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Garden knowledge base

Kertokos, the GazEmberek garden knowledge base

Kertokos (roughly ‘garden-smart’ in Hungarian) gathers gardening advice on the questions we come across every day at work: what to plant in full sun or on the shady side of the house, what kind of soil you have, and what should go under new turf or a young tree. We chose the plants for the climate of Budapest’s eastern districts and the towns just east of the city, and took every figure from a source you can check, so your garden isn’t left to guesswork.

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Where our gardening advice comes from

The 46 plants in the finder are described from the plant profiles of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and the Missouri Botanical Garden. We give hardiness as USDA zones, which are calculated for a continental climate with cold winters and hot summers, because the RHS ratings were made for wet British winters and tend to be more cautious. We also checked every species against the EU list of invasive species and the Hungarian expert lists.

The soil drawings don’t show a made-up average either, but the measured layers of real, published Hungarian soil profiles. The layer guides for turf, tree planting and irrigation draw on the RHS, American university extension guides, the Hungarian-language design handbooks of irrigation manufacturers and documents from Budapest’s District 16 council. Your own garden may differ, so on every page we also explain how to check things on the spot.

A plant finder for gardens in eastern Budapest

Narrow the list by light, soil and drought tolerance, and we’ll show you which trees, fruit trees, shrubs, perennials, grasses, climbers or ground cover plants will be happy in the spot you have in mind. Each of the 46 cards shows hardiness, mature size and any warnings, so there are no surprises after planting.

Light
Soil
Water needs
Type
46 plants
Hedging plantDrought tolerant

Field maple

Acer campestre

  • Full sun · Partial shade
  • Moderate
  • 7.5-12+ m
  • down to -29 °C (USDA 5)

An undemanding native maple that you can grow as a tall clipped hedge or as a smaller shade tree, and Hungarian measurements in hill country show that it copes well with drought too.

  • Sandy
  • Loam
  • Clay
  • Chalky, stony
Sources
Hedging plantDrought tolerant

Wild privet

Ligustrum vulgare

  • Full sun · Partial shade
  • Low
  • 2.5-4.5 m
  • down to -34 °C (USDA 4)

A native hedging plant that knits together quickly and copes well with chalky and sandy soils, summer drought and urban conditions.

The berries are harmful to both people and dogs if eaten, and it readily self-seeds in the wilder corners of the garden.

  • Sandy
  • Loam
  • Chalky, stony
Sources
Hedging plant

Common yew

Taxus baccata

  • Full sun · Partial shade · Shade
  • Moderate
  • 9-18 m (slow-growing)
  • down to -23 °C (USDA 6)

An evergreen that clips well for hedging and topiary and grows in sun, partial shade and full shade alike, so you can rely on it even on the north side of the house.

Toxic to people and pets if eaten, so think twice before planting it near children and dogs, and wear gloves when pruning.

  • Sandy
  • Loam
  • Clay
  • Chalky, stony
Sources
Hedging plantDrought tolerant

Photinia 'Red Robin'

Photinia × fraseri 'Red Robin'

  • Full sun · Partial shade
  • Moderate
  • 2.7-8 m
  • down to -18 °C (USDA 7), between -15 and -23 °C depending on the source

An evergreen hedging plant whose spring shoots unfurl in bronze and bright red, and once established it copes with summer drought as well.

Its hardiness is borderline and it may die back in a harsh winter, so give it a sheltered spot, for example against a south- or west-facing wall of the house.

  • Sandy
  • Loam
  • Chalky, stony
Sources
Small garden tree / shade treeDrought tolerant

Manna ash

Fraxinus ornus

  • Full sun
  • Moderate
  • 12-15 m
  • down to -23 °C (USDA 6)

A native, sun-loving shade tree that copes well with chalky soil and summer drought, which makes it a good choice for a dry, sunny garden.

Its branches are brittle and may snap in strong wind or freezing rain.

