Gardening is an art form, from the precise Zen-like designs of the east to the cascading lawns with fountains and shimmering pools so prevalent across Europe. These outdoor spaces delight at every turn and have long been sought out as a retreat from the world, one that brings you closer to nature with walking trails, verdant forests, and brilliant displays of colour.
Whether you are trying to beat the summer heat or escape the winter cold, botanical gardens remain a popular year-round destination, inside towering tropical greenhouses, botanical gardens remain a popular year-round destination.
What are Botanical Gardens?
Botanical gardens are enchanting sanctuaries that invite visitors to explore the wonders of the plant world. These beautiful botanical gardens, found in cities and landscapes around the world, are more than just collections of plants and flowers—they are living museums dedicated to the preservation, study, and celebration of nature’s diversity. Whether you’re wandering through a stunning rose garden, discovering themed gardens that transport you to distant lands, or marvelling at impressive collections of rare and endangered species, each botanical garden offers a unique experience. From the iconic New York Botanical Garden and the lush York Botanical Garden to the arid beauty of the Desert Botanical Garden, and the vibrant displays at the Atlanta Botanical Garden and Huntington Botanical Gardens, these destinations provide a tranquil escape from the bustle of daily life. Visitors can immerse themselves in the colours, scents, and textures of gardens that showcase the importance of plants in our world, making every visit a journey of discovery and relaxation.
Gardens by the Bay, Singapore is a stunning example of a modern botanical garden, renowned for its innovative design and breathtaking displays. As living museums, these gardens offer visitors the chance to explore a diverse collection of plant species from around the world. Here, you are surrounded by all the plants—lush greenery, vibrant blooms, and unique installations—creating an immersive experience that connects you with nature and art. The property spans a vast expanse of land, allowing for the inclusion of tranquil water features, rare plants, and themed areas that showcase the garden’s creativity and scale.
Many botanical gardens, including Gardens by the Bay, transform dramatically with the seasons, offering rotating floral displays and cultural programming that invite repeat visits throughout the year. These gardens serve as living museums that educate visitors about plant diversity and conservation, and often offer educational programs and workshops to engage the community and promote environmental awareness. Collections of rare and endangered plant species highlight the importance of conservation efforts, while the design of many gardens reflects the cultural and historical significance of their regions. Additionally, botanical gardens often serve as research centers, contributing to the understanding of plant science and conservation, making each visit both inspiring and educational.
The First-Class.com guide to best botanical gardens in the world:
Gardens by the Bay, The Central Region, Singapore
Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay is a hugely futuristic, national garden known for its towering Supertree structures that enable visitors to walk above the gardens, with views across the nearby conservatories. A green jewel and masterpiece of horticulture and garden artistry, it presents the plant kingdom in an engaging way while introducing you to diverse biomes and habitats. The park spans 101 hectares in the Central Region of Singapore adjacent to the Marina Reservoir and consists of three waterfront gardens; the Bay South Garden, Bay East Garden and Bay Central Garden all linked by a promenade that offers stunning views towards the city.
The Bay South is home to the conservatories and much-photographed iconic Supertrees. Within the Flower Dome find ever-changing floral displays, including the popular Tulipmania, Orchid Extravaganza and Blossom Beats. Gardens by the Bay features an impressive collection of rare plants and regularly hosts seasonal events that attract visitors throughout the year. The garden also includes unique features such as themed conservatories and immersive garden environments and geodesic domes that house diverse plant species. Gardens by the Bay is part of the nation’s successful plan to transform its ‘Garden City’ into a ‘City in a Garden’ and is one of Singapore’s most prominent outdoor attractions and a national icon.
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Longwood Gardens, Pennsylvania, United States
Longwood Gardens, located in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, comprise over 1,100 acres of gardens and meadows in the Brandywine Creek Valley. Known for elaborate floral displays, fountain shows, unspoiled woodlands, and countryside that stretches as far as the eye can see, Longwood Gardens is one of the largest botanical gardens in the United States. The garden showcases a diverse collection of more than 9,000 varieties of plants, with a renowned 19th-century conservatory and outdoor fountain gardens. The property includes more than a dozen gardens, each with its own unique attractions.
Originally founded by Pierre du Pont in 1906, Longwood is dedicated to botany, design, education, and art and for more than a century has harmoniously combined these to create a splendid horticulture experience. Longwood Gardens is also one of the country's most visited botanical gardens, welcoming more than 1.6 million guests annually. The institution features a notable Japanese garden. Moving into the future is the development of Longwood Reimagined: A New Garden Experience, which will bring a reimagination of the Conservatory and grounds and is a major redevelopment project known as Longwood Reimagined has expanded the conservatory and surrounding grounds.
