Academic Centre
The garden collection includes about 120 different species and varieties of rhododendrons and is one of the largest rhododendron collections in the Baltics. The most beautiful blooms of the collection are usually observed in late May and early June, but it should be noted that the duration of flowering of rhododendrons depends on the weather.
In Latvia, rhododendrons began to be grown in the 1920s, but today they can be found in almost every garden. Rhododendrons have been especially popular in Latvia since the second half of the 20th century. The increase in the popularity of rhododendrons in Latvia is largely due to rhododendron researcher, breeder and former director of the Botanical Garden of the University of Latvia, Professor Rihards Kondratovičs. The rhododendron varieties selected by Professor can also be seen in the rhododendron collection of the Botanical Garden of the University of Latvia. In the wild, rhododendrons are mostly found in the cold and temperate mountain areas of the Northern Hemisphere near various water basins. Asia and North America have the highest abundance of rhododendron species.
Due to the restrictions in the country, the greenhouses of the Botanical Garden are closed to visitors, but the outdoor area of the garden is still open for walking. Entrance ticket prices can be found here.
