22 • 06 • 2016
The peony festival has celebrated in a full bloom
The Peony Festival in JSC „Latvia’s State Forests” (LVM) Kalsnava Arboretum is one of the most beloved events of the year. It is highly appreciated by peony enthusiasts and breeders. This year the festival was attended by the President of Latvia Raimonds Vējonis and the First Lady Iveta Vējone. A special flag made for this occasion was raised for the first time.
All day long guests had an opportunity to appreciate more than 200 varieties of peonies that are in a full bloom at the moment. Addressing the guests, Raimonds Vējonis said that he associates his childhood summers with peony bloom. But right now the variety of peonies is surprising.
“LVM Sēklas un stādi” Director Guntis Grandāns: „Every year it’s like a game with the weather. It determines how much of these beautiful blossoms will be there for the guests to see. Due to the few cold weeks, blossoming was slow, and peonies are in their full bloom at the time of this special event.” The garden of peonies in Kalsnava was created in 2006 when collector and breeder Dr.Hab.Biol. Emeritus Aldonis Vēriņš presented the basis of the collection to the Arboretum. Early varieties have already bloomed but some of them are just about to burst into flowers, so nothing is missed yet.
This was the sixth Peony Festival in Kalsnava and this year it was attended by approximately ten thousand people. Guests could enjoy the variety of peonies and explore the wide program of the festival, including concerts, creative workshops and entertainment for children. And, without a doubt, everyone had a chance to buy a peony or any other blossoming plant. In the traditional auction of exotic plants visitors could gain some special touch to their gardens.
