This compilation of gardens from around the world has been a work in process for several years! These are places I have visited and think they are worth a visit if you ever find yourself in these cities!
1. Singapore: Cloud Forest & Flower Dome
I visited the Cloud Forest & Flower Dome back in September 2018. I can’t even tell you how blown away I was by this place!
A few things you can’t miss:
– As you walk into the Cloud Forest, you will be greeted by a giant waterfall display spanning the length of the space you will be exploring
– Don’t miss the Supertree Grove! You will be advised to purchase these at the end of your Cloud Forest & Flower Dome visit as the wind dictates when the super trees will be open to visitors.
– The Flower Dome is full of amazing succulents, sun flowers and more!
More about the gardens:
Flower Dome: The beauty of nature beckons visitors to the Flower Dome in Bay South Gardens. Covering 1.28 hectares, this verdant space is the larger of three cooled conservatories, and broke the Guinness World Record as the World’s Largest Glass Greenhouse in 2015. It is home to plants and flowers from five continents, from thousand-year old olive trees to magnolias and orchids.
Cloud Forest: Gardens by the Bay’s third conservatory—the aptly named Cloud Forest—is a mist-filled landscape of rare vegetation and dramatic vistas. Towering above the conservatories’ ferns and pitcher plants is Cloud Mountain, a 35-meter tall structure veiled in mist and covered in lush vegetation. Your imagination is bound to soar as you scale its heights, and discover plant life from the tropical highlands.
Supertree Grove: As you exit the conservatory, you’re likely to notice a grove of soaring, surreal structures, known as the Supertrees. These vertical gardens span 25 to 50 metres in height, with two of the towering structures connected by the dramatic arch of the OCBC Skyway. When dusk falls, the grove lights up with the Garden Rhapsody, a spectacle of light and sound. For an unforgettable view of Singapore, ascend to the top of the Supertree Observatory, a 50-meter-high observation deck, which boasts an unobstructed vista of the beautiful Marina Bay district.
Garden details from: visitsingapore.com
I wrote a full comprehensive post about the Gardens by the Bay in Singapore that you can check out here.
2. Seattle, Washington: Amazon Spheres
The Amazon spheres are a newer addition to the downtown Seattle scene. They are an addition to the ever-expanding Amazon territory and are used as additional meeting space. If you are one of the (few) that seem to not work for Amazon, you can book a free tour about a month out to visit these for yourself. I wrote all about my experience in this blog post.
Tip: I definitely recommend booking an earlier time slot if you can so that you can try the coffee and General Porpoise Doughnuts inside!
More about the gardens:
The spheres have 40,000 plants from 50 countries and are divided into three areas. The domes are kept at a temperature of 72 °F (22 °C) and 60 percent humidity during the daytime.
3. Versailles, France: Palace of Versailles
Who knew that the actual Palace of Versailles isn’t the only thing you should see while you are there! The gardens seem to sometime be overlooked by people as by the time they have pushed past the crowds through the palace maze, they are ready to head back in to Paris…but don’t do it! Take those few extra minutes to wander around the gardens. You may actually enjoy it more than the palace because it definitely won’t be as crowded.
More about the gardens:
The gardens cover some 800 hectares of land, much of which is landscaped in the classic French formal garden style perfected here by André Le Nôtre.
I wrote all about my experience at the Palace of Versailles; including some tips on how to try and avoid some of the crowds in this blog post.
4. Victoria, British Columbia.: Butchart Gardens
This is a place I have been many times over the years as it is just a few hours from Seattle. I love visiting during both summer and winter months. It is so cool to be able to see it during each season.
Winter: The gardens are covered with over a million lights and is transformed into a winter wonderland. I recommend visiting during the week if you can as it can get VERY busy during the winter.
Summer: The garden is in full bloom and is so nice to wander through the gardens. I also recommend booking a lunch at The Dining Room and planning your visit during a concert in the park!
More about the gardens:
- 55 acres of gardens
- 900 bedding plant varities
- 26 greenhouses
- 50 full-time gardeners
You can read more about my Victoria, British Columbia adventures here, and here!
5. Phoenix, Arizona: Desert Botanical Gardens
I loved visiting the Desert Botanical Gardens! However, I wish it wasn’t so FREAKING HOT! It was about 120 degrees F, all dry heat and no breeze. After just 30 minutes of wandering around we were dripping in sweat! Regardless, I would highly recommend checking out these gardens, especially if you don’t normally see desert landscape. The succulents were some of the most beautiful I have seen!
More about the gardens:
- 140 acres
- 55 acres under cultivation
- 50,000 plant displays showcased in beautiful outdoor exhibits
- 1 of only 24 botanical gardens accredited by the American Alliance of Museums
- 4,428 species in the living collection
- 379 rare and endangered species in care at the gardens
The Desert Botanical Gardens made my list of Instagram worthy spots in Phoenix. You can check that post out here.
6. San Diego, California: Balboa Park
Can you believe that my first trip to Balboa Park was this month?! I’ve been to San Diego a few times over the years and never made it to Balboa. This park isn’t your traditional garden as the park spans 1200 acres, but has many garden sites within the park. Here are some gardens I recommend you check out:
The link to more details on all these gardens can be found here
- 1935 Old Cactus Garden
- Alcazar Garden
- Australian Garden
- Botanical Garden & Lily Pond
- Desert Garden
- Japanese Friendship Gardens
- San Diego Zoo Botanical Collection
- Zoro Gardens
- …and more!
My favorite garden that we visited on this trip was the Botanical Garden & Lily Pond. It is free to check out and the structure that the gardens is housed in is really unique!
7. London, United Kingdom: Sky Garden
I love to find unique things when I travel. I stumbled across the Sky Garden when I was researching my UK trip back in 2017. It was still pretty unknown at the time so I was excited to eat breakfast and check out the gardens from highest public garden in London.
Though the garden is free, it does require a reservation. You can also book a food reservation for one of the restaurants or bars to gain access. You can check out my experience in this blog post.
More about the gardens:
To create our richly planted terraces, the designers opted for a variety of drought-resistant Mediterranean and South African species. Individual plants were chosen to work in harmony with the space – flourishing all year round in full color. Among the flowering plants are African Lily (Agapanthus), Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia) and Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae) – alongside fragrant herbs such as French Lavender.
Are there any gardens around the world that you think I need to visit? Leave me a comment!
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