Most beautiful gardens in the world – Part three

Throughout our travels we have found some of the most beautiful gardens in the world have offered us a chance to relax and reflect away from the noise and activities of a big city. Parks can provide respite, somewhere quiet and peaceful to recharge and re-energise. Next time you are feeling a big city is closing in on you, find a little slice of nature to  catch your breathe. Here are some of the favourite parks and gardens around the world that have been explored by some fellow travel bloggers.

Tirtagangga Water Garden, Bali

We have seen some incredibly beautiful gardens in our travels and one that comes to mind is Tirtagangga Water Garden in Bali. Despite the crowds this is the perfect place to recharge. There are fountains, gardens, bridges and stone sculptures spurting water into the pools. The main pool has stepping stones leading across the pool toward a tiered fountain. This manicured gardens are beautiful in every way and there is so much water around, which is always relaxing. The maze of gardens offer different views of the park instead of simply an open view of the area.

The Richard and Helen DeVos Japanese Garden, Michigan, US

by Jillian of Adventure Dragon

Grand Rapids, Michigan houses an eight-acre Japanese garden and tea house in the United States, and it’s absolutely stunning. The Richard and Helen DeVos Japanese Garden contains Japanese maples, cherry blossoms, bonsai, and bamboo. A zig-zagging bridge cuts through a tranquil pool lined with waterfalls, and pretty art sculptures border narrow paths that curve around the edges of the garden. There’s even a Zen-Style Rock Garden designed to promote relaxation and quiet reflection. In Japan, three essential elements form the heart of all gardens–water, rocks, and plants–and each is perfectly represented in the Richard and Helen DeVos Japanese Garden. On select days, traditional tea ceremonies are also conducted inside an authentic tea house, and visitors are invited to sample a cup of green tea. It’s a unique experience you won’t want to miss from the most beautiful Japanese garden inside the U.S.A.

Botanical Gardens of Mauritius

by Corinne of Reflections Enroute

The Mauritius National Botanical Garden, or the Pampelmousses Botanical Garden, is a must-see on this tropical island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar. It is the oldest botanical garden in the Southern Hemisphere and was built in 1770. It does not have any indoor gardens, all the plants are outside and there is a circular path taking you around to the various gardens.

The park mirrors the history of the island with its variety of plants. For example, in the 19th century sugar cane became the main economic resource for the island, so the gardens hosted many varieties of sugar cane and palms. As we spent a few hours meandering the many different areas of the park, we found that we had three favourite spots.

Our absolute favourite was the long waterlily pond with its pink, magenta, and purple flowers and its iconic giant leaves. The water reflected the clouds above, and it just made you want to try and walk on those plants. Although, of course we didn’t.

Our other two favourites were the lotus gardens and the Giant Land Tortoise enclosure. There were a couple of lotus gardens, and both were completely different. One was full of delicate white flowers interspersed with just the pods. The long plants swayed in the breeze and it was mesmerising.

We were surprised at how many tortoises were kept at the botanical gardens, old and young. The oldest was over 100 years of age. While we were there, they were fed, and it was interesting how the older ones were so slow as they walked and moved their heads, yet they had no trouble gobbling up the veggies.

Walking around this park is a perfect place to have a quiet picnic lunch. The humidity and the sun keep plants growing all year long, but thankfully, this carefully thought-out exhibits allow you to have shade almost everywhere so your walk will be refreshing and cool.

It is possible to hire a guide for a small fee, and they will really explain the plant and tree varieties as well as the tumultuous history of the botanical gardens. However, it’s very easy to do on your own and just have a quiet afternoon.

Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory, Florida

by Halef of The Round The World Guys

While most people think of gardens as a place to see pretty flowers, there is a hidden, beautiful garden in the southernmost part of Florida that you shouldn’t miss.

