While it has been a long and cold winter in many places, spring is just around the corner and there may be no better way to celebrate the wonders of spring than to visit one of these spectacular botanical gardens.
Credit: bigstock.comKeukenof, Lisse, NetherlandsKeukenof, Lisse, Netherlands
Keukenof, Lisse, Netherlands (hotel prices and photos)
The world's largest flower garden is located in the small Dutch town of Lisse, only a 40-minute drive from Amsterdam. Open every year between mid-March and mid-May, this is the place to go to see tulips in a range of vibrant colours, along with daffodils, orchids, lilies, carnations, roses, irises, hyacinths and other flowers. Spread across various gardens and pavilions, there are millions of tulips and other flowers and, as the park has a different theme each year, it is never the same. Be sure to take the boat ride in a low voice, where you can enjoy the tranquillity of the endless fields of tulips in a virtually silent boat along the waterways: the angle guarantees particularly good photos.
Credit: Mrs. GemstoneLewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Richmond, Virginia Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Richmond, Virginia
Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Richmond, Virginia (hotel prices and photos)
Called the 'jewel of Richmond', this historic 50-acre garden is often considered one of America's most beautiful botanical gardens. The classic domed conservatory is the only one of its kind in the mid-Atlantic, and you'll find over a dozen themed gardens, including the Rose Garden, Children's Garden, Asian Valley and Cherry Tree Walk. The most popular attraction here is "Butterflies Live!" which allows visitors to get up close and personal with hundreds of exotic tropical butterflies. There are acres of paths leading through the various types of gardens and plants, as well as a number of options for eating and shopping on the sprawling property.
Credit: bigstock.com Portland Japanese Garden, Portland, OregonPortland Japanese Garden, Portland, Oregon
Portland Japanese Garden, Portland, Oregon (hotel prices and photos)
Billed as one of the most authentic Japanese gardens outside of Japan, this 5.5-acre slice of paradise is a meticulously manicured haven of beauty tucked away in Portland's scenic West Hills above Washington Park. It features meandering streams, charming walkways, an authentic Japanese teahouse and incredible views of Mount Hood. Influenced by Shinto, Buddhist and Taoist philosophies, the designers utilised the three essential elements in traditional Japanese gardens: stone, the 'bones' of the landscape; water, the life-giving force; and plants, the tapestry of the four seasons. The pond beneath Heavenly Falls is filled with koi, helping to bring the landscape to life. It contains five distinct Japanese gardens: the pond garden, the tea garden, the nature garden, the plain garden and the sand and stone garden, with picturesque pagodas and bridges dotting the landscape.
Credit: WestherChanticleer Garden, Wayne, PennsylvaniaChanticleer Garden, Wayne, Pennsylvania
Chanticleer Garden, Wayne, Pennsylvania (prices and hotel photos)
Located 30 minutes northwest of Philadelphia, this 35-acre public garden has been cited as the most romantic and imaginative garden in the country. Romance blooms in every nook and cranny of its creatively landscaped gardens. The colourful flowers, streams, hidden paths, stone ruins and dense forests have been called the perfect Hollywood film set for a marriage proposal. "Eclectic" is the word that best describes some of its features, such as the Ruins Garden, which houses a sarcophagus-like fountain, and the Tennis Court Garden, where you won't find any sports stars, but you will see some beautiful poppies, irises, roses and daisies. The view from the main house, looking down a dramatic hillside of a koi pond and Asian woods, is worth the price of admission alone.
Credit: davidwilson1949Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, Pittsburg, PennsylvaniaPhipps Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania
Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania (rates and hotel photos)
Located on the west side of the state, Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Gardens was founded in 1893 by real estate baron Henry Phipps. It is one of the oldest and largest Victorian 'glass houses' in America. Designated a National Historic Landmark, the conservatory consists of 13 silver glass domes covering lush garden rooms filled with exotic plants and flowers, and is surrounded by manicured gardens, tranquil ponds and romantic fountains. It displays several permanent and seasonal exhibitions throughout the year, such as its extraordinary collection of rare orchids, a lily pond, bonsai trees and an outdoor rose garden.
