Szarvas Arboretum

1. BGs as living treasuries – maintenance and development of living collections

Hungary’s largest arboretum consists of 5 collections and covers 82 hectares. The central part is the ‘Pepi Garden’, a 150-year-old collection planted by the Bolza Family.

2. BGs as green laboratories – scientific activities and research infrastructure

Groundwater movements are regularly controlled, tree condition surveys with the “Fakopp” instrument and plant propagation experiments in the greenhouse are carried out. A micropropagation laboratory is available for visiting researchers.

3. BGs as experience-based class-rooms – education activities and infrastructure

The permanent programmes for primary school children include: naturalist camps, herb walks, “busy ants” as litter-pickers. Middle school students volunteer in daily activities.

4. BGs as custodians of biodiversity – conservation activities, saving endangered species, gene banking

In the arboretum’s collections of various ages, the registration of plants in the gene bank and the conservation and propagation of living plants as genetic material have been carried on since 1984.

5. BGs as perpetuators of cultural heritage

The features of the landscape garden, created in the late 1800s, are maintained and enriched in the spirit of the ideas of its founder, Count Pál Bolza.

6. BGs as eco-attractions – recreation areas, touristic activities and operations, visitor experience and comfort

With 150,000 visitors a year, it is the most visited botanical garden in Hungary. A variety of activities are offered for all ages and interests: running races, disc golf competitions, night owl, bat tours and night quizzes, classical music concerts, etc.