As the name implies, the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory is a garden dedicated to learning about and showcasing butterflies. There are hundreds and hundreds of butterflies inside this amazing garden. They range from the most beautiful monarch butterflies to the tiny brown butterflies that seem to blend it with their surroundings.

It is simply a calm and relaxing place. They also have a few birds, including two rescued flamingo residents. Hundreds of larvae and caterpillars are also on display behind a closed nursery.

Come in the morning when they open to enjoy solitary time amongst the excitement around you. Dress appropriately because it’s humid inside the conservatory. Another great tip to consider: while it is forbidden to touch any of the butterflies, it doesn’t mean that it applies the other way around. Some of the butterflies may land on brightly coloured clothing, and any butterfly landing is a great opportunity for a few amazing snapshots!

Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens, Sri Lanka

by Delphine of Lesterlost

The Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens are Sri Lanka’s largest conservation gardens. Initially built by Sinhalese Kings in 1371, the gardens were later transformed by the British. From 1821, the gardens were used to conserve the many plant species in Sri Lanka. Nowadays, there are some 4000 plant species, including orchids, spices, tea, coffee and numerous tree species. The Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens are on the way to Kandy and will make a pleasant break in the road. Be prepared for the heat and humidity and take a leisurely walk. Anything too strenuous and the heat will get you!

An interesting thing about the Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens is the elegant mix of British-style manicured gardens and flowers beds, and the wild, mysterious jungle. Some trees are downright strange, such as the cannonball tree. And the wild jungle-like giant bamboos contrast with the majestic rows of palm trees. The Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens are also home to an active and ubiquitous wildlife, including birds and several varieties of monkeys.

A visit to the Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens is also an opportunity to meet the locals. Sri Lankans are very proud of their history and heritage, and will patrol the peaceful alleyways in colourful clothing. Their friendliness will charm you, as much as the elegance and peace of the gardens!

The Alhambra gardens, Granada, Spain

by Emily of Kids and Compass

The Alhambra is one of Spain’s best known attractions. Set on a hilltop overlooking the city of Granada, the Alhambra is a medieval palace complex with incredible Moorish architecture. The Alhambra is most famous for its intricately carved buildings, but the gardens are just as impressive as the palace buildings themselves.

The gardens are as old as the Alhambra itself and were an integral part of the palaces when they were built, and although they have been altered through the years they are still true to their Arabic roots. What really stands out about the gardens at the Alhambra is the way in which they use water. Sound is as important as scent and sight in these gardens and the gentle background hum of water trickling follows you wherever you go.

Each part of the Alhambra has its own garden. In the Generalife complex, delicate fountains arc along the length of a courtyard pool, complemented by seasonal planting alongside. There is even a water stairway, with water flowing down channels cut into the sides of the stairs, which leads you up to the rose garden above the Generalife.

Elsewhere, long, narrow pools lead your eye through the gardens to focal points, whether they’re fountains, courtyards or plants. In the Patio de los Arrayanes a large pool surrounded by myrtles reflects the buildings and keeps the area cool. Look out for goldfish in the pools as well as frogs sunbathing on lily pads.

The Alhambra is certainly one of the most impressive World Heritage Sites I’ve been to, and it’s the unique gardens that make it extra special.

Broomhill Sculpture Garden, Devon, England

by Bernadette of A Packed Life

Along the lazy leafy lanes of Devon in the south west of England, there’s a very special place to stop and explore. Broomhill Art Hotel is complete with a vibrant restaurant, and also a sculpture garden containing over 300 pieces in ten acres. This is not somewhere where you can possibly see everything in ten minutes. From the starting point at the giant red stiletto, you can spend hours losing yourselves in a tangle of rhododendrons, dappling trees, and the meandering stream.

As you wander the paths of the garden, you have no idea what you’ll spot next. A violin player, a rather splendid sofa, the hare, a stray piece from a game of jacks, a bell with a bright decoupage-style interior, a fabulousness of fungi and a heartbreaking interpretation of nuclear war: it’s all there. Be prepared to spend hours exploring. The gardens are kept in that beautiful balance of wilderness and cultivation. It’s a place to make your heart happy, and one where you’ll be keen to search for what’s around the next corner.

