Seodaemun-gu Creates 'Hanppyeom Garden' Green Spaces Beneath Street Trees

Seodaemun-gu has created 18 "hanppyeom garden," or "palm-sized garden," spaces along Sinchon-ro, transforming idle ground beneath street trees into lifestyle-oriented green patches that bring nature closer to residents' daily lives.

The gardens feature a harmonious mix of plants that display different colors across the seasons — including nandina, daffodils, roses, golden spirea, hydrangeas and sedge — adding vibrancy to the urban streetscape.

In sections with heavy foot traffic, the district installed artificial turf mats. It used in-house staff and a resident-led maintenance system to improve efficiency and long-term sustainability.

The district pursued the initiative to increase urban green coverage and improve growing conditions for street trees, while also addressing safety hazards caused by lifting guards around aging trees, pedestrian inconvenience from root upheaval, and weed growth at the base of street trees.

The project has expanded in phases since 2021. Last year, the district planted hollyhocks at 24 hanppyeom garden sites along Tongil-ro, drawing a positive response from pedestrians.

To date, Seodaemun-gu has completed green space improvements and liriope planting at more than 2,500 sites along major tree-lined streets in the district — including Yeonhui-ro, Moraenae-ro, Chungjeong-ro, Jeungga-ro, Gajwa-ro and Susaek-ro. The district plans to continue expanding the program as it works toward safer and more pleasant street environments.