Gábor SZABÓ
Garden of the Year 2008
10th National Competition in Garden Design and Construction

The 10th Hungarian National Competition in Garden Design and Construction was organised by the horticultural magazine SZÉP KERTEK. Garden designers, builders and garden owners took part with existing gardens. The success of this jubilee competition was the results of the enthusiastic efforts and hard work of the magazine’s editor in chief, László TEGDES, who organized and administered the event.

The main aims of this competition are to enhance and further develop garden design and garden construction in Hungary, to expand the awareness of our environment, to influence and shape a professional approach to the industry and to showcase successful designers as well as introduce the work of new designers.

The competition is a perfect opportunity for those at the beginning of their careers. The main aspects of the critique were the following:

– space and form (functional lay-out)
– use of materials (application of building materials)
– choice of planting material (species, varieties)
– use of garden furniture (style, harmony with environment and building)
– quality of construction (plants, technical details)
– maintenance (quality of maintenance, plant care).

The quality of designs and gardens were high, and altogether 21 gardens competed this year. It was welcome news that this year the grand prize was handed out for a garden in Nyiregyháza. Considering the scale of the project, the significance and the fullness of the design, and the quality of its implementation, this particular garden was awarded recognition as an outstanding project in the competition.

All the awarded gardens showed the harmony in which garden and building can complement and complete each other, making one unified space. Showing a new tendency in modern Hungarian Gardens, many designs included the subtle usage of natural and more natural looking materials, breaking with the, inharmonious, 10-15 year-old practice of landscaping with hard surface materials of contrasting colours and shapes. The foundation on which we can build our “back to balance and inner harmony” garden is good design and the use of planting materials which are adaptable to suitable environments.

Special thanks to the organisers, the editorial office and publisher of SZÉP KERTEK, to our sponsors and the Local Government of Debrecen, who provided the venue.

Grand prize:
Nyíregyháza garden
Designer: Ágnes LIPCSEI

Exceptional Merit:
Budapest garden
Designer: Mrs. HERCZEG Anita SZÉKELY
Budapest garden
Designer: Klára JORDÁN
Szombathely garden
Designer: Dr. Mrs. Miklós JÓZSA

Special Merit:
Balatonalmádi garden
Designer: Olga HAMAR
Páty garden
Designer: Mrs. TASNÁDI Nóra GEIGER

Certificate of Merit:
Budapest garden
Designer: Mrs. BALOGH Dóra KAISER
Badacsonytomaj garden
Designer: Gábor DANYI
Zalaegerszeg garden
Designer: Dr. Mrs. Rudolf HORVÁTH
Győrújbarát garden
Designer: Mihály MUNKÁCSI