The M. M. Hryshko National Botanical Garden of the NAS of Ukraine (locally just “Hryshko botanical garden”) is Ukraine’s largest botanical garden and a favourite spring walk for Kyiv residents. Magnolias, a lilac collection, hundreds of peony varieties and the country’s largest rose garden bloom here, with views over the Dnipro and Vydubychi Monastery. Here is what blooms when, how to get there by metro, what a ticket costs, when the greenhouses are open and where to take the best photos.
More on this topic: when lilac blooms, when peonies bloom, Lviv Botanical Garden, declaring love with flowers.
Botanist Volodymyr Lypskyi proposed a large botanical garden for Kyiv back in 1918, and in 1935 the decision was made to create it at Zvirynets, on the Pechersk slopes above the Dnipro. Its collections were looted during the Nazi occupation, and after the war director Mykola Hryshko, whose name it now bears, rebuilt it. It officially opened to visitors in 1964.
Today it is the National Botanical Garden of the NAS of Ukraine, almost 130 hectares — the country’s largest by the diversity of its collections, with over 10,000 species, forms and cultivars from around the world. It sits on the hills between Zvirynets and Vydubychi Monastery, offering some of the best views of the Dnipro and the Left Bank. The address is 1 Sadovo-Botanichna St.
Hryshko is really several themed gardens, each with its own season. The main ones:
In spring people most often ask what is in bloom at the Kyiv botanical garden right now, but the garden is worth a visit all year. Below is an approximate calendar: dates shift by 1–2 weeks each year depending on the weather, so check the garden’s news before you go.
Hryshko Botanical Garden is open daily. The details below are current at the time of writing (2026); hours and prices can change, so check the garden’s official website before you go.
Ticket prices: adults and students — 150 UAH, schoolchildren — 100 UAH. Greenhouse entry is paid separately — another 100 UAH. Free entry for children under 6, pensioners by age, war veterans, people with group I–III disabilities and combat veterans with ID.
During an air-raid alert ticket sales may be paused and the greenhouses closed, so check the situation in the city before setting off.
Address: 1 Sadovo-Botanichna St, Kyiv (Pecherskyi district). The nearest metro stations are Pecherska and Zvirynetska on the green line.
The garden is large and hilly, so plan your route. A convenient option from the main entrance:
There is another entrance near Vydubychi Monastery, so you can walk right through and leave from the other side — just check that entrance is open on the day.
Kyiv guides and media reports about Hryshko Botanical Garden most often mention a few things:
The most common tip is to come on a weekday morning at peak bloom, because weekends are very crowded.
The garden’s best photo spots by season:
In the city centre, by Universytet metro, is Kyiv University’s O. V. Fomin Botanical Garden, the oldest in Kyiv, with a tall palm house and a cactus collection. It is smaller but easy to combine with a city walk.Read more in Fomin Botanical Garden, and see our guide to botanical gardens of Ukraine.
You can’t take the garden’s peonies, lilac and roses home, but you can order a similar bouquet: flowers delivered in Kyiv, delivered on the day of your date.
See roses and flowers in a box.
At the time of writing (2026), 150 UAH for adults and 100 UAH for schoolchildren. Check before visiting.
Roughly late March to mid-April.
Walk from Zvirynetska metro, or take bus 62 or trolleybus 14 from Pecherska. Address: 1 Sadovo-Botanichna Street.
Usually early May, or late April in warm years.
It was created by a 1935 decision and officially opened to visitors in 1964.
Over 10,000 species, forms and cultivars — about 565 peony cultivars and over 500 roses alone.
Near Vydubychi Monastery within the garden; the tree is 150–200 years old.
Author: Maria Svitlovir
Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.
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