Credit: bigstock.comMissouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MissouriMissouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, Missouri
Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, Missouri (hotel prices and photos)
This Victorian-era botanical garden, known locally as Shaw's Garden after its founder, botanist and philanthropist Henry Shaw, is the oldest botanical garden in the United States and a National Historic Landmark. It was founded in 1859 and now attracts over 750,000 visitors a year. An oasis in the city, it covers 79 acres and displays a wide range of plants, trees and shrubs, including an extraordinary collection of rare orchids.Its show stopper is the geodesic dome known as the Climatron, which covers a half-acre and houses a rainforest-themed collection of 1,400 plant species, such as cacao, coffee and banana, along with wild harvested orchids, and a river aquarium with exotic fish. Leading the way to the Climatron are Dale Chihuly's glass sculptures floating in water lilies. The garden is also home to an English Woodland Garden, a Japanese strolling garden, a Victorian quarter and Henry Shaw's original 1950s estate house.
Credit: bigstock.com Butchart Gardens, Victoria, British Columbia, CanadaButchart Gardens, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Butchart Gardens, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada (hotel prices and photos)
One of the best show gardens in the world, Butchart Gardens began when Jenny Butchart began beautifying the squalid pits that her husband's limestone mining company had left on their Vancouver Island property. Still owned by the same family, most of its 55 acres are open to the public, including everyone's favourite: the Sunken Garden. It also has an Italian garden, a Japanese garden and an impressive rose garden of 300 species. In total, there are 700 varieties of plants in bloom from March to October. On Saturday evenings in summer, visitors can not only enjoy the beautiful floral displays, but also an impressive fireworks display to show off the tunes.
Credit: bigstock.com Control Botanical Garden, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Montreal Botanical Garden, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Montreal Botanical Garden, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
This 75-hectare oasis is located in the heart of Montreal and showcases over 22,000 species of plants and cultivars, as well as a planetarium, biodome, insectarium, themed greenhouses and gardens, including the famous Chinese garden. A place of harmony and contrast, it illustrates the age-old principles of Chinese landscape art, with selections of architecture, water, plants and minerals all expressions of the dominant design principles of yin and yang. Its harmony is based on plants, water, stones and architecture, presenting itself as a kind of three-dimensional painting. The First Nations Garden was created in honour of the First Nations people, allowing visitors to rediscover the culture of America's first inhabitants, while the Alpine Garden takes visitors on a tour of the botanical world from the Rocky Mountains to the Himalayas and from the Alps to the Arctic tundra. A visit to its botanical garden certainly lives up to its motto: 'a journey around the world'.
Credit: bigstock.com Kula Botanical Gardens, Maui, Hawaii Kula Botanical Gardens, Maui, Hawaii
Kula Botanical Gardens, Maui, Hawaii (hotel prices and photos)
Located on the slopes of Maui's Haleakala volcano, the Kula Botanical Garden is a magnificent arboreal paradise that celebrates the fauna and flora of Hawaii. It is home to more than eight hectares of unique and native plants, waterfalls, incredible rock formations and a number of interesting attractions, such as the carved tiki exhibit. Some of its plants and trees include the native koa, which is prized by woodworkers, and a good selection of proteas, the flowering shrubs that have become a signature flower in Upcountry Mau. A picturesque covered bridge offers a romantic escape, while the koi pond, a Nene goose aviary and a Jackson Chameleon exhibit showcase some of the island's wildlife.
Credit: bigstock.comtulipstulips
Atlanta Botanical Garden, Atlanta, Georgia (prices and hotel photos)
Home to more than 30 acres of beautiful botanical gardens with a wide variety of fascinating collections and exhibits, the Atlanta Botanical Garden is located adjacent to Piedmont Park and has been steadily upgraded for nearly four decades to provide a particularly interesting haven of urban bliss. One of the highlights is the Fuqua Orchid Centre, which preserves the rare beauty of orchids growing at high altitudes that have never been cultivated in the southeast. The Kendeda Canopy Walk is a popular adventure where visitors can stroll along the 600-foot-long walkway that winds through the treetops of Storza Woods, while the Venus stunt traps in the Soggy Swamp are always a big hit. February to April is the time to catch the annual Orchid Daze exhibition, when thousands of orchids are in bloom. March and April bring the Atlanta Blooms festival when several hundred thousand tulips, daffodils and other spring bulbs bloom.
Credit: calamity_salBrooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn, New YorkBrooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn, New York
Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn, New York (hotel prices and photos)
In existence for more than a century, this 52-acre New York institution is home to thousands of plants and trees, with the Cranford Rose Garden alone housing some 1,000 types. It also houses a Japanese garden where river turtles swim alongside a Shinto shrine. Between late April and early May, you can see the cherry blossom trees that are celebrated at Sakura Matsuri, the Cherry Blossom Festival. The blossoms of more than 200 cherry blossom trees open from bud to bloom before covering the petals across Cherry Esplanade, Cherry Walk and the Hill-and-Pond Japanese Garden. A network of paths connects the Japanese garden to other popular sections devoted to native flora, bonsai trees, a bluebell forest and a rose garden.
