Namhae Seomi Garden: Nine Terraced Plots Transformed into Flowers

Hwajeon (Flower Field): How Namhae’s Terraced Rice Fields Became Seomi Garden in 2016

Seomi Garden is a private garden created in the old terraced rice fields on a hill in Yugumaeul, at 1534-110 Nam-myeon-ro, Nam-myeon, Namhae-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do. Namhae has long been known by the nickname “Hwajeon (Flower Field),” meaning a field of flowers, and the regional cultural context of scholar Kim Gu, who was exiled to Namhae during the reign of King Jungjong of Joseon and left behind the Hwajeon Byeolgok, is also reflected in the garden’s name.

Representative Cha Myeong-ho selected this site as the foundation for a garden in 2007, began creating flower beds in 2009, and opened it to the public in June 2016. The total area is 15,000㎡, and it was registered as Private Garden No. 1 in Gyeongsangnam-do. The key feature is that the differing elevations and stone walls of the terraced fields, which once grew spinach and garlic, were preserved and used as the garden’s framework.

Nine Gardens and the Terraced Flower Path across 15,000㎡

The garden is not one large flower bed but consists of nine small gardens, with rice fields at different elevations divided like separate “rooms.” The Stone Wall Garden, Fish Garden, Winter Garden, Monet’s Courtyard, Sky Pond, Hide-and-Seek Garden, and Forest Path, among others introduced by Namhae Culture and Tourism, are arranged along the lines of the existing field ridges and stone walls.

The Terraced Flower Path connecting the Water Sound Garden and the Sunken Garden is the section where the changes in terrain are felt most directly. It has a small pond, fountains, and benches, while the path opens toward views of the sea of Hallyeohaesang National Park, with Godongsan surrounding the rear. If the purpose is simply to take a few photos, about 30 minutes is sufficient; if you plan to follow the paths through each garden and have tea, allow approximately 1 to 1.5 hours.

09:00–18:00, Adults KRW 6,000: What to Know Before the Unmanned Ticket Booth

According to the official visitor information, the operating hours are 09:00–18:00 daily, and no regular closing day is currently listed separately. Admission is KRW 6,000 for adults, KRW 5,000 for seniors, KRW 4,000 for teenagers, and KRW 3,000 for children. The policy explicitly states that admission fees are not refundable due to rain, so on rainy days it is safest to decide first whether you still wish to visit.

Admission has previously operated through an unmanned self-service ticketing system, so it is advisable to prepare a means of payment for use on site. The official website is https://seomigarden.com, and no inquiry phone number was found in the official information. Recheck the website notices immediately before visiting to confirm whether the garden is operating and the condition of seasonal flowers. Next to the unmanned ticket booth inside the garden is a Garden Tea Shop offering handmade flower tea and black tea.

• Address: 1534-110 Nam-myeon-ro, Nam-myeon, Namhae-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do
• Hours: 09:00–18:00
• General admission: KRW 6,000
• Rain-related refunds: Not available

From Daffodils to Camellias: The Seasonal Sequence of More Than 400 Species

Approximately 400 plant species are planted at Seomi Garden. Official and tourism materials identify daffodils, forget-me-nots, Japanese iris, marguerites, hydrangeas, sage, silver grass, and camellias as representative plantings. Rather than visiting specifically to see one particular flower, it is therefore best to check the blooming notices for the date of your visit.

In spring, the garden centers on daffodils, forget-me-nots, and marguerites; in early summer, Japanese iris and hydrangeas; from summer through autumn, sage and silver grass; and in winter, camellias. Because the flower beds are distributed among the terraced fields, blooming may not be uniform. If visiting around the boundary between seasons, it is more realistic to plan a walk that includes the stone walls, ponds, and sea views rather than relying on the phrase “full bloom.”

