Arboretum Trsteno, Dubrovnik

Trsteno Arboretum and Botanical Garden is located in Trsteno, which is located about 15 km from Dubrovnik. It is the oldest and the only arboretum in the Croatian part of the Mediterranean. The Renaissance and the unique richness is seen combining natural and cultural heritage. Known for its collection of exotic plant species and the historic gardens, and on the square in front of the town there are examples of trees, unique in Europe which are older than 400 years.

Trsteno was founded in 1948, the area of historic properties country Dubrovnik noble family Gučetić-Gozze, as a whole is legally protected as a monument of landscape architecture. In its area of 25 hectares, arboretum encompasses several different sections: a historical park with with Renaissance villas, historical neo-Romanesque park from 19th to 20th century, the historic olive grove and natural vegetation, forests of oak, Aleppo pine and cypress trees, riparian vegetation, underbrush and rocks. Activities arboretum is based on maintaining the cultural, historical and natural heritage, the protection and study of biological diversity, making a living collection and research on the history of excellent architecture.

The characteristic is the main promenade with double row of columns wearing a pergola of vines. The compositional axis of the garden are strung all the architectural elements: the Pavilion, a mansion, chapel of Saint Jerome, green loggias, fountains and aqueducts.

The collection of cultivated plants is about 400 varieties are classified into 100 families and they are the greatest offense in the Renaissance garden. According to the origin of most of them are Asian, Mediterranean and European plants, and has a significant number of the U.S. Thanks to the great number of Dubrovnik ships, the new plants have begun to arrive in Dubrovnik gardens overseas routes. In the late 19th and early 20th century, the park is enriching many different plants from all over: Canary Island Date Palm, Washingtonia, Palmetto High, a small palmetto, Virginia persimmon, ginkgo, Rooster crests, extrinsic pepper, Rubber tree, yellow and black bamboo, Bank’s rose...