... Sana ako dn mkapunta hehe
Mangyayari yan soon sis
nindota sad ani na lugar oi! tapos naa pa gyud maayo kaau n mga photographer! sana all jud heheh
these photos that you have shared in this post are impressive, they convey a lot of calm and peace
oh thank you dear....
looks a serene and beautiful place and love that old tree
Thanks for joining the Wednesday Walk :)
Thanks too
Wow! the place is so wonderful. Thanks for sharing it with us @junebride. Upon looking at the pictures, upon looking at those wonderful views I imagined that i was there feeling so relax and calm because of the great surroundings.
thanks a lot sis!