  • Sandy
  • Loam
  • Clay
  • Chalky, stony
Sources
Small garden tree / shade treeDrought tolerant

Tatarian maple

Acer tataricum

  • Full sun · Partial shade
  • Moderate
  • 4-8 m
  • down to -40 °C (USDA 3)

A small native maple that tolerates drought and clay soil and turns yellow and red in autumn, so it can be a good shade tree even in a smaller garden.

  • Sandy
  • Loam
  • Clay
  • Chalky, stony
Sources
Small garden tree / shade treeDrought tolerant

Silver lime

Tilia tomentosa

  • Full sun · Partial shade
  • Low
  • 15-30 m
  • down to -34 °C (USDA 4)

The most drought-tolerant of the limes, it also copes well with urban conditions and grows into a broad, spreading shade tree in a large garden.

It draws huge numbers of bees when in flower and in time reaches 15-30 metres, so don't plant it over a terrace or in a small garden.

  • Sandy
  • Loam
  • Clay
  • Chalky, stony
Sources
Small garden tree / shade treeDrought tolerant

Globe Norway maple

Acer platanoides 'Globosum'

  • Full sun · Partial shade
  • Moderate
  • 8-12 m
  • down to -40 °C (USDA 3)

A compact shade tree with a dense, rounded crown whose leaves turn yellow in autumn, so it suits front gardens and street frontages well.

Its roots run shallow, so over time it can lift a nearby path or driveway.

  • Sandy
  • Loam
  • Clay
  • Chalky, stony
Sources
Small garden tree / shade tree

Hawthorn 'Paul's Scarlet'

Crataegus × media 'Paul's Scarlet' (syn. C. laevigata 'Paul's Scarlet')

  • Full sun · Partial shade
  • Moderate
  • 4-8 m
  • below -20 °C (RHS H7)

A small ornamental tree that is covered in double, light red flowers in spring and bears orange-red fruit in autumn.

The branches are thorny, the fruit is not edible, and it can be attacked by fireblight.

  • Sandy
  • Loam
  • Clay
  • Chalky, stony
Sources
Small garden tree / shade tree

Crab apple 'Evereste'

Malus 'Evereste'

  • Full sun · Partial shade
  • Moderate
  • 4-8 m
  • down to about -15/-20 °C (RHS H6)

An ornamental tree for small gardens: red buds open into white flowers, and in autumn it is laden with small yellowish-orange crab apples.

The seeds contain a toxic compound, and it can be attacked by fireblight and scab.

  • Sandy
  • Loam
  • Clay
  • Chalky, stony
Sources
Small garden tree / shade tree

Cornelian cherry

Cornus mas

  • Full sun · Partial shade
  • Moderate
  • 2.5-7.5 m
  • down to -34 °C (USDA 4)

A large shrub or small tree that flowers yellow in early spring, before the leaves appear; you can also grow it as a hedge, and its tart fruit is edible.

It throws up root suckers, so remove them in good time if you don't want it to spread.

  • Sandy
  • Loam
  • Clay
  • Chalky, stony
Sources
Ornamental shrubDrought tolerant

Smoke bush 'Royal Purple'

Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple'

  • Full sun · Partial shade
  • Moderate
  • 3-8 m
  • down to -34 °C (USDA 4)

A shrub with burgundy foliage that is covered in summer with smoky, pinkish-purple plumes, and copes well with drought and poor, stony soil.

It does not like waterlogged, poorly drained soil, so on heavy ground make sure the drainage is good.

  • Sandy
  • Loam
  • Clay
  • Chalky, stony
Sources
Ornamental shrubDrought tolerant

Shrubby cinquefoil

Potentilla fruticosa (syn. Dasiphora fruticosa)

  • Full sun · Partial shade
  • Moderate
  • 0.6-1.5 m
  • down to -40 °C (USDA 3)

A low shrub that flowers yellow from early summer to September, works well as a low hedge, and tolerates drought, clay soil and urban conditions.

The fruit is not edible, and in humid summer heat it may grow less vigorously.

