Tree Planting Anniversary

Join us for our annual tree planting anniversary. All are welcome! Sunday, June 13th at 11:00 a.m. Our tree is planted at Monsignor William Irwin Park, 9814 110 St., close to the Grandin School and the LRT station. Please follow the Covid protocols that are in place at that time.

In a joint effort across Canada, oaks or linden trees were planted in 2018 to commemorate the 100^th Anniversary of Latvian Independence. Imanta choose to plant a linden tree for our Centennial Tree. Every year we commemorate the tree planting by gathering and remembering the anniversary.

 Interesting facts about linden trees:

Oaks and lindens are considered the national trees of Latvia. The oak and the linden tree are characteristic elements of the Latvian landscape. Both trees are still widely used for medical purposes. Medicinal infusions are made of linden blossoms as well as oak bark. Latvian dainas (folk songs) often reflect ethical and moral concepts of earlier times and these folk songs most often mention the oak and linden tree.

In traditional Latvian folk beliefs and folklore the linden tree is looked upon as a female symbol, but the oak – a male symbol. The nation’s reverence for these trees, which in earlier times were considered sacred, can be witnessed, for example, in a landscape where, in the middle of a cultivated field there still remains a lone large, sacred oak or linden tree.

In October 2020 the Latvian central bank put out a linden leaf coin.

Lindens are one of the most attractive ornamental trees because of their symmetrical growth habit.

Lindens are hermaphroditic, having perfect flowers with both male and female parts, pollinated by insects.

Lindens are very important honey plants for beekeepers. The flowers are also used for herbal tea and tinctures.  They have active ingredients which include flavonoids (which act as antioxidants).

The linden wood is white and soft, its grain is very fine. A popular wood for model building and for intricate carving.