Huntington Gardens of Pasadena, California

by Wendy of Empty Nesters Hit The Road

No matter how many times I’ve visited the Huntington Gardens and Library in Pasadena, it never gets old. The Japanese Garden has been a much beloved part of the Huntington for decades, while the expansive Chinese Garden was added just a few years ago. These two gardens alone require a few hours to fully appreciate them. But the list of additional gardens throughout the property is impressive–Australia, California, Jungle, Desert, and much more. Each season brings a different experience and to help visitors to fully appreciate it, the Huntington makes available on their website a list of what flowers are currently in bloom.

One of the most popular and photographed sections of the Huntington is the Rose Gardens. The 1,200 different rose plants here begin blooming in late March and continue through the end of November. It’s also in this this garden that visitors can enjoy a full English Tea at The Rose Garden Tea Room (reservations are strongly recommended). While tea service can be enjoyed many places in the Los Angeles area, this is certainly the most scenic.

The price of admission includes the library and museum, so we always allow at least an hour to explore these as well. The Huntington Gardens and Library is closed on Tuesdays. Admission is $25 for adults and $13 for children.

Floriade, Canberra

by Helena of Through an Aussie’s Eyes

Floriade is one of Australia’s most beautiful spring garden displays. Situated in the nation’s capital, Canberra, this free garden opens up for a month at the start of spring every year. Each year there is a different theme to the garden displays and they are reflected in the colouring of the flowers. Floriade will also show you the very different array of colours each flower can bloom in, even colours you never imagined.

This is an event the whole family can enjoy. Along with the gorgeous flowers, you will also be able to watch a variety of different shows (this includes dancers and bands), buy food and drinks, go on rides (the Ferris wheel is a must as you will see views over Canberra) and plenty of gardening shops for those with a green thumb. If you want to experience something different, buy a ticket and go to NightFest. This is where you see all of the flowers of Floriade being displayed under lights at night.

Dubai Miracle Garden

by Bertaut of World Travel Adventurers

Dubai Miracle Garden is one of the most amazing gardens in the world, especially since it is in the middle of the Arabian desert! The oasis of flowers won the Guinness World Record for world’s largest natural flower garden in 2013. In 2016, it won another Guinness World Record for the largest flower arrangement, which was formed in the shape of the Airbus A380. 2018 brought yet another Guinness World Record for the largest topiary structure, measuring over 59 feet, forming Mickey Mouse.

Miracle Garden boasts a whopping 45 million flowers arranged into everything from houses, animals, cars, and just about anything you could imagine! There’s also a butterfly garden and live music to keep you entertained for hours. Dubai Miracle Garden is only open from Mid-November to Mid-May when temperatures are conducive for being outdoors. Tickets are only 40 AED, which is about $12 USD, and worth every penny. Miracle Garden is great for families and also for couples looking for a romantic way to spend the day. We loved wandering around discovering the creative flower structures and snapping tons of photos. We were beyond impressed by the ingenuity of its creators to re-use 200,000 gallons of waste water every day to nurture this truly miraculous garden!

Central Park, New York

by Kathy of 50 Shades of Age

The 778 acres of green space of Central Park in central Manhattan is a definite must do whilst you are in New York. This massive park is made of several large lawn areas, gigantic trees, tranquil lakes and elegant formal gardens.

The six-acre formal Conservatory Garden is one of the highlights. It is divided into three smaller gardens, each with a distinct style: Italian, French, and English. The Garden’s main entrance is through the Vanderbilt Gate, on Fifth Avenue between 104th and 105th Streets, that is a feature in itself.

The Conservatory Garden offers and escape from the expansive park with its calm and pretty setting for a leisurely stroll, or an escape with a good book.

