The garden, situated in Al Bidda Park at the 2023 International Horticultural Exhibition in Doha, has received positive reactions from locals and tourists worldwide. (Image courtesy of the Korean Arboreta and Gardens Institute)
SEJONG, Jan. 25 (Korea Bizwire) — The Korean Arboreta and Gardens Institute (KOAGI), with support from the Korea Forest Service, has successfully created a Korean garden in Doha, Qatar, garnering significant attention.
According to KOAGI on January 24, the garden, situated in Al Bidda Park at the 2023 International Horticultural Exhibition in Doha, has received positive reactions from locals and tourists worldwide. Notably, many visiting dignitaries expressed admiration for the Korean garden following the exhibition’s opening.
KOAGI showcased a garden that embodies Korean characteristics, along with smart garden technologies, at the exhibition. Despite challenges in establishing a garden in the desert region of Doha, a dedicated task force expedited the process, creating a 1,200㎡ Korean garden in just one month.
Kang Shin-gu, project director at KOAGI, stated, “We reinterpreted ancient Korean gardens in a modern context, primarily using local materials to enhance sustainability, which proved effective.”
Unlike most overseas Korean gardens replicating traditional designs, Doha’s Korean garden adopts traditional spatial arrangements but reinterprets them innovatively and contemporarily, fitting the local culture and climate.
The garden in Doha features three areas: a residential garden, a mountain and water garden, and an arboretum, inspired by traditional Korean Byulseo gardens. Visitors first encounter the pavilion house space, showcasing smart agricultural technologies and a K-Smart Garden at the entrance.
The mountain and water garden displays a layered wooden representation of Korea’s deep mountain landscapes. The arboretum area symbolizes a traditional Korean garden with a rectangular pond and a wooden deck, offering a view of the pond and the scenic mountain and water garden.
Distinguishing it from other national gardens, KOAGI has planted 350 trees, 600 shrubs, and 1,500 herbaceous plants sourced from Doha.
Ryu Kwang-su, chairman of KOAGI, expressed commitment to promoting K-Garden culture globally, fostering coexistence with nature in the era of climate crisis.
The International Horticultural Exhibition in Doha, which began on October 28 last year, will continue until March 28.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
