The research topic is sensory, healing, rehabilitation and horticultural gardens, and the related discourses. The first part of the paper describes the historic development of the rehabilitation and health gardens in Latvia. Then he research paper takes a look at the main aspects which dominate in the rehabilitation and sensory visual and functional garden sites in the world. The quest to create contemporary landscape sites for health reasons is still one of the main subjects to explore and find definitions for. The methodology used in this paper is descriptive, from the perspective of historical relaxation gardens and health sites. The aim of this research is to define the main development lines of health sites in Latvia, trying to answer such questions as: How we can start developing sensory gardens and what is needed for their development in the future? To achieve the goal, it is necessary to absorb the world experience and exchange best practices, find innovative solutions, and adapt advanced rehabilitation center area landscapes to individual needs. When creating the healing gardens, the aesthetic and functional criteria have to be applied. Depending on the availability of the natural environment, health and satisfaction will be enhanced.

The information about gardens of the Duchy of Courland in the 17th century is scarce and fragmentary, as part of documents is lost or exported abroad during the war. The time of the Duchy and its baroque gardens is attributed to reign of E. J. Biron in the first half of the 18th century, when impressive palace ensembles were created the help of architects F. B. Rastrelli and S. Jensen, building of summer residences in Rundāle, Vircava, Svēte, Luste. They served as summer amusement gardens or parks. In their arrangement, a compositional connection with the palace, the front courtyard, outbuildings and the garden was sought. These summer residences were located in rural plain areas, thus, the features of natural area - water, floodplains, terrain, nature of plantations and materials were used. The choice of planting materials was influenced by the climatic conditions - harsh winters, short summers, late spring frosts or early autumn frosts. Therefore, in the Duke’s time gardens, there are no delicate plants such as jews, boxwood plants, peach and mandarin fruit trees imported from the Western Europe. The local trees and shrubs, fruit trees, spice plants were used, vegetable beds made. The study examines two of the Duchy’s summer residences at Vircava (Wūrzau) and Svēte (Swethof), the study of which, as already mentioned, is made difficult due to the relatively scarce information.