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Jardin Majorelle, Marrakech, Morocco
Under the Moroccan sun, the Jardin Majorelle in Marrakech is a cool respite from the intense pace and heat of the medina and Djemaa el Fna. Lovingly created by French artist Jacques Majorelle over almost forty years from 1923, the property was inspired by his travels and funded by his paintings. Initially able to build a small studio and house from his earnings, as his career grew, he added a Cubist villa designed by the French architect, Paul Sinoir. The garden took on a life of its own, featuring an impressive a vast collection of exotic species, cacti, and palm trees from around the world, with water features such as reflective pools and fountains added.
The now-iconic Majorelle Blue (37.6% red, 31.4% green and 86.3% blue) was lavishly applied throughout. The garden gradually fell into disrepair and was bought and restored by fashion designer Yves Saint-Laurent and his partner Pierre Bergé in the 1980s. They moved into the villa and set about transforming other buildings into what is now the legendary Berber Museum and a boutique store, adding to the plant varieties and perfecting the remarkable attraction.
Where to stay: La Mamounia – Read the First-Class.com expert review and find the best rates for La Mamounia
Kew Gardens, London
A botanical garden in southwest London that houses the one of the largest and most diverse botanical collections in the world, Kew Gardens was founded in 1840 from the exotic garden at Kew Park. Its living collections include a diverse collection of some 27,000 plant species, while the herbarium has over 8.5 million preserved plant and fungal specimens. Kew Gardens is loved for its 19th-century Palm House and other Victorian glasshouses and conservatories, while Kew Palace is the former summer residence of King George III. Kew Gardens also features unique climate-controlled conservatories that house a wide range of plant species from around the world.
Visit the exotic rainforest, the Princess of Wales Conservatory which demonstrates ten of the world’s climatic zones, and the Waterlily House with its giant lily pads. Venture onto the Treetop Walkway which offers a bird’s-eye view of the gardens. The arboretum covers two-thirds of the area at Kew and you’ll find everything from eucalyptus trees to giant redwoods and ancient Japanese pagoda trees. More than just a scenic green space, Kew Garden is an internationally renowned research institution, employing hundreds of scientists and researchers.
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The Summer Palace, Beijing China
The Summer Palace in northwest Beijing is said to be the best-preserved imperial garden and the one of the largest of its kind. Known as the ‘Imperial Garden Museum’ in China, it is home to an ensemble of lakes, gardens and paths, architecture and horticulture that embrace the philosophy and practice of Chinese garden design. The expansive land of the Summer Palace features scenic natural elements, with rolling hills dominated by Longevity Hill providing a picturesque backdrop to the gardens. In the Summer Palace, there are over 3,000 ancient Chinese buildings that house a collection of over 40,000 valuable historical relics from each dynasty.
Mainly dominated by Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake, it covers an expanse of 2.9 square kilometres, three-quarters of which is water. Used as a summer retreat during the hot Beijing summers, the imperial family preferred the beautiful gardens and airy pavilions of the Summer Palace to the walled-in Forbidden City, spending extended periods there. In 1912 after the Qing Dynasty ended, the Summer Palace was opened to the public and was eventually turned into a public park in 1924.
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Keukenhof, Lisse, Netherlands
Also known as the Garden of Europe, Keukenhof is one of the largest flower gardens in the world. Situated in the municipality of Lisse in the Netherlands, it covers an area of 32 hectares where as many as 7 million flower bulbs are planted are planted by hand each autumn, to flower in the spring. Keukenhof features more than a dozen gardens, each with its own unique floral displays and attractions, showcasing a remarkable diversity and scenic beauty. Keukenhof is widely known for its tulips with more than 800 varieties. It also features numerous other flowers including hyacinths, daffodils, lilies, roses, carnations, and irises.
The several kilometres of walking paths at Keukenhof afford spectacular views of the flowers with beautiful ponds and various pavilions with restaurants and terraces from which to enjoy the spectacle. In addition to the fantastical flower show is the an extensive sculpture garden with works by renowned national and international artists. Keukenhof is open year-round for private events and festivals but is only open to the general public for the tulip display from mid-March to mid-May each year.
