Latvian Garden

History & Design:

The Latvian Cultural Garden’s design reflects Latvia’s landscape, emphasizing native trees, rivers and natural forms. Birch trees, prevalent in Latvia, can be found in the southern end of the garden. The garden’s stone sculptures were created in Latvia by the Burgesses.

The central piece is an arched boulder with a recessed silhouette of a woman in traditional folk dress. Latvian designs are engraved in the granite boulder from Latvia, sculpted by Ģirts Burvis. The boulder represents the strength and spirit of the Latvian people and the passage of immigrants from Latvia to the U.S.

Statuary/Busts/Reliefs/Monuments:

Two granite benches reminiscent of a boat and a “stream” rock symbolize the many rivers, lakes and the Baltic Sea in Latvia. Another rock sculpture with an inscription and the traditional Latvian “namejs” design was created by Gaits Burvis. The “namejs” is recognizable to all Latvians and is one of the popular designs used in Latvian jewelry.

Credits:

The Latvian Garden exists only by the efforts of Silvija Rutenbergs. She and Ilze Resnis started the process of creating the first garden in the “revival” of the Cleveland Cultural Gardens. A Latvian garden committee was formed to include Anda Cook, Kalvis Kampe, Baiba and Egils Apelis, Zenta Apinis, Baiba and Bill Crawford, Dzintra and Vilmars Kukainis, John Resnis, and Inara Zarins.