Discover the magic of camellias, the queens of winter flowers, in Rájec in South Moravia

From 11 to 28 February, every week from Wednesday to Saturday, you can come and see the beautifully blooming camellia bushes in the greenhouses of the Rájec nad Svitavou chateau. There are 400 different varieties on display, including classic and less common ones. The old plants, which are planted in large pots, are moved twice a year by the gardeners in Rájec – in the spring, after the winter frosts, they are moved outside into the fresh air, and in the autumn they are returned to the greenhouses. 

The admission fee is CZK 60, and you also have a great opportunity to buy young camellia plants and other spring flowers in the castle nursery. The Rájec camellia collection is the largest of its kind in the Czech Republic.

If you don’t make it to the open greenhouses during the selected period, don’t despair. From 6 to 15 March, you will have the chance to admire the flowers at the Camellia exhibition, which takes place in the historic premises of the castle. It will be open every day except Monday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. On weekends and public holidays, it is accessible with a printed guide and the participation of custodians; on weekdays, you can enjoy a guided group tour. Admission is CZK 220 for adults, CZK 70 for children, and CZK 180 for young people and seniors.

Camellia collection in the garden of the chateau in Rájec nad Svitavou

In the 19th century, camellia collections were popular among the nobility and other wealthy classes. Special greenhouses were built for camellias, or they were used to decorate winter gardens. Unique evidence of the famous period of camellias can be found in the collection maintained in the castle gardens in Rájec nad Svitavou. The basis of this collection are mother plants that were brought in 1973 from the Research Institute of Ornamental Horticulture in Průhonice, located near Prague. There were 85 of these mother plants, and gardeners have managed to successfully cultivate most of them to this day. Over time, the collection has grown by another 150 varieties, which include unique plants that were initially obtained by chance and later deliberately crossed. Today, we know that the Rájec camellia collection includes about 400 traditional and less common varieties. Visitors thus have the opportunity to come and admire these amazing flowers in a wide range of colours and shapes.