  • Sandy
  • Loam
  • Clay
  • Chalky, stony
Sources
Ornamental shrub

Panicle hydrangea 'Limelight'

Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight'

  • Full sun · Partial shade
  • Moderate
  • 1.5-2.5 m
  • down to -40 °C (USDA 3)

A shrub that flowers from midsummer into autumn, with large, cone-shaped flower heads that fade from greenish yellow to pink, and one of the hardiest hydrangeas.

It can cause an allergic reaction on contact with the skin, and it is harmful to pets if swallowed.

  • Sandy
  • Loam
  • Clay
Sources
Ornamental shrubDrought tolerant

Wayfaring tree

Viburnum lantana

  • Full sun · Partial shade
  • Low
  • 2.5-5 m
  • down to -34 °C (USDA 4)

A large shrub native to Europe that copes well with dry, chalky soil, flowers white in spring and bears fruit ripening from red to black in summer, and you can plant it as a screening hedge.

The fruit is not fit for human consumption.

  • Sandy
  • Loam
  • Clay
  • Chalky, stony
Sources
PerennialDrought tolerant

Salvia 'Caradonna'

Salvia nemorosa 'Caradonna'

  • Full sun
  • Low
  • 0.3-0.6 m
  • down to -34 °C (USDA 4)

A perennial with blue-violet flower spikes that blooms from late spring to early summer and then sporadically again, and it can ride out spells of summer drought without watering.

It may self-seed where it grows, and it attracts lots of bees.

  • Sandy
  • Loam
  • Clay
  • Chalky, stony
Sources
PerennialDrought tolerant

Sedum 'Herbstfreude'

Hylotelephium 'Herbstfreude' (syn. Sedum 'Herbstfreude')

  • Full sun
  • Low
  • 0.45-1 m
  • down to -40 °C (USDA 3)

A fleshy-leaved perennial whose flat flower heads turn from pink to deep red in autumn, and it copes well with blazing sun and drought.

It can rot in wet, poorly drained soil, and it flops open in shade or in overly rich soil.

  • Sandy
  • Loam
  • Clay
  • Chalky, stony
Sources
PerennialDrought tolerant

Fern-leaf yarrow 'Gold Plate'

Achillea filipendulina 'Gold Plate'

  • Full sun
  • Low
  • 1-1.5 m
  • down to -40 °C (USDA 3)

A tall perennial with golden-yellow, plate-like flower heads and aromatic leaves that flowers all summer long in a sunny, dry spot.

The tall flower stems often need staking, and it dislikes heavy clay that stays wet in winter.

  • Sandy
  • Loam
  • Chalky, stony
Sources
Ornamental grass

Feather reed grass 'Karl Foerster'

Calamagrostis × acutiflora 'Karl Foerster'

  • Full sun · Partial shade
  • High
  • 1-1.5 m
  • down to -29 °C (USDA 5)

An ornamental grass with stiff, upright flower stems whose seed heads stay on the plant through winter, yet it does not self-seed because it is sterile.

It is not drought-tolerant and needs regular watering in dry summer weather.

  • Sandy
  • Loam
  • Clay
  • Chalky, stony
Sources
Ground coverDrought tolerant

Lesser periwinkle

Vinca minor

  • Partial shade · Shade
  • Low
  • 8-15 cm
  • down to -34 °C (USDA 4)

An evergreen ground cover with lavender-blue flowers that quickly forms a dense carpet, even in shade and dry soil.

It spreads vigorously and can creep into the lawn and neighbouring beds.

  • Sandy
  • Loam
  • Clay
  • Chalky, stony
Sources
Ground coverDrought tolerant

Creeping juniper 'Wiltonii'

Juniperus horizontalis 'Wiltonii' (syn. 'Blue Rug')

  • Full sun
  • Moderate
  • 8-15 cm, spreading 1.8-4 m wide
  • down to -40 °C (USDA 3)

A silvery-blue evergreen that hugs the ground, thrives even on a dry, stony bank in blazing sun, and helps to hold the soil in place.

