Dendrological Garden in Průhonice

The Dendrological Garden in Průhonice is a nearly 73-hectare research collection of trees, shrubs and perennials, located right next to the UNESCO-listed Průhonice chateau park near Prague. Unlike the neighbouring landscape park created by Count Arnošt Silva-Tarouca, this garden was established later and serves a scientific purpose — it is the experimental site of the Silva Tarouca Research Institute for Landscape and Ornamental Gardening.

How did the garden come to exist?

The story begins in 1922, when Count Arnošt Silva-Tarouca donated part of his land to the Czech Dendrological Society. The collection's real growth, however, came in the 1970s and 1980s, when staff of the research institute shaped much of what visitors see today. The garden opened to the public in 1991, which allowed its educational role to expand alongside ongoing research work.

What can visitors see there?

Today the collection holds around 5,000 taxa of woody plants and perennials, making it one of the largest collections of ornamental plants in the country. The garden's main purpose is research into how individual species can be used in garden and landscape design, so plantings are often arranged to demonstrate practical applications rather than laid out as a strictly systematic botanical catalogue.

How is it different from Průhonice Park?

Průhonice Park, founded by Count Silva-Tarouca in 1885 and inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1992 together with the historic centre of Prague, is a 19th-century work of landscape garden art covering roughly 250 hectares, with a chateau and a collection of nearly 1,900 native and exotic tree species. The Dendrological Garden, although adjacent and tied to the legacy of the same founder, is a separate research institution, today run by the Silva Tarouca Institute. This distinction can be confusing for visitors, since the two sites sit close together and share the same founder's name.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Dendrological Garden the same as Průhonice Park? No. They are two neighbouring but separate sites — the 19th-century chateau park listed by UNESCO, and a newer research garden run by a scientific institute.

When did the garden open to the public? In 1991, after decades of collection development that took place mainly during the 1970s and 1980s.

How many plant species does the garden hold? Around 5,000 taxa of trees, shrubs and perennials.

Which institution manages the garden? The Silva Tarouca Research Institute for Landscape and Ornamental Gardening, for which the garden serves as an experimental site.

How large is the garden? Approximately 73 hectares.