Myeongokheon Garden (담양 명옥헌 원림)

Myeongokheon Garden, located in Damyang County in South Jeolla Province, is a traditional Korean garden centered on a small, rectangular pond fed by a hillside stream. The garden surrounds the historic Myeongokheon pavilion and is renowned for its dense grove of crape myrtle trees, which bloom in mid-to-late summer and frame the still water in vivid color. Designated a natural monument, the site represents the restrained aesthetic of Joseon-era scholar gardens. Visitors can walk the stone-edged pond path, observe the forested hillside, and experience one of Korea's most celebrated examples of classical garden design outside of a palace setting.