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Busan Metropolitan City to Launch “2026 Citizen Gardener Experiential Garden Academy – Beginner Course”

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Busan Metropolitan City, led by Mayor Park Heong-joon, announced that it will operate the “2026 Citizen Gardener Experiential Garden Academy – Beginner Course” from April 11 to June 20 in order to expand citizen-led garden culture and establish a foundation for urban green activities.

This course is distinguished by its practical, hands-on program in which citizens directly participate and experience activities, moving beyond traditional theory-centered education.

The curriculum has been designed to balance foundational theory with field-based practice so that participants can develop the ability to understand and cultivate gardens in their daily lives.

In particular, reflecting the growing public interest in lifestyle gardens and urban gardens, the program focuses on garden creation and management techniques that can be immediately applied in real life, and is structured as practical training applicable not only to private residential spaces but also to public spaces.

In addition, the program direction has been set to simultaneously improve environmental awareness and promote community activation through gardening activities.

The course consists of a total of 24 hours and will be held every Saturday from April 11 to June 20.

The curriculum is composed of 10 hours of theoretical education and 14 hours of practical training. The main contents include an overview of citizen gardeners, understanding gardens, stories of garden plants, lifestyle gardens and practical application, and hands-on programs closely related to daily life such as creating a small garden.

Theoretical education will take place at Dong-A University Seunghak Campus, while practical training will be conducted at major garden spaces in Busan, including the Busan Nakdong River Garden, allowing trainees to directly experience the actual process of garden creation and management.

In particular, the practical training is designed to enhance learning effectiveness by enabling participants to experience the entire process step by step, from planting design to construction and maintenance.

Applicants must be Busan citizens interested in gardening activities, and a total of 30 participants will be selected, including 9 members of the 2025 Busan Nakdong River Garden Supporters.

Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis through the city’s integrated reservation system from 9:00 a.m. on April 1 to 6:00 p.m. on April 3.

The program is free of charge, and participants who attend at least 80 percent of the course and complete the practical training will be awarded a certificate of completion.

Furthermore, participants will be provided with opportunities to continue their involvement by linking them to related programs even after completing the course.

Through this beginner course, the city aims not only to help citizens acquire basic knowledge of gardening but also to establish a foundation for them to grow into key actors in local garden activities.

In the future, the city plans to expand participation by linking graduates of the beginner course to advanced courses, garden volunteer activities, and citizen-participatory garden management.

It also intends to build a network to promote exchanges among citizen gardeners and foster a sustainable garden culture ecosystem.

In particular, this program is meaningful in that it transforms urban green spaces from simple places of rest into everyday spaces for citizen participation and community activities. Through this, garden culture is expected to spread into the daily lives of ordinary citizens rather than being limited to a specific group.

Ahn Cheol-su, Director of the Green City Bureau of Busan Metropolitan City, stated, “Gardens go beyond their function as green spaces that improve the urban environment and are an important element that enhances citizens’ quality of life and community culture. Through this program, we hope to expand a culture in which citizens directly cultivate and participate in urban green spaces, and we will continue to promote citizen-centered garden policies.”