Following the storms of history, the Folly Arboretum in Badacsonyörs was returned to the Folly family yet again. It was the great-grandfather who started planting Hungarian tree and plant rarities at the family estate, and the grandfather of the family continued his work-
In the Communist era, both the family home an the huge garden were expropriated by the state. Today, the arboretum is run by Réka Folly, whose father was the one to reclaim the expropriated lands and open the mini arboretum (that had previously functioned as a family garden and vineyard) to the public.
No family member has escaped the attraction of trees, flowers and grapes: Réka had once imagined her life as a dentist, but in the end she and her family moved to Badacsonyörs solely for the purpose of operating the arboretum. They are on the process of renewing their grandparents house by the rows of grape, and the family will soon live in the arboretum.
Réka is responsible for the plant-related issues, while his brother manages the winery. They deal primarily in white wine: the Folly wines are based on Pinot gris, muscat ottonel, budai zöld and Welschriesling.
The house below is for wine tastings, but you can also walk up to the highest point of the arboretum with a glass held in your hand and lose yourself in the panorama.
The Folly estate is capable of surmounting other arboretums: it is situated - unusually for arboretums - on a hillside.
The great-granddad and the grandad did try to acclimatize exotic trees imported from other European countries, but the climate and the soil were not ideal for their survival.
We've had no problems with the selection: during our walks we surely bumped into a few hundred years old cedar .
The family cultivates a spice garden by the house and also operates a nursery garden, where one can purchase small bushes and various plants.
