Most beautiful gardens in the world – Part two

There are so many beautiful gardens in the world. We saw some spectacular gardens in the first part that were all very different. Again in this part we have some exceptional gardens that have been put together in another collaboration and hope you’ll leave a comment at the end to let us know which is your favourite and why.

Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden, South Australia

by Josie of Josie Wanders

When thinking of gardens, a beautiful green oasis filled with flowers generally comes to mind, but there are some places in the world where this is simply not the case. On the edge of the outback in South Australia is the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden, completely different to that image we expect.

Located near the town of Port Augusta, the gardens showcase the vegetation that grows across the various marginal regions of central Australia. There are no beautiful lawned areas or colourful flower beds, but you will find ancient plants that look like they come from the time of dinosaurs and bizarre flowers you have never seen before.

These gardens have their own beauty with the green-grey of many of the plants contrasting with the red outback soil. Bush tucker plants are highlighted and others that are rare are being grown and preserved here.

While walking through the extensive gardens, also keep an eye out for some of Australia’s native animals as you are likely to spot them here too. Keen birdwatchers can use one of the two hides to spot some of the 140 types of birds that live in the area.

With various length walking paths, this is the perfect place to stop and stretch your legs if you are doing a road trip through the area. Tours are conducted each weekday for those who would like to learn a little more, and you can taste the local produce and get a great coffee in the cafe.

The Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden is open every day from 7:30am until sunset, and the best time to visit is definitely early, especially during summer when the temperatures will be too hot to enjoy the gardens in the afternoons.

Garden of Morning Calm, South Korea

by Jackie of Life of Doing

The Garden of Morning Calm in Gapyeong, South Korea is one of those places where we can’t stop talking about its beauty. It’s the most immaculate and colorful gardens that we’ve been to. Once you enter the garden, you’ll notice the bursting of colors of pink and magenta trees, roses, conifer trees, and many plants. The garden is huge at 30,000㎡, so you can take your time to walk and explore the various themes. Every quarter the garden has seasonal plants and displays, and during our springtime visit, we saw beautiful tulips. Some of our favorite places in the garden are the Pond Garden, a Japanese garden overlooking a pagoda, and the Millennium Juniper, a 1000 year old juniper tree. Don’t forget to walk across the suspension bridge and feel the springiness.

If you visit the Garden of Morning Calm, consider visiting other attractions in the town such as Nami Island and Petite France. You can take the Gapyeong shuttle bus to visit these three places or pre-book a day tour from Seoul.

Penang Botanic Gardens, Penang

by Marco of Penang Insider

“Penang Botanical Gardens sit at the bottom of its famous Penang Hill, home to some of Penang island’s best hiking trails. Founded in 1884 by Nathaniel Cantley, superintendent of Singapore Botanic Gardens, Penang Botanical Gardens have many flower nurseries and a jungle-trail leading to a beautiful waterfall — this, however, is now closed due to problems with the trail.

Locals come to Penang Botanic Gardens for jogging and relaxing in the well-manicured gardens which host a plethora of different tree and plant species, from New Zealand’s pine trees to the enigmatic Cannonball Tree. Besides taking a stroll to the different nurseries, including an orchid house and the Ipoh tree — whose sap was used by Malaysian aborigines to poison their blowpipes’ darts — these gardens are famous for a population of macaques. Don’t bring food, especially in plastic bags, as the monkeys are very used to snatch it from visitors.

How to get there: Penang Rapid Bus 10 leaves the KOMTAR bus station near to the city center and stops at the Botanic Gardens. Another way is using the Hop On Hop Off Tourist Bus, purchasing a day ticket that allows you to stop at other tourist sites en route. At last, Grab is the ride hail application of choice in Penang and Malaysia.”

