Near Lake Lādezers, a garden with nearly 300 medicinal plants takes root
Two women near Lake Lādezers in Limbaži municipality have spent three years building a health garden now home to almost 300 medicinal plants, some inherited from Jānis Ulmis's plant collection. They make teas and plant hydrolats, host visitors and keep expanding their knowledge of herbal medicine.
On the shore of Lake Lādezers in Limbaži municipality, a small but remarkable project has grown over the past three years: a medicinal plant and health garden created by Sandra Vidauska and Aija Viļčinska. The garden now contains nearly 300 different plants, some of which originate from the plant collection of Jānis Ulmis.
The story of the garden and its founders was featured on Latvian Radio's programme "Stiprie stāsti" (Strong Stories). For Aija, the location carries personal significance, as her ancestors once lived by Lake Lādezers. For Sandra, this particular plot of land became the place where she could finally realize her long-held dream of creating her own medicinal plant garden.
Teas, hydrolats and visitors
The two women do more than grow and tend the plants — they also process them, making a variety of herbal teas and plant hydrolats. The garden has also become a destination for visitors interested in learning about medicinal plants and their uses.
Sandra and Aija emphasize that working with plants requires ongoing learning, which is why they continually expand their knowledge of the properties and applications of medicinal herbs, allowing them to keep developing the garden and share what they learn with others.
