The first “Open Days in Garden Pearls” have concluded with great results. From July 26–28 in Estonia and August 2–4 in Latvia, 33 garden and park owners opened their gates to visitors.

The Open Days featured free guided tours, plant care workshops, garden festivals, open-air concerts, and other engaging activities. These events drew both dedicated gardening enthusiasts and members of the public who are just beginning to discover the diversity and charm of gardens and parks. Publicity in national and regional media helped reach a wide audience.

Given the specific dates and the high concentration of major events in Latvia from August 2–4, visitor numbers are viewed positively. Several park and garden owners noted that visitors were genuinely interested and “high-quality” guests. For instance, Ojārs Kiršteins’ decorative garden in Tūja hosted 53 visitors from Latvia and Estonia, 67 people participated in tours at the National Botanic Garden, and the “Cīruļi” farm welcomed 20–30 guests from Estonia and about 40 from Latvia.

Visitors diligently filled out feedback questionnaires, entering a draw for prizes such as invitations to the fair at the National Botanic Garden and gift cards from the “Kaliņi” nursery. Attendees learned about the Open Days through the media, social networks, and via word-of-mouth recommendations from friends or family. Several visitors discovered the festivities simply by being in the right place at the right time while driving by. For the future, visitors suggested holding seasonal open days and utilizing the potential of gardens and parks as venues for festivals and concerts. Project partners will be presented with detailed survey results to gain insights for future work.

In Latvia, special surprises were prepared by the owners of parks and gardens in the Kārļamuiža Landscape Park and apple orchard, Kokmuiža Park, Daugava Museum, “Jaunrūjas” farm, Lēdurga Dendropark, Terneja Park, Oleru Manor Park, the University of Latvia Botanical Garden and the Rhododendron Breeding and Experimental Nursery “Babīte,” the National Botanic Garden, Turaida Museum Reserve Forest Park, and Kalsnava Arboretum. Guests were also welcomed at Ojārs Kiršteins’ decorative garden, the “Cīruļi” farm, and the “Kaliņi” nursery.

In Estonia, guests were hosted at Maie’s Garden (Maie Aed), the Porcelain Garden (Portselaniaed), Nurga Farm Decorative Garden (Nurga Talu iluaed), Kaevandi Farm (Kaevandi Talu), Panga Farm Rose Garden (Panga Talu), Audru Church Arboretum (Audru Kirik Arboreetum), Loosilma Farm Garden (Loosilma Talu aed), Tamme Horticulture Farm (Tamme Aiandustalu), Räpina School of Horticulture (Räpina Aianduskool), Mikko Farm Heart Garden (Mikko Talu-Südametega aed), Risttee Farm Plant Nursery (Risttee Talu taimeaed), Rannametsa Arboretum (Rannametsa Arboreetum), Seven Winds Garden (Seitsme Tuule Aed), Kärstna Manor (Kärstna mõis), Saare-Tõrvaugu Horticulture (Saare-Tõrvaugu Aiand), Sangaste Castle (Sangaste Loss), and Lepiku-Mardi Farm Collection Garden (Lepiku-Mardi Talu kollektsioonaed).

The “Open Days in Garden Pearls” were organized within the framework of the Estonia-Latvia Cross-Border Programme project “Garden Pearls.” The project aims to promote the development of garden tourism in Latvia and Estonia and to popularize both countries as a joint garden tourism destination.

Information prepared by:
Lelde Beņķe
Public Relations Specialist for the “Garden Pearls” project