Herb park’s edible exhibit feeds mind and body

Sangsoo Herb Land is an indoor and outdoor herb park that is open to visitors as a tourist attraction while the operator actively farms herbs used in special products.
Consisting of a large greenhouse and cultured grounds, Sangsoo Herb Land is not a place to go if you are seeking something visually pleasing, but it can teach you a lot about herbs and how to incorporate them into your everyday life. That doesn’t mean the place is ugly ― just that rows and rows of green herbs may soon get boring if you don’t know what you're looking at.
This is why Sangsoo Herb Land provides friendly, detailed guided tours (in English), which begin in a small room where the guide gives an overall explanation of the basics of herbs. Information is provided about common herbs such as lavender and mint, as well as tips on how to grow them at home and use them in cooking.
Visitors can choose to continue with the guide or by themselves, looking at the hundreds of types of herbs ― some of which can be plucked, sniffed, rubbed, and chewed. If the weather is nice and time allows, there is also a nice "stress relief path." Inside, there is a special garden of herbs used in aromatherapy. One can also peek through glass windows at a section of the Bio-Herb Research Center, which studies alternative medicine based on herbs and develops herb water, cosmetics and other herb-related products.
A ramble around the grounds can take anywhere from thirty minutes to a couple hours. At any point one can always take a peek at the store or get a nibble to eat.
The store sells Sangsoo herbal tea, which is blended for different purposes ― to aid sleeping or improve vitality and so forth. There are also candles, soap and other herbal and aroma products; most of which have been developed in-house.
There is also a snack bar and restaurant that sells dishes which use herbs. The most famous is kkotbab, which is a concoction of colorful flowers and rice. Unfortunately, I was unable to taste this dish, but did get to taste ice cream that contained bits of rosemary and mint, which left a fresh aftertaste.

by Wohn Dong-hee

"Sangsoo Herb Land" is open daily from 9a.m. to 7p.m. It is located just next to the Cheongwon Interchange on the Gyeongbu Expressway.
For more information, visit www.sangsooherb.com or call 043-277-6633.