CONFERENCE
Dahlia cultivars are classified into 14 groups according to the shape and size of their flowers, following the system established by the Royal Horticultural Society of Great Britain. Visitors may observe single, anemone, collarette, waterlily, decorative, ball, pompon, cactus, semi-cactus, split-petal, star, orchid, peony, and mixed dahlia groups.
The exhibition of the Botanical Garden comprises approximately 300 cultivars, representing all groups. The collection includes varieties developed not only in Latvia but also in Europe, the United States, Canada, Japan, and other countries worldwide.
Since 1998, the collection has been maintained by gardener Inese Mellace, who has also contributed cultivars of her own creation, such as ‘Ausmiņa’, ‘Cukurvate’, ‘Brūklenājs’, and ‘Misa’.
In the wild, dahlias are native to Central America, where they grow as perennial herbaceous plants. In Latvia’s climate, dahlias cannot overwinter; therefore, their tubers are stored in cellars during the cold season and replanted in spring, flowering from late summer through early autumn.
The botanical garden is open daily from 10:00 to 20:00.