Otherwise a stroll up Cherry Hill located mid-park on a gentle slope overlooking the Lake. Named for the cherry trees that bloom across its landscape in the spring it is a lovely spot to sit for a while.

One of the most popular ways to see Central Park is by hiring a bicycle and completing the 10km loop around the park. But be warned there are some hilly sections and it’s not for the unfit!

Taejongdae Resort park, Busan

by Sylvia of Wapiti Travel

A little outside of Busan is Taejongdae Resort park, a peninsula that offers breathtaking views. What we loved most about this park is the spectacular rocky coastline and the splendid views on the sea with its different shades of blue. As you hike through the lush thick forest you come along several notable landmarks such as Yeongdo lighthouse, the Sinseondae cliff and the Taejongsa temple.

You will follow the main road for a large part of your hike. Along the road several paths will take you to picturesque viewpoints over the endless ocean. On clear days you can see as far as the Japanese island Tsushima. As you make your way across the rocky cliffs keep an eye open for dinosaur tracks. One of the dinosaur footprints is now on display in the natural history gallery.

Admission to the park is free. The hike is paved and fairly easy although at an incline. Getting to most viewpoints involves you doing several flights of stairs. A paying shuttle can take you to most of the viewpoints but expect to wait 30 minutes to 60 minutes at popular stops and you will still need to do the stairs as the shuttle only runs along the main road.

Kings Park Perth

by Michela of Rocky Travel

If you are planning to visit Perth, you cannot miss out on Kings Park. This is indeed an iconic place of the most isolated city in the world, in South Western Australia. Located on top of Mount Eliza, it offers a fantastic panoramic view of Perth. It’s a beautiful venue for enjoying the outdoors and a favourite spot for the locals who come here to celebrate birthdays, weddings, and also official celebrations at Anzac Day and Australia Day.

With over 400 hectares of bushland and 450 different native plants, the Kings Park Botanical Garden is a jewel and where to start your visit. The Bushland Nature Trail is one of the many free guided walking tours offered by the park volunteers. Do it early morning to get introduced to the unique Western Australian wildflowers and botanical diversity. The park rangers are very knowledgeable about the history of the park too, and they will amaze you.

The State War Memorial Complex is the main attraction, but you should also take a stroll through the Kings Park Memorial trees: tall trees lining a large venue with carved boards of those who lost their lives during the war. There are many walks around a maze of native plants, trees, paved cycleways and long avenues that you can do, but one I can recommend is the Boodja Gnarning Walk, starting from Fraser Avenue to Lotterywest Federation Walkway and the Dryandra Lookout for a stunning view of Perth City.

RHS Rosemoor, Devon, UK

by Jo of Lifestyle Fifty

RHS Rosemoor is nestled in a wooded Devon valley in South West England.

Rosemoor was home to Lady Anne Palmer and her mother following the death of her father, Robert Horace Walpole, the fifth and last Earl of Orford, in 1931. Lady Anne later gave Rosemoor to the RHS in 1988 and the garden opened formally to the public in June 1990.

Spend half a day at Rosemoor and enjoy the Rose Gardens, the Orchards, Woodland Gardens, Hot Garden, Vegetable Garden, Pottager and Cottage Garden, Winter Garden, Rock Gully and Lake, Exotic Garden, Cherry Garden, Stone Garden, Croquet Lawn, Arboretum, Meadows and grassy play areas.

There are two lovely cafes, a nursery and a fabulous gift shop with classy gifts themed around country life, cookery and gardening.

Rosemoor is an enchanting place to visit in every season; cherry blossom in spring, winter gardens at their most joyous over the Christmas period, while the deciduous woodlands are gorgeous during autumn.

For me the iconic Hot Garden is the most dazzling. with colours chosen for their heat and vibrancy, and best visited from July to mid September.

