Gardens are one of the most relaxing and peaceful places a person can get in towns, and it’s an ideal place in most urban settings where people can interact with nature. The presence of flowers, butterflies, and fountains in the gardens will refresh your day and prepare you for the new day. Since ancient times, people have cultivated different types of plants, both for aesthetic and practical use.
Gardening is a form of art that ranges from Zen-like gardens that showcase Eastern traditional culture to well-manicured sanctuaries in the West. These public places differ from the typical backyard, thanks to the careful planning and antique landscape designs. The organization of most gardens in the world has been passed down in history.
In case you’re passionate about horticulture, or you want a photo-worthy experience in gardens, there’s no shortage of beautiful and striking gardens that you definitely visit in the world. From the impressive cherry trees in the Longwood gardens to immaculate lawns at Versailles gardens, this article provides an in-depth analysis of the beautiful gardens across the globe.
Every famous garden in the world warrants several hours of attention to learn about their exotic landscape designs and the intricate display of flowers. Having said that, here are the top
Checkout a list of the top 12 most beautiful gardens in the world.
12. Keukenhof Garden (Lisse, Netherlands)
Covering close to 80 acres, the Keukenhof Garden in the Netherlands ranks among the most extensive flower gardens.
With the extensive coverage, this garden features a wide range of bulbs that are planted every to provide a spectacular blossom during spring. The garden is located in Lisse.
Keukenhof features romantic and upscale boutique occupying two 17th century structures. One of these buildings served as a safe house in World War II.
The rooms here range from cozy units to spacious options that provide better canal views. It guarantees a kaleidoscope of colors, which includes 7 million hyacinths, daffodils, and tulips.
Keukenhof is a must-see garden for any person that loves adventure. While there, people can enjoy the view of brightly-colored grounds. It also has more than 30 indoor plants.
Also, the experienced growers at Keukenhof offer gardening tips and nature lessons for avid gardeners. Besides, when you bring along kids, there are many activities they can do. The garden has a playground, maze, and petting zoo that’ll suit kids of all ages.
11. Royal Botanic Gardens (Kew, United Kingdom)
The Kew Royal Botanical Gardens is home to the most diverse and largest collection of plants all over the world.
It’s also an international scientific organization with an excellent reputation around the globe. The garden is situated in a stunning 326-acre land, approximately 30 minutes from London.
Kew gardens provide an ideal place for a family day out thanks to its rich repository of plant life and over 50 000 plant varieties.
The garden was designed in 1759 by Princess Augusta before being expanded over the years by monarchs. Today, the Royal Botanical Garden boasts of 10 climatic zones, which houses different varieties of plants and a glasshouse that’s specially designed for tropical plants.
Besides, there’s a 59ft. treetop walkway that will provide you with an outstanding view of the entire garden and city as well.
In 2003, the Kew Gardens were inscribed on the World Heritage List, acknowledging the garden’s rich architectural legacy, unique history, diverse landscape, and its position as a leading botanical garden for education and scientific research. In addition, there’s no shortage of activities there, including guided tours, special exhibitions, and festivals.
10. Villa D’este (Tivoli, Italy)
Villa D’este is often regarded as an epitome of Italianate gardens, and it’s one of the most magnificent gardens in Europe.
Don’t just think about running through the place because Villa D’este isn’t just a single garden, but it comprises of a series of gardens.
These gardens are characterized by cascades, elaborate fountains, pools, and water play with fantastic views across Tivoli.
The layout of this garden features a long central alley that intersects with the paths leading to major fountains. The Fontana dell’Organo is one of the highlights of this garden. Also, there’s the Cento Fountain that boasts of an array of fountains based on a stone wall. The Fontana dell’Ovato is another amazing feature with the cool walkaway behind the waterfall.
The Villa D’este garden in Italy provides an enchanting journey about the past. Taking centre stage is renaissance refinement that’s characteristic of the terraced gardens. Also, this garden displays an abundance of ornamental plants, fountains, and grottoes.
9. Le Jardin Majorelle (Marrakech, Morocco)
The Le Jardin Majorelle is a 110 000sq. Ft. garden that was cultivated by a French painter, Jacques Majorelle. It features rare and exotic plants whose appearance is heightened by cobalt blue pops.
The painter trademarked the colors in this garden, and today they can be found on garden walls, fountains, and several other parts in the garden.
After Majorelle’s death, the garden was bought by Pierre Berge and later renamed “Yves Saint-Laurent garden.” The Le Jardin Majorelle garden in Morocco is open to the general public on a daily basis.
