Preservation and restoration of living plant collections on the example of the Buda Arboretum of Corvinus University, Budapest

Abstract

The Buda Arboretum was initiated in the winter of 1893/94. Now it covers 7.5 hectares and is surrounded
by the constantly growing city of Budapest. At present, the Arboretum is under very strong urban effect.
Within the framework of a EU-project “Preservation and Restoration of Living Plant Collections and
Historical Gardens” the Buda Arboretum was profoundly reconstructed and developed between 2010–
2012. There were reconstructed selected objects serving to special purposes, e.g.: 1. Special biotypes
(garden pond and the surrounding wetland, rock-gardens, pergolas for the climbing plants; a retaining
wall giving shelter for the Mediterranean collections; greenhouse as a biotope for tropical and subtropical
plants), 2. The historic geometrical garden part (called Parade Square), 3. Ecological solutions for water
supply, 4. Suppression of invasive species and development of Laurocerasus, Malus, Potentilla, Prunus,
Syringa collections, wetland-perennials, collection of Hungarian bred woody ornamentals introduction
and trial of new Mediterranean species, etc. After reconstruction, the plant material includes over 1,900
woody species and cultivars, more than 240 kinds of bulb-flowers, 500 different perennials, 250 annuals
and round about 300 tropical and subtropical (greenhouse) taxa.