Poltava Botanical Garden and Arboretum: What to See

[ГОЛОВНЕ ФОТО (прев’ю): полтавський дендропарк навесні, квітуча галявина]

Poltava has two green spaces people find by searching “botanical garden”: the small Pedagogical University garden, whose glasshouse holds palms, citrus and coffee, and the huge city arboretum of over 120 hectares with a cascade of ponds and viewpoints. Here is how they differ, what blooms there, how to visit and where to go for a romantic walk.

More on this topic: Hryshko Botanical Garden, Dnipro Botanical Garden, when peonies bloom, a romantic picnic.

The Pedagogical University garden

The Botanical Garden of V. G. Korolenko Poltava National Pedagogical University covers about 6 hectares. Once a bishop’s garden and later an agricultural biology station, it became a botanical garden in 1989. It has 136 species of trees and shrubs and an alpine garden with 87 mountain species, some in the Red Book. The glasshouse of about 2,000 m² holds over 600 species: cacti, palms, citrus, a coffee tree and an agave around 40 years old.

The garden is open on weekday daytimes; at the time of writing entry to the grounds is free and the glasshouse costs a small fee, with weekend tours by arrangement. It is tucked away among buildings with few signs, so check how to find the entrance before you go.For other gardens, see our guide to botanical gardens of Ukraine.

Poltava Arboretum

Planting began in spring 1962 on the initiative of dendrologist Yanina Yatsenko, with about 3,000 Poltava residents planting trees on the first day. The park officially opened in 1987 and now covers 124.5 hectares as a landscape monument of national importance. It has 230–260 species of trees and shrubs in themed zones such as Forest-Steppe, Ukrainian Oak Grove, Caucasus and Flowering Meadow. The main entrance is on Yakivchanska Street; entry is free.

[фото: каскад ставків у полтавському дендропарку]

What blooms when

In the botanical garden, magnolias, forsythia and the alpine garden bloom first in spring, followed by peonies, irises, guelder rose, mock orange and hawthorn; the glasshouse flowers all year. The arboretum is loveliest in spring, when the Flowering Meadow comes alive, and in autumn, when the oak groves turn gold. For peony timing, see when peonies bloom.

Romantic spots for a date

For a date in Poltava the arboretum is a top choice: a cascade of ponds, a century-old poplar by the water, viewpoints over the ravines and “Taras’s Willow”, grown from a cutting linked to Shevchenko. It is a great place for a picnic; see a romantic picnic. The botanical garden is cosier, with a shady spring and an alpine garden that becomes a cascade of flowers in spring.

You can’t pick flowers in the park or garden, so order a bouquet for your date or proposal in advance; flower delivery in Poltava helps you present it at the right moment.

[фото: пара на оглядовому майданчику дендропарку Полтави з букетом]

Tips

• The botanical garden opens on weekdays; at weekends, head to the arboretum.
• The arboretum is large and hilly, so wear comfortable shoes.
• Bring a blanket for a picnic and take your rubbish home.
• Do not pick plants; both sites are protected.

A bouquet for a Poltava walk

Roses, seasonal peonies or a boxed arrangement: flower delivery across Poltava makes a date in the arboretum unforgettable.

View full-size photo

See roses and flowers in a box.

View full-size photo

FAQ

Is there a botanical garden in Poltava?

Yes: the Korolenko Pedagogical University garden with a glasshouse, and the large city arboretum.

Is the Poltava arboretum free?

Yes; it is an open city park with free entry.

When is Poltava’s botanical garden open?

On weekday daytimes, with weekend tours by arrangement; check before visiting.

Where to go for an outdoor date in Poltava?

The arboretum: ponds, viewpoints over the ravines and picnic spots.

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.

About the author →