Harmful if eaten and may cause skin allergies, and junipers can act as alternate hosts for rust diseases of apples and pears.

  • Sandy
  • Loam
  • Clay
  • Chalky, stony
Sources
ClimberDrought tolerant

Common ivy

Hedera helix

  • Partial shade · Shade
  • Moderate
  • 8-12 m or more
  • down to -34 °C (USDA 4)

An evergreen climber that clings to walls and fences with its aerial roots without any support, and in shade you can use it as ground cover as well.

Harmful if eaten and may irritate the skin; over time it grows so heavy that it can widen existing cracks and work its way into gutters and under roof tiles, so cut it back regularly.

  • Sandy
  • Loam
  • Clay
  • Chalky, stony
Sources
Climber

Italian honeysuckle

Lonicera caprifolium

  • Full sun · Partial shade
  • Moderate
  • 4-8 m
  • down to about -15/-20 °C (RHS H6)

A twining climber with fragrant, creamy-white flowers that does best in partial shade, trained up a support or a pergola.

Its orange-red berries are not edible.

  • Sandy
  • Loam
  • Clay
  • Chalky, stony
Sources
Climber

Italian clematis

Clematis viticella

  • Full sun · Partial shade
  • Moderate
  • 2.5-4 m
  • down to -34 °C (USDA 4)

A clematis with purple or violet-blue flowers from summer into early autumn; it belongs to pruning group 3, so you can cut it back hard every year, and it copes well with chalky soil.

It can irritate the skin, so wear gloves when pruning, and keep its base shaded and evenly moist.

  • Sandy
  • Loam
  • Clay
  • Chalky, stony
Sources
Fruit tree

Apricot

Prunus armeniaca

  • Full sun
  • Moderate
  • 3-5 m (depending on rootstock)
  • down to -29 °C (USDA 5)

A self-fertile fruit tree, so even a single tree can crop if it gets a sunny, sheltered spot.

Its early blossom is easily lost to late spring frosts, so avoid frost pockets and low-lying spots, and the kernels are harmful if eaten.

  • Sandy
  • Loam
  • Clay
  • Chalky, stony
Sources
Fruit tree

Apple

Malus domestica

  • Full sun
  • Moderate
  • 1.8-4.5 m (depending on rootstock)
  • down to -29 °C (USDA 5)

Its final size is set by the rootstock, so on a dwarfing rootstock you can grow an apple tree even in a small garden, but most varieties need a pollination partner.

It can be attacked by scab and fireblight, and a tree on a dwarfing rootstock needs good soil and watering during drought.

  • Sandy
  • Loam
  • Clay
  • Chalky, stony
Sources
Fruit tree

Pear

Pyrus communis

  • Full sun
  • Moderate
  • 2.5-4.5 m (on quince rootstock)
  • down to -34 °C (USDA 4)

On quince rootstock it can be grown in a smaller garden, and it tolerates heavy clay soil better than many other fruit trees.

It flowers earlier than apple, so late spring frost is a real danger; it needs a pollination partner and is particularly susceptible to fireblight.

  • Sandy
  • Loam
  • Clay
Sources

Four soil types in cross-section

Sand, loam, clay or chalky, stony ground: the drawings show what lies beneath the surface, how to recognise your own soil and how to improve it. We also describe the soils you can expect in eastern Budapest and the Gödöllő Hills.

Sandy soil

0 cm20 cm40 cm60 cm80 cm123
  1. 1. Humus-rich topsoil0-25 cm

    Loose, weakly structured sand with a little humus and lime, slightly alkaline.

  2. 2. Transitional layer25-60 cm

    Structureless, lime-rich sand in which humus barely shows any more.

  3. 3. Parent sand60-80 cm

    Pale yellow, calcareous sand deposited by the ancient Danube, the material the soil formed from.