Credit: bigstock.comDesert Botanical Gardens, Phoenix, Arizona Botanical Gardens, Phoenix, Arizona
Desert Botanical Gardens, Phoenix, Arizona (hotel prices and photos)
While you might think that the desert is a barren, barren landscape, it is in fact anything but. To find out what it really is, check out the Desert Botanical Gardens in Phoenix, which boasts 17,000 species of desert plants and a large research centre. The Garden has more than 50,000 plants accessorised in five thematic trails that illustrate topics such as desert life, conservation, plants and people of the Sonora Desert, and desert wildflowers. A two-hectare wildflower exhibition bursts with colour in spring, with peak flowers such as desert lupine and Mexican poppies occurring in March and April. If you want to learn more about desert plants and flowers, a variety of workshops and lectures on desert landscape and horticulture, botanical art and illustration are also available.
Credit: danxoneilFairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Coral Gables, FloridaFairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Coral Gables, Florida
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Coral Gables, Florida (hotel prices and photos)
A tropical oasis, the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is located just minutes from downtown Miami. It can be appreciated in a number of ways, including viewing the aesthetic beauty of taxonomically arranged and well-documented tropical plants, particularly palms, cycads, flowering trees and shrubs, vines and fruit trees, which are displayed in a classic landscape design that is a favourite of many casual gardeners who often find it an extraordinary experience. Serious plant enthusiasts will appreciate the documented botanical specimens that have been cultivated and collected since the late 1930s. This is an important centre for palm research and the garden has preserved a wide variety of tropical plant species from all over the world, including Madagascar, the oceanic islands, South Florida and the Caribbean. The butterfly garden and the two-acre tropical rainforest are must-sees for everyone.
Credit: Ron CogswellLimahuli Garden & Preserve, Kauai, Hawaii Limahuli Garden & Preserve, Kauai, Hawaii
Limahuli Garden & Preserve, Kauai, Hawaii (hotel prices and photos)
Located along the ethereal northern coast of Kauai, Limahuli Garden and Preserve is 1,000 acres. Named the No. 1 natural botanical garden in the United States by the American Horticultural Society, this fascinating tropical expanse offers pristine forests and riparian habitats, including palms and grasses, rare native ferns, and culturally significant plants such as taro and papaya. The garden is a fabulous place to take a walk on the land where taro still thrives on ancient lava rock terraces and learn about native Hawaiian plants and rare plant conservation. There are also many other attractions, such as the Bird of Paradise flower, Hawaii's iconic symbol. In spring, you will be able to see the native ko'oko'olau at its best, displaying beautiful yellow, daisy-like flowers.
Credit: MaterlooAndromeda Botanical Gardens, St. Joseph, BarbadosAndromeda Botanical Gardens, St. Joseph, Barbados
Andromeda Botanical Gardens, St. Joseph, Barbados (prices and photos)
This lush 6.5-hectare garden has the largest collection of tropical plants in the Eastern Caribbean, with over 600 species. Situated along a waterway, adorned with ponds and waterfalls, and overlooking the sea, it was founded over 50 years ago by the island's leading horticulturist, Iris Bannochie. You will be astounded by the amazing plants that nature has evolved, from the bizarre to the incredibly beautiful. Paths lead through peaceful folds of earth, over bridges, leading to familiar and beloved faces such as hibiscus, bougainvillea and ginger, as well as a few surprises, such as those in the form of cacti. Don't forget to visit the huge native bearded fig tree for which the Portuguese are said to have named the islands - Los Barbados translates to bearded ones - and, take note of the final arbour where jade vines and hanging turquoise flowers create a grand, spectacular exit.
Credit: soseychelles National Botanical Gardens of Seychelles, Mahe, Seychelles National Botanical Garden of Seychelles, Mahe, Seychelles
Seychelles National Botanical Gardens, Mahe, Seychelles (Hotel Prices and Photos)
The Seychelles, an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean off East Africa, is home to some of the world's most breathtaking tropical landscapes, including some of the most perfect beaches you've ever seen. It is hard to imagine it getting any better than this, but as soon as you enter this botanical garden, you are sure to be amazed, especially when you see the rare and impressive palm trees that only grow in the Seychelles. Besides the palm trees, the garden displays a wide variety of spice and fruit trees, many of which can only be seen in this garden. There is also a population of giant Aldabra tortoises, some of which are over 150 years old. Look out for colonies of fruit bats that can be found feeding or roosting in the taller trees above, and be sure to visit the orchid house with its collection of brightly coloured orchids, including native types.
