Sochi Arboretum

Sochi Arboretum is located in the resort town of Sochi and covers an area of almost 50 hectares. The park collection has over one and a half thousand plants collected from all over the world.

The history of the park began in 1889, when art critic and playwright Khudekov S. N. bought land here under his estate. The estate was built ten years later and named it "Hope" in honor of the wife of the playwright. Near the house there was a park occupying 15 hectares, a garden with peaches and plums was broken nearby. The arrangement of the park was led by the gardener Langau K. A. who wanted to make the park look like Italian and French terraced parks. Initially, plants were brought from botanical gardens in Germany, Crimea, and the Caucasus. In total, about 400 species of plants and trees were brought. In 1917, the park's collection totaled over 550 species of trees and shrubs. In 1922, the park was nationalized. In 1977, a cable car was held from the city to the park.

Nowadays, about two thousand species of plants and trees are growing in Sochi's dendraria, among them the largest collection of oaks in Russia - 80 species. Sochi dendrarium is divided into zones in which plants from Australia, South and North America, East Asia, the Caucasus, and the Mediterranean are collected. Almost all plants and trees are evergreen, so dendrarii can be visited all year round. Sochi's dendrarium consists of the upper and lower parts. At the bottom there is an aquarium in which the most interesting representatives of the Black Sea are gathered. The lower park is also interesting for its pond and exotarium, which has collected outlandish reptiles, birds, insects. In the pond you can see turtles, ondatra, porcupines, peacocks, pelicans, ostriches, ducks, swans. In the gazebo near the pond you can relax and look at the water surface surrounded by silent sculptures. In Sochi Dendraria, it is pleasant to walk along beautiful and well-groomed alleys, if you wish, you can relax on a bench or rotunda near a pond or fountain.

Not far from the pond, a beautiful rose garden was arranged, it contains over 70 varieties of roses, pleasing with their fragrance from spring to late autumn. In Sochi Dendraria, you can buy seedlings of rare plants and even such trees. Rare trees and shrubs grown in a dendrarium nursery are sent for Lake Sochi.

In 2012, the dendrarium became part of the Sochi National Park.