Botanical gardens with dazzling spring blooms

One of the oldest of the Hungarian arboretums, the National Botanical Garden of Vácrátót has a history of more than 230 years. Trees, shrubs, perennials, rock garden plants, greenhouse collections: with around 13,000 species, it has the richest collection of living plants in the country. The arboretum, which used to be a former count’s castle garden, houses the Seed Bank Collection, permanent exhibitions, greenhouses, a water mill, and it also hosts the “Garden Cubed” science communication event.

You can also walk alone through the collection of plants with ponds, romantic corners and paths, but it is highly recommended to take a guided experience walk! Of course, each season brings a different attraction to visit, one of the most beautiful of which is the tulip grove that blooms in April. This special plant is loved by almost everyone, but few people know about the crimes associated with it, why the Dutch ate the bulbs that were worth a fortune, and the journey the flower has made over the centuries. In addition to the fascinating cultural history of the tulip, you can also see the 50,000 colourful tulips blooming in the garden.

In one of the most exclusive botanical gardens in Vas county, the white pearl-gravel paths are lined with purple crocus carpeting. The Arboretum in Kámon has a lot to offer to lovers of beautiful gardens, but one of its most beautiful features is the spring crocus blossom. Take a stroll through the purple saffron grove in the northern part of the garden and relax on a bench in the intoxication of scents. Once you have had your fill, there is still plenty to discover in the Szombathely arboretum, which covers an area of 27 hectares and is home to 3200 species of trees and shrubs. Be sure to visit the rose collection with more than 500 rose species and the unique cactus garden. But above all, let us dare to wander, even to get lost. During the pleasant walk, you can stumble upon fantastic things: small ponds, secret bridges, hidden waterfalls, giant trees and lots of colourful and fragrant plants!

If you want to see something really special in May, head to the Jeli Magic Garden, where the beautiful azaleas are just opening their fragrant petals. This is the peak flowering period, which means that the earlier-flowering, fragrant deciduous species and the later-flowering, large-flowered evergreens are in full colour (and fragrance) at the same time. In the 100-hectare garden, 300 species of Rhododendrons add a splash of colour to the paths. During this 2-3 week phenomenon, thousands of azaleas bloom in the magic garden. We would happily prescribe a stupefied, intoxicated stroll among the beautiful bushes, which affects all our senses.

And while we are here, let’s visit the rest of the arboretum, as there is so much more to see and do! You could feel like you are in Spain, the Appalachian Mountains, Asia Minor or Japan, thanks to the Landscape Areas section, or climb up to 10 metres in the Forest of Giants. This last site offers a bird’s-eye view of the native birdlife from an exciting Lombkorona (Canopy) walkway winding through the trees. Wherever you go in the Jeli Magic Garden, it is worth getting lost a little bit in time and space – you are unlikely to regret it.