Credit: bigstock.comJardim Botanico, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilJardim Botanico, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Jardim Botanico, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (hotel prices and photos)
This exotic 137-hectare garden boasts more than 8000 plant species and was designed by order of Prince Regent Dom Joao in 1808. Peaceful and serene during the week and lively with families at the weekend, highlights of a visit here include the park's best-known landmark, the row of palm trees that were planted when it opened, the lake containing huge water lilies and the enclosed orquidarium (orchid house), which features 600 species of orchids.The garden is also home to 140 species of birds, many of which are easier to observe than the wild ones as humans have become accustomed to them, such as the channel-billed toucan. Capuchin monkeys and tufted marmosets are also often seen. When walking among the rubber, cocoa and pungent-smelling abrico-de-macao trees, watch out for falling fruit - their size makes them potentially dangerous.
Credit: bigstock.com Chicago Botanic Garden, Chicago, Illinois Chicago Botanic Garden, Chicago, Illinois
Chicago Botanic Garden, Chicago, Illinois (hotel prices and photos)
The Chicago Botanic Garden is one of the best living museums and science conservation centres in the Windy City. It is located on 385 acres on and around nine islands and six miles of coastline, and includes 26 gardens and four natural areas. The acreage is located on and around nine islands and six miles of coastline. Even with the bad weather affecting Chicago, the garden is still able to maintain over 2.4 million plants, such as the blooming rose bush that exemplifies the friendliness of the species found here. Its bonsai collection is among the best of its kind in the world. It contains almost 200 bonsai trees, including gifts from Japanese bonsai master Susumu Nakamura, such as a Japanese white pine. On the rotating display, each bonsai tree is on display at the height of its beauty.
Credit: bigstock.com Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania
Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania (prices and hotel photos)
Longwood Gardens, the self-proclaimed 'world's premier horticultural showroom', is home to one of the most extraordinary greenhouse structures on the planet. The conservatory houses 4.5 hectares of indoor gardens, including 4,600 different types of plants and trees, as well as a fantastic fountain system inspired by the Italian Water Garden and the outdoor fountains of Europe. Despite all this, it could be more famous for its Longwood organ with over 10,000 pipes that can be heard throughout the conservatory. Outdoors, in March, the first spring bulbs begin to carpet the landscape, suggesting the imminent arrival of spring, and in April one can admire the extraordinary outdoor spectacle culminating in a rainbow of over 250,000 tulips in bloom in the famous Garden Walk and Idea Garden.
Credit: Mike MileyCheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art, Nashville, TennesseeCheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art, Nashville, Tennessee
Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art, Nashville, Tennessee (prices and photos)
Frequently ranked as one of the best gardens in the world, the 55-acre grounds of the historic residence of the famous Cheek family offers a myriad of fascinating sights, including a Japanese garden, a reflection pool and a nature sanctuary. It also displays exceptional art exhibitions by internationally renowned artists in its art museum. There are 11 different gardens in total, such as the Burr Terrace Garden, reminiscent of a garden in Padua, Italy, which dates back to the mid-16th century and is considered the oldest surviving botanical garden in the world. The walled cottage garden features beautiful flowering perennials and contrasting violets in spring. This is also when you will find a pergola decorated with old-fashioned roses and bordered by a collection of daffodils in the Turner Seasons Garden. With so much to see and do, you're bound to whet your appetite, so it's a good thing Cheekwood is also famous for its fine dining.
Credit: bigstock.comClaude Monet's Gardens, Giverny, FranceClaude Monet's Gardens, Giverny, France
Claude Monet's Gardens, Giverny, France (prices and photos)
By heading to Giverny, France, just over an hour's drive from Paris, you can see what inspired Claude Monet's paintings, including the iconic water lilies he spent 43 years of his life cultivating. They were said to have provided him with his greatest artistic inspiration, and they also created this picturesque village on the Seine side that is celebrated the world over. In addition to the dreamy lily ponds, you will see all kinds of wild flowers and shrubs as his admired works come to life. The house and gardens are open for public visits between April and October.