How to recognise it
Roll test: take a tablespoon of soil, moisten it, knead it until it feels like dough, roll it into a thin sausage and try to bend it into a ring. Sand will not roll into a sausage at all: you can feel gritty grains between your fingers, and even moist soil crumbles apart in your hand. In laboratory terms, sand has an Arany plasticity index (KA) of 25-30, and coarse sand below 25.
Water
Drains very quickly and holds on to hardly any water, so it dries out soon after rain or watering, suffers in drought, and nutrients are easily washed out of it.
Advantages
Easy to work, well aerated and quick to warm up in spring.
Drawbacks
It is low in humus and nutrients, so it needs more frequent watering and feeding, and on exposed sites the wind can blow the surface away.
What you can do
Dig in plenty of well-rotted compost or manure regularly, as it binds the loose sand grains into more fertile crumbs, and cover the surface with an organic mulch at least 5-7.5 cm thick. In Hungarian trials, clayey soil or bentonite mixed into the compost also improved how well sand holds water and nutrients, and when planting it is worth choosing drought-tolerant species.
Arany plasticity number
25-30 (coarse sand: below 25)
Based on
Humus-rich sandy soil under pasture, Kiskunság Sand Ridge, between Örkény and Tatárszentgyörgy (Pest County)

Layer guides for turf, tree planting and irrigation

Cross-sections show how much topsoil turf needs, how wide and deep a tree’s planting hole should be, and how deep the pipes of an automatic irrigation system run. Where sources disagree, we give the full range rather than a single number.

Layers under new turf

0 cm10 cm20 cm30 cm40 cm50 cm234
  1. 1. Turf0-2 cm

    Freshly cut turf of even thickness arrives with a thin layer of soil; on good-quality rolls this is 1.3-1.9 cm, and ideally it has a similar texture to your garden soil.

  2. 2. Topsoil bed2-17 cm

    Loose, good-quality topsoil. The District XVI council's turf replacement allows for 10 cm of topsoil and the Purdue University guide for about 15 cm; if your soil is poor, spread a layer of compost or peat about 1-2.5 cm thick over each square metre and mix it into the top 15-20 cm.

  3. 3. Loosened subsoil17-25 cm

    The RHS advises digging or rotavating the soil to a depth of 20-25 cm so that no compacted layer is left; don't rotavate clay soil in wet weather, because a compacted pan forms beneath the tines.

  4. 4. Undisturbed subsoil25 cm and below

    Undisturbed soil. Fill in any hollows where water stands on the surface before you lay the turf, and install drainage and irrigation pipes at this stage.

Tree planting hole

Tap or hover over a layer for details.

  1. 1. Mulch5-8 cm (RHS), 5-10 cm (Kansas State)

    Organic mulch over the planting hole; leave a 10 cm gap around the trunk and don't heap it into a cone, because mulch touching the trunk can cause rot.

  2. 2. Watering ring

    Use the leftover soil to form a low, ring-shaped ridge along the outer edge of the root ball, so that water soaks into the root ball instead of running off. The sources used give no figure for the height of the ridge.

  3. 3. Root ballhole depth matches the height of the root ball

    The root flare, where the roots spread out from the trunk, should be level with the soil surface or slightly above it; when planting, remove the top third to half of the wire basket and hessian.

  4. 4. Backfill

    Backfill with the original soil you dug out, working it in between the roots so that no air pockets are left; Kansas State advises against mixing in organic matter, and according to the RHS fertiliser is of no use at planting time either.

  5. 5. Loosened sides of the hole

    In compacted soil, loosen the sides of the hole with a garden fork so that the roots can spread outwards as well.

  6. 6. Stakeremove after 1-3 years

    Small trees don't need staking, but support a larger or top-heavy tree low on the trunk with a flexible tie, so that the root ball stays firm while the crown can still move. One RHS guide describes a stake driven in at a 45-degree angle; take the stake away after two or three years, or after one year according to Kansas State.

Underground automatic irrigation system

0 cm5 cm10 cm15 cm20 cm25 cm30 cm

Tap or hover over a layer for details.