Lots of plants help to create this spectacle, but some of my favourites are Helenium ‘Sahin’s Early Flowerer’, Solidago ‘Goldenmosa’, and Hemerocallis ‘Pardon Me’ in particular while grasses such as Miscanthus sinensis ‘China’ provide depth and texture.

Mainau Island in Germany

by Toni-Ann of The Swiss Freis

Mainau Island (Insel Mainau in German) is a stunning flower island in the south of Germany. Located in the city of Constance on the Lake of Constance, this beautiful botanical garden is every flower lover’s dream.

A glimpse at the island’s colourful history reveals that it was originally used by the Romans as a strategic fortress almost 2000 years ago. After switching ownership a few times it was eventually bought and repurposed as a summer palace (yes, there’s an actual palace on the island!) for Grand Duke Friedrich I of Baden. Today the castle and it’s grounds are open to the public as a wonderful botanical garden; perfect for families and couples alike.

To get the most out of your visit to Insel Mainau, make a trip in the Spring season where the entire garden awakes from its winter slumber with the colorful flower blooms. While all the flowers on the island are stunning in their own right, the main star of the show are the garden’s tulips.

Summer is still a great time to make a visit to Insel Mainau as the flower show transitions into it’s summer display of flowers where roses and azaleas take over as the main stars of the floral show.

NIROX Foundation Sculpture Park, South Africa

by Iga of Eager Journeys

The NIROX Sculpture Park is located on 15 hectares of landscaped gardens and waterways within a private nature reserve in the heart of the Cradle of Humankind, around 45 minutes from Johannesburg, South Africa. The reserve has more than 40 kilometres of walking, cycling and game drive trails through grasslands and ancient dolomite valleys. There are natural fountains, caves, indigenous forests, ridges and hills to explore. You might also see indigenous game and spot a variety of birdlife.

It is run by the Nirox Foundation, a non-profit that supports various media of contemporary artworks, such as sculptures, installations and interactive artwork. Each winter NIROX opens to the public to showcase new temporary exhibits as well as its permanent collection. It predominantly focuses on artworks by African and female artists, as well as the African diaspora. If you miss the winter sculpture festival, you can still visit it on appointment.

NIROX also hosts year-round musical concerts, along the water’s edge. The amphitheatre welcomes leading performers and musicians, specifically in the genres of classical, jazz, acoustic, traditional and contemporary music. During the concerts, there’s always a selection of eats and drinks available at the Epicurean Emporium, which includes gourmet foods from nearby restaurants and food trucks.

Singapore Botanic Gardens

by Sue of Travel For Life Now

I have been to Singapore many times and I always try to make time to visit the Singapore Botanic Garden, and most particularly the exquisite National Orchid Gardens. The Botanic Gardens is Singapore’s only UNESCO World Heritage site. The garden has more than 10,000 species of plants spread out over 82 hectares. Strolling through the gardens, you’ll see a bonsai garden, swan lake, and many species of tropical plants and trees that you might not normally see.

Given the tropical climate, orchids flourish outdoors and in their natural habitat. There are 1,200 species and 2,000 hybrids of orchids in the Garden. Within the Orchid Garden, there is the VIP Orchid Gardens honours heads of state and other dignitaries that have visited Singapore. Among the dignitaries with hybrids named after them are: Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla Parker Bowles, Barack and Michelle Obama, Princess Diana, Angela Merkel and David Cameron.

Singapore is very hot and humid. If you are planning to visit the gardens, I would recommend going early in the morning or late in the afternoon. The heat and the crowds will be less oppressive. And, bring an umbrella, don’t be surprised if there is a rain shower. The gardens are open from 5 am to midnight. There are free guided tours on Saturday (in English and Mandarin). The gardens are free, but there is an extra charge for the VIP Orchid Gardens (about $5 USD).

Have you visited any of these stunning gardens? Which was your favourite? Don’t forget to check out the beautiful gardens in Part 1 and Part 2.

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