The garden, along with the buildings there form a complex scenery in which some structures have been dedicated to serving as museums. Also, it contains a vast collection of sculpture and cacti.
With the towering palms, gigantic cacti that’s set around water lily pools, and blue color scheme, Le Jardin Majorelle is an idyllic spot in Morocco. It’s a major attraction in Marrakech, and thousands of tourists visit the place yearly. A stroll through this garden is a welcome change from the normal urban life.
8. Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden (Pattaya, Thailand)
The Nong Nooch Botanical Garden is situated on a 2.4 square kilometres beautiful park that forms an ideal place for daily trips.
This whole region appears like those themed parks, with the many restaurants, accommodations, cultural shows, and the vast area that showcases themed gardens.
A stroll through this garden seems like touring the world as you move past the 17th-century French garden, European Renaissance garden, or the Stonehenge.
Other fascinating features include species-specific gardens, such as succulent plants, cacti, tropical palm gardens, as well as orchid nurseries. The garden boasts of around 670 plants species that are native to Thailand.
The one-kilometre walkway displays plants like ferns and orchids that are spread in the garden. Nong Nooch is the largest and most beautiful botanical garden in Thailand.
It’s also among the largest gardens in the whole of Asia. The intricately sculpted gardens will create a whole new world of beauty. Besides the botanical garden, Nong Nooch still has Thai cultural shows which are held in the gardens.
7. Kirstenbosch (Cape Town, South Africa)
South Africa is widely known across the globe for its wonderful attractions. The Kirstenbosch garden just adds to its long list of tourist sites.
The garden was established in 1913, and since then, they have been fully committed to protecting flora in the country. Even though this garden is nearly 90 acres in total, it’s part of a larger nature reserve covering up to 1 300 acres.
With its Table Mountain that rises from a distance and vast network of paths, this garden provides a perfect place to enjoy your afternoon. You can’t visit Cape Town and have a memorable experience without visiting the garden.
Also, in case you happen to have children, then they’ll definitely enjoy visiting the cycad amphitheater that features life-sized dinosaur sculptures.
The sculpture garden at Kirstenbosch features an ever-changing display of bronze animal sculptures and African stone sculptures. The Centenary Canopy Walkaway is a perfect place for children to enjoy their rides.
There’s a 130km bridge made of timber and steel that passes over the trees to offer you with a fantastic view of Cape flats and the entire garden. Indeed, Kirstenbosch is proof that gardens aren’t created equal. Simply visit the place, and you’ll thank me later.
6. Longwood Gardens (Pennsylvania, United States)
The Longwood Gardens are located in Pennsylvania and covers a 1077-acre land. It exhibits 4.5-acre greenhouses and up to 40 magnificent gardens.
Longwood is a place for anyone that wants to view the dazzling display of plants that will surely elevate the inner art of horticulture. It’s home to more than 11 000 types of trees and plant species.
Also, it has well-maintained walking trails stretching up to 3 miles. The botanical garden also houses several water resources and protects a wide range of animals, such as birds, deer, and beavers.
The conservatory there has over 20 indoor gardens. It has a plethora of beautiful flowers, which include ferns, bonsai, roses, cacti, and bromeliads.
Another worthy feature of these gardens is the performing arts and seasonal exhibitions that will provide you with a memorable experience. Flowers are usually season-specific, so every exhibition at Longwood will provide you with whole new experience. Over the summer, you can enjoy firework displays, music concerts, and fountain shows.
5. Butchart Gardens (British Columbia, Canada)
The Butchart Gardens in Canada attract millions of tourists yearly, and it’s clear the garden has a lot to offer. The colorful flowers and lush greenery have continued to wow visitors for over a century.
They have close to 50 full-time gardeners that maintain the gardens along with 26 greenhouses. The Butchart Gardens is a beloved landscape that was formed in a former limestone quarry.
The area was transformed into a lush garden by Jennie Butchart, wife to the cement manufacturer who envisioned the possibilities of this region. There are very few gardens in the world that are as magical and eclectic as Butchart Gardens.
The gardens display a wide range of international influences, making it a masterpiece for anyone that wants enchanting allure. With the several pathways and brightly-colored flowers, you’ll undoubtedly appreciate its technicolor brilliance. Among the most common plants that bloom there include tulips, magnolias, rhododendrons, and pansies.
4. Lincoln Memorial Garden (Springfield, United States)
This prairie garden and woodland represent a living memorial to the former US president, Abraham Lincoln. It dates back to 1930s and covers a 100-acre piece of land.
It also has interconnected trails that cover a 6-mile length. Along its way, you can opt to relax on benches with inspirational quotes from Abraham Lincoln.
