Zemgaliete

A tribute to Zemgale's bountiful land and beautiful gardens.

After living in Vidzeme, PēterisUpītis relocated to Zemgale, the part of Latvia where the soil is most fertile and best suited for fruit-growing. In 1957, PēterisUpītis began to lay out a garden in the fertile soil of Dobele region, using new cultivars he had bred. The garden grew in size and was soon known among locals as "Upītis's garden". In addition to breeding lilacs, PēterisUpītis worked with 24 cultures in total: apples, pears, plums, cherries, apricots, walnuts, hazels, quince, raspberries, strawberries, roses, and lilies, as well as others. 'Zemgaliete' is a tribute to every gardener's greatest treasure – fertile soil.