Arboretum, Erdotelek

More than 700 tree species live in the 7-hectare land of the arboretum designated as protected in 1950. The hardy rubber tree (Eucommia ulmoides) is rare in Hungary.

A huge Crimean linden (Tilia euchlora) welcomes visitors at the entrance. Under this giant are more than 30 types of small ground cover bushes and dwarf pines in a circular bed. On the other side of the entrance a box-leaf euonymus, a creeping juniper, a wintergreen barberry and the colourful flowers of heathers delight the eye.

The cold winter in 1985 damaged the spiky leafed evergreen holly (Ilex aquifolium) located at the mansion's wall facing towards the garden. The very slow growing yew trees (Taxus baccata) are particularly interesting as their fruits are not red but a rarer yellow. The heavily scented Japanese juniper (Juniperus procumbens) is one of the largest in Hungary.

The silk pine in the east of the garden is a rarity in Hungary; its bark is different from other pines. The cracked bark which comes off in large pieces is green while its greyish brown needles hang in branches. The huge beach (Fagus sylvatica) is an unusual sight in the Great Plain. However it is a natural habitat for the common oak (Quercus robur) which is probably over 100 years old.

All sorts of ornamental shrubbery can be found in the garden such as cotoneaster, weigela and lilac. The trumpet-shaped flowers of the trumpet creeper (Campsis radicans) are in their full scarlet splendour in August and the giant reed (Arundo donax) which rises like a living wall is fantastic sight. Some dwarf alberta spruce (Picea glauca 'Conica') are also found here. The collection of the several hundred dahlias is delightful.

The colourful bushes, evergreens and trees with their huge tent-like foliage in summer today number in excess of 700. The 550-millimetre annual precipitation which falls here on the Great Plain (Alföld) is insufficient for the large number of trees growing here. The small brook, Hanyi, compensates for the insufficient rainfall by keeping the level of the underground water high.

The garden was created in the early 1900's by the Dr József Kovács Jnr., a physician and a passionate botanic. Next to the arboretum is an ornamental tree nursery in which trees in the arboretum are propagated.