National Botanic Garden of Latvia

The National Botanic Garden was founded in 1956 at Salaspils on the Daugava and covers around a hundred and thirty hectares, which makes it the largest botanical garden in the Baltic states, holding several thousand taxa in an arboretum, systematic and ornamental collections, a rose garden, a rhododendron collection developed here over decades, and glasshouses with tropical, subtropical and cactus plants along with a butterfly house in season. Its lilac collection is among the largest in the region and flowering in late May draws the year's biggest crowds. The garden functions as a research institution as well as a public park, with breeding programmes for rhododendrons and fruit.

What you actually see

• The lilac collection - the late May flowering that fills the garden.
• Rhododendrons - the collection bred and developed here.
• The glasshouses - the tropical, subtropical and cactus collections.
• The arboretum - the tree collection across the grounds.

When to go

Late May for the lilacs and June for the rhododendrons, the two peaks; May to September generally for the outdoor collections. Glasshouses work year round. The lilac fortnight is very crowded.

Honest expectations

The lilac season is short and extremely busy. Glasshouse entry may be charged separately. The garden is large and involves substantial walking. Winter reduces it to the glasshouses and bare trees.

Nearby

Riga lies northwest; the Daugava runs alongside.