  1. 1. Pop-up nozzlee.g. 10 cm (Rain Bird 1804)

    When watering starts, the water pressure lifts the nozzle above the grass, and afterwards it retracts; the Rain Bird 1804 head, for example, pops up 10 cm.

  2. 2. Sprinkler bodyapprox. 15 cm (for a head with a 10 cm pop-up)

    Pop-up sprinklers must be installed flush with the ground; the body of a head with a 10 cm pop-up is about 15 cm long. Where mowers or vehicles pass over, connect the head to the pipe with a flexible swing joint.

  3. 3. Valve box15 or 30 cm valve box

    Don't bury the solenoid valves directly; put them in a valve box so you can get at them for repairs, and set the box in place once the trenches have been backfilled.

  4. 4. Lateral line15-30 cm deep

    The pipe running from the solenoid valve to the sprinkler heads. The Hunter guide specifies trenches 15-20 cm or 25-30 cm deep, while Rain Bird gives the usual trench depth as 15-30 cm.

  5. 5. Mainline25-30 cm deep

    The main pipe from the water connection to the valves, which is under constant pressure; Hunter recommends laying it 25-30 cm deep unless local regulations require otherwise.

Articles on garden plants and garden jobs

These pages look at one question at a time in detail, from ground cover and drought tolerant plants to hedges, soil types and planting a tree. Weeds are the villain here, so if you’re looking for allies against them, start with ground cover.

Ground cover plantsGround cover ideasDrought tolerant plantsGardening for dry summersHedging plantsA living fenceShade tolerant plantsFor the shady sideSoil typesYour garden soilHow to plant a treeFrom hole to stakeSoil under turfTurf layers explained

How to use Kertokos

  • Before choosing a plant, watch how much sun the spot gets, because 16 of the 46 species only thrive in full sun and just five cope with full shade.
  • When you plant a tree, make the hole wider rather than deeper, and keep the root flare level with the surrounding soil.
  • If a little soil starts to fizz when you drop it into vinegar, you have chalky soil, so choose plants that like or tolerate lime.
  • Read each plant’s warnings too, as the selection includes poisonous, thorny and vigorously spreading species that don’t belong just anywhere.
  • For a bed you won’t water, look for the 17 species that need little water, and note that only one, feather reed grass ‘Karl Foerster’, wants plenty.

Frequently asked questions

Where does the Kertokos information come from?

Mainly from the plant profiles of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and the Missouri Botanical Garden, along with published Hungarian soil studies and professional guides. We list the source next to every plant, soil type and layer guide, so you can check any figure yourself.

Why do you give hardiness in USDA zones?

Because the Missouri Botanical Garden’s USDA zones apply to a continental climate with cold winters and hot summers, which is the kind of climate Budapest has. Where no such figure existed, we used the RHS H rating, which tends to be more cautious because it was made for wet British winters.

Are there any invasive plants on the Kertokos list?

No, none of the recommended species appears on the EU list of invasive species or among the species we checked on the Hungarian expert lists. That is why lilac, buddleja and mahonia were left out, and we also dropped Chinese wisteria because it spreads on its own even in the Buda Arboretum.

How can I tell what soil my garden has?

The simplest way is the hand texture test: wet a tablespoon of soil, roll it into a thin sausage and try to bend it into a ring. If it falls apart, the soil is sandy, if it bends into a ring without cracking, it is clay, and loam sits somewhere in between.

Book a free site visit for your garden

If you’d rather leave the design, planting, turf laying or irrigation to us, tell us what you have in mind and we’ll call you back within one working day. The site visit is free, we send a written quote afterwards, and you can write to us in English.

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Quicker by phone? Call us on +36 20 944 3464.

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Call us+36 20 944 3464Request a site visit
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Request a site visit

Tell us what the problem is with your garden or tree, and we will call you back within one working day.

We only use your details to reply to your enquiry. Privacy notice

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