Isola Bella, Lake Maggiore, Italy

by Chris at Explore Now or Never

The Borromean Islands—and Isola Bella in particular—make an easy day trip from nearby Stresa on Lake Maggiore in Italy’s beautiful alpine lakes district…and its gardens are memorable. Begin with a tour of the incredible Baroque palace here and then move into the opulent Italiante gardens onsite. Your 17 euro admission fee takes you on a one way tour of the entire property. (No need to reserve in advance. Just be sure to head directly to the ferry terminal in Stresa to purchase your ferry ticket. Avoid the helpful  and official-looking “skipper” in the parking lot directing you to his private tour.)

You’ll spy the statues and ancient stone stairs among the tiered gardens from the ferry as you approach. The breathtaking gardens were originally transformed from barren rocks by a 16^th century cardinal, Charles Borromeo, in honor of his wife. Today, you’ll stroll among live white peacocks, blooming rhododendrons and trellises of roses  as you approach the centerpiece of the garden: the striking Teatro Massimo, a multi-tiered shell-shaped theater adorned with statuary. The Swiss Alps frame the whole scene in a picture-perfect postcard.

Eram Gardens in Shiraz, Iran

by Kathleen of Kat Pegi Mana: Where Is Kat Going

Among the many things that captivated my attention and changed my perceptions about Iran was the variety of flowers. I was travelling in Iran at the end of spring when the gardens and pavilions in the country were blooming, bursting with vivid colours!

My favourite gardens is the Eram Gardens in Shiraz and is one of the best examples of Persian gardens of symmetry designs and well-constructed water canals in an otherwise dry and arid landscape. Eram Gardens has, not only the usual flowers such as roses and daisies, but buttercup flowers, exotic lilies, aromatic myrtles, fruit trees including pomegranates, oranges, persimmons, olives and walnuts, maple trees and towering cypress trees that date back to 3,000 years ago.

The gardens are open to the public everyday from 8.00am to 9.00pm in spring and summer but close at 7.30pm in autumn and winter. Entrance fee is $6.

Inverewe Gardens, Scotland

by Nicola of FunkyEllas Travel

Inverewe Gardens is alive with colourful plants you would never expect to see in such an environment. Tucked away near Poolewe in the a remote corner of the north west of Scotland where the weather can be wild and unpredictable this unique and utterly stunning 800 acre garden hugs the coast line and is surrounded by majestic mountains. So why do such plants and flowers thrive here? Because of the effect of the Gulf Stream, which means plants such as Chinese and Indian Rhododendrons and Tasmanian eucalyptus grow happily and healthy alongside a massive amount of vegetables and fruits. You can even spot Scotland’s “big 5” : Red squirrels, red deer, pine martins, otters and seals. As the gardens belong to the National Trust for Scotland you can buy a membership which will not only get you into the gardens as often as you like free of charge but will also get you free entry into every other NTS property in Scotland and often worldwide.You can visit Inverewe as part of the North Coast 500 as the route passes the entrance. The North Coast 500 travels 518 miles around the north coast of Scotland, beginning and ending in Inverness.

Shinjuku Gyoen in Tokyo

by Kylie of Our Overseas Adventures

Shinjuku Gyoen Garden is a beautiful garden that makes a stunning oasis in the heart of the Shinjuku area of Tokyo.  The gardens are immaculately maintained and are beautiful during all seasons of the year.

There are three styles of gardens on display – traditional Japanese landscape gardens featuring the beautiful Kyu Goryotei also known as the Taiwan Pavillion, a formal French garden and English landscape garden with wide spacious lawns dotted with cherry trees.

An absolute highlight is to visit the garden during sakura (cherry blossom) season. You’ll see literally hundreds of trees with over 12 different varieties of blossom all blooming with delicate pink and white petals.  Another bonus when visiting at this time of year is watching the tradition of hanami, where groups of Japanese families, friends and colleagues celebrate the arrival of spring under the cherry blossom trees with picnics and songs.

Be sure to also visit the azalea groves also which provide a stunning display of almost fluorescent pink blooms. If you’re visiting during the autumn months then expect to see a stunning display of fiery reds, orange and yellow from the gorgeous maple trees.

