Plants that participants wanted to grow included vegetables, flowers, fruit trees, medicinal crops, and grains. (image: Seoul Nowon District Office)
SEOUL, Apr. 2 (Korea Bizwire) — A recent survey has revealed that most South Koreans think that apartment complexes need vegetable gardens.
The Rural Development Administration (RDA) released the results of a survey on Monday conducted from April to July last year.
According to the survey of 586 adults aged 19 or older, 95.6 percent, or 560 of the respondents, said they wanted their apartment complex to have a garden.
In the survey, the RDA asked about the necessity and purpose of the residential areas of apartments, preferences for farming and gardening activities, preferences for plants, the necessary facilities and support for apartments, and demand for gardening programs.
Respondents cited “increasing enjoyment and satisfaction” as the primary purpose of an apartment complex’s vegetable garden, followed by “accommodating exchanges and friendships with neighbors,” “reducing anxiety or depression,” “child education and learning,” and “enhancing family relationships.”
Among the activities to be introduced at apartment gardens, 42 percent favored plant cultivation such as seed sowing and harvesting activities.
Cooking activities such as making tea and pickles also accounted for 24.2 percent of the total.
Plants that participants wanted to grow included vegetables, flowers, fruit trees, medicinal crops, and grains.
The RDA is working on a pilot project to develop a 300-square-meter vegetable garden at an apartment complex in North Jeolla Province from this month to November, and plant 10 kinds of vegetables, including lettuce, and five to six kinds of herbaceous flowers, including garden zinnia.
D. M. Park (dmpark@koreabizwire.com)