However, it’s important to note that most trails there are not accessible by wheelchairs, more so during wet months. Also, there are accessible restrooms and parking slots on both sides of the path.
The Lincoln Memorial trails will lead you to a memorable journey as you uncover the beauties of landscape in Illinois. Based on the season you visit this region, you can enjoy dogwoods in full bloom during spring, burnished autumn flowers, snow-covered trees over winter, and colorful prairie wildflowers during the summer.
There are also several activities to take part in, which includes walking trails, bird hikes, and nature book groups. The garden draws inspiration from the Midwestern landscapes of Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky.
Visitors to this garden will get to experience a variety of plants that are native to these states where Mr. Lincoln regarded as his home. The plants include vibrant wildflower species, Larkspur, and Buckeyes. Therefore, in case you want a beautiful garden in the US, consider visiting the Lincoln Memorial Garden.
3. Ryōan-Ji Garden (Kyoto, Japan)
Nestled in Zen Buddhist Temple, the Ryōan-Ji Garden is regarded as the epitome of Japanese rock gardens.
The area was initially used as an aristocrat’s villa before being converted into the Zen temple. This beautiful garden boasts of massive rock formations that are surrounded by well-raked gravel.
The stones are placed in strategic locations for visitors to view them while seating on the temple’s veranda. The rock gardens are specially designed to reflect the Japanese history and culture. They also depict the life journey as a person moves from birth to death and finally nirvana.
As you walk through this garden, it’ll become clear how people share common attributes in life. Besides the garden itself, there are paintings on the doors that showcase Japanese history.
The garden is quite different from other gardens on the list with 15 mystical rocks that float in pure white sand. Also, there are rectangular pebbles plots that are surrounded by low earthen walls.
The simplicity and size of the garden are amazing as well. The garden will strike any person’s mind thanks to the intense splashes of various colors.
2. Petrodvorets (St. Petersburg, Russia)
The Petrodvorets Is a baroque garden in Russia that was designed by a student from Le Notre. The design was inspired by the great Versailles garden in France. The designer chose a site that stands on a natural terrace and has plenty of water supply. There’s a remarkable marble cascade that flows towards the sea.
The garden is a symbol of Russia’s conquering of the Baltic coast during the Great Northern War. The cascade has been lined using a variety of gilded statues.
The front side of the garden features grass plots, fountains, basins, and a large parterre. The garden is a symbol of the country’s desire to become a superpower. The grandeur and enormity of the Petrodvorets garden are the primary forms of attraction there. The garden is relatively long, and it boasts of decorations of fountains and ornate gold statues.
The garden has 173 fountains that line the canal and also garden was destroyed during WWII, but it was later rebuilt to symbolize the Soviet imperialism. It was among the first estates that were restored after the Second World War, and today it remains to be a major tourist attraction site in Russia.
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1. Gardens of Versailles (Versailles, France)
When we talk about opulence, one garden that comes into people’s minds is the Garden of Versailles. André Le Nôtre, a royal landscaper, designed this 1, 976-acre playground that was later converted into a beautiful garden.
It ranks among the largest and most beautiful gardens across the planet. Gardens of Versailles is a remarkable example of formal French design of gardens.
The garden features 300 hectares covered by forests, hundreds of acres covered by flower beds, 372 statues, 600 fountains, and around 35km canals. It’s also home to more than 200 000 tree species and over 210 000 species of flowering plants.
The main fountains there have colossal statues that depict mythological characters like Cupid, Neptune, Ceres, Flora, and Saturn.
From the grand canal to espaliered hedges, every element of the Gardens of Versailles is just stunning. The grand canal runs through the garden and by taking a boat ride, you’ll enjoy a better view of the entire garden. Today, this garden is under protection as one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites.
Besides being a beautiful garden, the Garden of Versailles symbolizes French history, making it a perfect destination for any person that wants to learn about the rich French history and culture.
Conclusion
Gardens have more to offer apart from budding blooms and the serene views. In most instances, these verdant spaces provide in-depth detail of the culture and history of a place through different types of plants and the dedication towards preserving extraordinary landscapes.
For a long time, gardens have served as a source of inspiration, and the above-listed gardens have shown why. Walking through the beauty of these gardens is a special feeling. You’ll certainly lose yourself in the beauty of Mother Nature as you walk in areas surrounded by flowers.
The gardens add calmness and joy to any person’s life. The article has clearly shown that there are many gardens in the world, and it’s incredible to discover how different landscapes have changed through a wide variety of plants. So, what are you still waiting for? Prepare yourself and take a stroll in these 12 most beautiful gardens in the world.