There’s a small charge to visit Shinjuku Gyoen, but it’s absolutely worth it. If you want to make a day of it, be sure to stop into the adjacent Isetan Department Store and visit the stunning ground floor food hall to pick up treats for a picnic.

Filoli Gardens, San Francisco

by Carole of Weekend Adventures Update

Though the San Francisco Bay Area is loaded with beautiful gardens, probably my favorite is Filoli.  Located south of San Francisco in Woodside, this 654-acre grand country estate garden surrounds a Georgian mansion built in 1917.  The name for the garden comes from the original resident’s family motto–“Fight for a just cause; Love your fellow man; and Live a good life.”  Surrounded by Irish yews and old oaks, the English-style mansion has passages for servants within the 4 ½-foot-thick walls.  Guided tours of the 16-acre mature formal English Renaissance garden last two hours and take in such treasures as English knot gardens and an elaborate garden that mimics a stained-glass window in Chartres Cathedral.  Though something beautiful is always happening in the garden, February and March are when more than 200,000 daffodils bloom, and April when more than 70,000 tulips bloom.

Hitachi Seaside Park, Tokyo

by Jodie of Ala Jode

Hitachi Seaside Park is a truly unique park. It’s not just the unique flowers that will make it worth a visit, but the fact that they change with the season. Each garden is home to a selection of flowers that bloom at different times of year. That means no two trips to this Japanese garden are ever the same and you can go back again and again.

Hitachi Seaside Park’s gardens offer everything from dunes and forest to herbs and art. You’ll need at least a few hours to just walk around, but make sure you leave some time to relax and enjoy it too. Alongside the numerous plants and flowers, there’s also a fairground, BMX course and more – something for all ages to enjoy.

This beautiful park, set on Japan’s Pacific Ocean coast, opens 200 hectares of its 300-hectare gardens for the public to enjoy. It’s only a 45-minute train ride from Tokyo and you can use your JR Pass to get there. If you only have a few days in Tokyo, it’s well worth adding to your itinerary.

Chateau Villandry, Loire Valley

by Michelle of Intentional Travelers

My favorite garden in the world is at Chateau Villandry in the Loire Valley of France. I’ve had the pleasure of visiting three times: as a child, while studying abroad, and again as an adult. Each visit was a delight.

The chateau and its famous Renaissance gardens are a World Heritage site. They include a water garden and large pond graced by swans, vegetable gardens, and extensive ornamental flower gardens laid out in geometric patterns. Since 2009, the head gardener has worked to make the property entirely organic.

Access to the gardens is currently 7 euros for adults. It’s slightly more to enter the chateau as well, but the grounds are the real star of the show. Allow about two hours for your visit. Note that dogs are allowed on leash, but picnics are not permitted inside the property.

Gardens of the Ginkaku Ji Temple in Kyoto Japan

by Kaila of Nylon Pink

Visitors call this Temple the Silver Pavilion, located in beautiful Japan, as the shogun who built it initially wanted the final step to be coating the temple in silver. This never happened but the name did stick. This is a very busy place for tourists to come, and be ready to pay 500 yen to get in.

It is rich in its cultural significance, and this alone is a prime reason to come have a visit. But perhaps the second-best reason is the garden…okay, let’s be real. That’s why you should really come. The Zen gardens of the area are a place where a sense of peace comes over you as you examine the carefully curated bonsai trees and flowers.

The breeze flows carefully through the foliage in a gentle whisper. Gardening in Japan is an art form, and the landscapers have done their duty to its highest ability. It is a lush paradise on Earth.

So which was your favourite garden? Are any of those listed above some that you have visited?

What are you waiting for? Share this post or leave a comment below. If you like this post and want to read more like this why not subscribe to our Newsletter? We won’t spam you or share your personal details. If you’re not doing so already, please follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or click the Mix, Flipboard or other social media buttons below to share this post with others who might enjoy reading it. If you want to come back to this post again, pin the photo below using the Pinterest button.