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Jardim Botanico Botanical Garden, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Marmosets, toucans, imperial palms, and Amazonian water lilies populate the 137-hectare site of this tropical paradise in the affluent Jardim Botânico neighbourhood, named for Rio’s Botanical Gardens. The garden is renowned for its diverse collection of plant species, showcasing global and regional biodiversity across themed sections. From the elegantly landscaped Parque Lage nearby are wooded trails that lead up Corcovado Mountain to the Christ the Redeemer statue and the tropical forest of Tijuca National Park. The gardens also feature tranquil water features, including ponds, pools, and fountains, which enhance the serene atmosphere and complement the lush plant life.
established in 1808 under the rule of King João VI of Portugal, the garden is famous for the exuberance and the scientific importance of its plant collection, as well as for the beauty of its dramatic landscape. Visit the Orchids, Bromeliads, Fern and Insectivorous Plants greenhouses and the themed collections such as the Japanese Garden, created in 1935 from the donation of 65 species of typical Japanese plants. Among the monuments is the 16th-century building which houses the Visitor’s Centre, the statues of Eco and Narciso by Mestre Valentim, and the Academy of Fine Arts Portal. The general area is renowned for chic bars and sophisticated dining spots.
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Villa d'Este, Tivoli, Italy
No other garden has such spectacular waterworks and theatrical effects as those of Villa d’Este in Tivoli. An architectural gem with magnificent landscapes, the complex is renowned as one of the most beautiful examples of Italian Renaissance formal gardens in Europe, featuring a structured and styled layout that incorporates art, sculptures, and native plants within a historical context. Originally commissioned by Cardinal Ippolito II d’Este, a former governor of Tivoli and son of Lucrezia Borgia, with the work carried out by the architect Pirro Ligorio.
The complex extends for 4.5 ha and includes hedge-lined avenues and around one hundred fountains – each a true work of art in itself. The garden’s impressive water features, including ponds, fountains, and intricate waterworks, create a tranquil and aesthetic environment. The water gushing from the fountains comes directly from the River Aniene. Most noteworthy are the Rometta and imposing Fontana di Tivoli which concludes the Avenue of the Hundred Fountains of the hundred fountains. Also, the Fontana del Bicchierone, designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Fontana degli Uccelli and the Fontana dell’Organo, which produce music from the water running through them. Look out too for the Fountain of Neptune, one of the most photographed in the gardens.
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Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, Cape Town, South Africa
Situated on the slopes of Table Mountain, the 528ha Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden lives up to its reputation as the one of the most beautiful gardens in Africa, enhanced by the sheer grandeur of the setting against the eastern slopes of Table Mountain. The garden is renowned for its focus on native plants, showcasing indigenous flora such as Cape Flora, also known as fynbos, including sugarbushes, pincushions and heaths. Plants from many regions and biomes of southern Africa are grown at Kirstenbosch, creating a truly diverse collection that includes a near-complete collection of cycads.
The Botanical Society Conservatory is a custom-built glasshouse for growing and displaying plants from arid regions that cannot survive outdoors. The gardens include a fragrance garden, a medicinal garden, 2,500 species of plants found on the Cape Peninsula, a Protea garden, and a braille trail. If you have little ones, take them to see the life-sized sculptures of dinosaurs and a pterosaur that are dotted between the cycads. Kirstenbosch features a sculpture garden, where you’ll find an ever-changing exhibition of African stone sculptures and bronze animal sculptures by Dylan Lewis. Walk the Centenary Tree Canopy Walkway – affectionately known as the Boomslang. The 130-metre steel-and-timber bridge snakes through and over the trees of the Arboretum, providing stunning views towards False Bay.
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Eden Project, Cornwall, England
This remarkable 15 hectare project in Cornwall (South West England) has been transformed from a barren china clay quarry into an oasis of greenery. Set up by an ecological charity to promote education about the natural world, its two huge biomes bring the rainforest and the Mediterranean to south-west England. The tropical biomes house the one of the largest indoor rainforests in the world, featuring an impressive collection of tropical plants and exotic plant life. Architecture and art make this sustainable haven a naturalist’s dream. Beyond them, over 3,000 plant species grow here, from ancient trees to thriving vegetable gardens.
Sculptures are dotted around, often with an environmental message. There’s a giant bee that shows how important their pollination is to the food chain and an even bigger WEEE Man, a 7-metre-tall figure made from electrical appliances to show how much e-waste one person produces in their lifetime. In the Mediterranean biome, different sections recreate the plants and landscapes found in the warm temperate regions around the Mediterranean, South Africa, and California. Grapevines, olive groves, lemon trees, cacti, and date palms, as well as a springtime tulip garden.
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