Gardens and arboretums in Poland

The tripto catalogue lists 77 gardens, arboretums and landscaped parks – from historic city gardens to tree collections spread over dozens of hectares.

The Japanese Garden in Wrocław was created in 1913 in Szczytnicki Park: it has a pond with an ornamental bridge, cascades and about 200 plant species, and is open from April to October. The Saxon Garden in Warsaw was Poland's first public park, opened in 1727, with Marconi's fountain and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The Wojsławice Arboretum near Niemcza holds Poland's largest collections of rhododendrons and daylilies. The University of Warsaw Botanic Garden, founded in 1818 next to Łazienki, has glasshouses, a rose garden and about 5,000 plant species. The SGGW Arboretum in Rogów has more than 3,300 plants and is at its best in autumn, and the Moravian Gate Arboretum in Racibórz covers 162 hectares of forest and is free.

Most gardens and arboretums are in the Silesian region (close to 20) and Lower Silesia (over a dozen), followed by Greater Poland and Masovia (a handful each). Warsaw and Wrocław lead among cities.

In practice: allow about an hour for a garden and half a day for a large arboretum. Tickets usually cost 20–30 zł, and some gardens are free (such as the arboretums in Racibórz and Zielonka). The season usually runs from April to October: rhododendrons and magnolias bloom in spring, and tree collections look best in autumn. In winter many gardens close parts of their grounds, but glasshouses and palm houses stay open.