Faurest, Kristin: Ten spaces - Our Budapest (Budapest, 2010)

Szent István park

■ A view of Szent litván park, ig6o

trees. They also added a great deal of climbing plants, giving the park a stronger vertical element. Aside from a new hedge by the dog run, they didn’t add more hedges - a good idea, since Budapest's public spaces seem to be full of sparse, sad-looking hedges that take up space but don’t really serve any purpose. Once again, the park provides an elegant urban green space experience.

The park, managed by the city, is surrounded by a high fence that makes it feel like a safe place for releasing hyperkinetic children. Although dogs aren't allowed into most of the park, it is a frequent sight to see neighbourhood residents walking their ferrets (which may well also be forbidden, but for lack of a No Ferrets sign, the creatures continue to enjoy the park as much as anyone). The summer annual plantings are quite striking and provide a nice bold splash of colour against the background of old trees. It is quite unfortunate that its main entrance requires visitors to walk by a guard booth and guard on duty. This could have been rethought or done in

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