From Gacheon Daraengi Village to Seomi Garden: The Nam-myeon Route on Baragil Spur Course 04

Seomi Garden is a stop along Namhae Baraegil Spur Course 04. The course runs from Gacheon Daraengi Village through Bitdamchon, Seongu Health Center, Hyangchon Mongdol Beach, Seochon Beach, Treasure Island Camping Site, Seomi Garden, Yugubangpaje, Namhae Baraegil Small Art Museum, and Pyeongsan Port.

A travel article by the Korea Tourism Organization explains that Seomi Garden can be reached by walking uphill for about 20 minutes from Yugumaeul with the sea behind you. However, the entrance to the garden is on a slope, and no walking directions based on ordinary city-bus stops or station exits in the vicinity have been confirmed. A rental car or taxi is more convenient. Namhae-gun’s official one-day Course A includes Seomi Garden as the next destination after German Village and the Exhibition Hall for Dispatched Miners, Dolchanggo, Geumsan and Boriam, and Daraengi Village.

• Walking access reference: About 20 minutes uphill from Yugumaeul
• Connected walking trail: Namhae Baraegil Spur Course 04
• Official Course A order: Seomi Garden after Daraengi Village
• Detailed public transportation routes and parking fees: No verifiable official information available

The Terraced-Field Elevations Suit Flat-Ground Walkers Better Than Strollers or Wheelchairs

The terraced-field terrain that gives Seomi Garden its appeal also creates mobility limitations. The garden follows the varying levels of the fields, stone walls, and sloping walking paths, and official information does not confirm whether the entire route is accessible to wheelchairs or strollers or provide details about accessible facilities. If you use a mobility aid, visit with a companion and contact the garden in advance to ask about the route and restroom accessibility.

Visitors staying to take photographs may overlap with those slowly touring the garden. Rather than leaving after seeing only Monet’s Courtyard and Sky Pond immediately after entering, it is easier to understand the space by walking in sequence through the Stone Wall Garden, fountains, and Forest Path as well. Some sections may have little shade at midday, so it is advisable to bring a hat and water and wear shoes with good slip resistance. Also take into account the policy that admission fees are not refundable on rainy days.

How to Combine a Day Along Namhae’s Southern Coast from Yugumaeul, Nam-myeon

If Seomi Garden is your only destination, the visit can be completed in about an hour. However, Namhae-gun places Daraengi Village and Seomi Garden on the same official Course A. Seeing the agricultural landscape of Daraengi Village first and then comparing it with how the terraced fields were transformed into a garden at Seomi Garden makes Nam-myeon’s sloping agricultural terrain a common theme of the trip.

If you walk Namhae Baraegil Spur Course 04, you can start at Gacheon Daraengi Village, pass through Seomi Garden, and continue toward Yugubangpaje and Pyeongsan Port. Conversely, if traveling by car, combining Daraengi Village and Seomi Garden, and extending the trip to Geumsan and Boriam or German Village on Namhae-gun’s Course A only when time allows, will reduce travel fatigue. As the garden is located on a hill road in southern Namhae, it is advisable to check the final admission time on site, using the 18:00 closing time as the Standard before sunset.

Eight Practical Visit Facts to Save Before Touring the Garden

Seomi Garden is a private garden opened to the public in June 2016, with terraced fields cultivated since 2007. Remembering the key figures first—15,000㎡ in area, nine small gardens, approximately 400 plant species, operating hours of 09:00–18:00, and a general admission fee of KRW 6,000—makes it easier to plan a visit.

The garden is located at 1534-110 Nam-myeon-ro, Nam-myeon, Namhae-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do, and the official website is https://seomigarden.com. Regular closing days, a representative phone number, the number of available parking spaces, parking fees, foreign-language information, and step-free access throughout the entire route were not confirmed in reliable, up-to-date official materials. Rechecking the website is therefore particularly important before visiting on weekends, rainy days, or with a group.

• Opened: June 2016
• Creation began: 2007
• Area: 15,000㎡
• Small gardens: 9
• Plants: Approximately 400 species
• Hours: 09:00–18:00
• General admission: KRW 6,000
• Official website: https://seomigarden.com