Every now and then, you find a beautiful garden that stops you in your tracks and takes your breath away. Celebrated for their historical significance, unique design, or plant collection, we have gathered 21 of the most beautiful gardens in the world to share their secrets.

From sweeping vistas to Renaissance water features, we explore what makes these world-famous gardens so special, and the unmissable highlights to see if you visit them.

More than just a brief glimpse, Beyond Wild Expectations delves into these extraordinary gardens, unearthing their influences and discovering how they can improve our well-being and extend our love of the natural world and all it has to offer.

The New York Botanical Garden

Straddling 250 acres of the Bronx, New York City, is the New York Botanical Garden. Dominated by its landmark glasshouse, the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, the New York Botanical Garden was founded in 1891 and has become a treasured outdoor space and museum of living plant collections.

If visiting, the old-growth forest is a must-see, especially considering it was one of the reasons why the founders selected the site. Encompassing Native American hunting trails and ancient trees, the fall foliage is a true highlight.

For a stunning display of color and texture, the perennial garden, created by Lynden B. Miller, is hard to beat.

However, if you visit between May to October, you will also not want to miss the scent and display of over 650 varieties of roses at the Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden.

Keukenhof, The Netherlands

Although in situ for hundreds of years, it was not until 1950 that Keukenhof officially opened as a spring park.

Situated in Lisse in the Netherlands, Keukenhof now displays 7 million spring-flowering bulbs.

Along with the impressive tulip displays, a visit would not be complete without climbing to the top of the Dutch windmill for the remarkable view or visiting the Willem-Alexander pavilion.

Portland Japanese Garden, Oregon

Situated in the hills of Portland, Oregon, is the esteemed Portland Japanese Garden.

Designed in 1963, its eight unique garden spaces span the 12 acre site.

Whether you pay a visit to the authentic Japanese Tea House, the raked gravel of the Flat Garden, or the waterfall of the Strolling Pond Garden, you won’t fail to be enchanted by this magical Japanese Garden.

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Great Rapids, Michigan

Bringing art, sculpture and a botanical garden together on its 158 acre site is the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Great Rapids, Michigan. Opening in 1995, this cultural and horticultural hub is a highlight of the Midwest.

Key features include the five story Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory, a lush paradise where you can see over 500 species growing among its tranquil waterfalls and streams, and Michigan’s Farm Garden, a reminder of a 1930s family farm with its heirloom vegetable patch.

However, it is the 8 acre Richard & Helen DeVos Japanese Garden that will stop you in your tracks.

Undoubtedly one of the most beautiful gardens in the world, the diverse collection of native Japanese flora is designed around a serene pond and welcomes you into a creation of timeless serenity and harmony.

Le Jardin Majorelle, Morocco

The Le Jardin Majorelle in Morocco, might be smaller than the others listed here, but it is nonetheless highly impressive and completely enchanting.

Owned by Jacques Majorelle and originally opened in 1947, it was then taken on by Pierre Bergé and Yves Saint Laurent in 1980.

You can find respite from the heat in here under colossal palms, and marvel at the gargantuan agaves and cacti.

Consisting of boldly coloured buildings in that iconic YSL blue that combine Art Deco and Moorish influences, you will not want to miss the varied plant collection, the water features, architecture and Pierre Bergé Museum of Berber Arts.

Chicago Botanic Garden

Encapsulating 27 spectacular gardens within its 385 acres, the Chicago Botanic Garden is a living museum of ever-changing beauty.

No visit to the Chicago Botanic Garden would be complete without seeing the enchanting Helen and Richard Thomas English Walled Garden, designed by the renowned English landscape architect John Brookes. Featuring six unique garden rooms, the cottage and pergola gardens are particularly stunning.

Further highlights include the stunning waterfall garden with its 45 foot waterfall and a series of small pools and the 17 acre lakeside Elizabeth Hubert Malott Japanese Garden for its flowering plants and 3 islands.

The High Line, New York

One of the most influential green spaces of today, the High Line sits 30 feet above New York City. Transformed from a disused rail line into the beautiful public park and walkway it is today, the High Line is now enjoyed by 8 million visitors a year.

Originally designed by Piet Oudolf, the High Line's 1.45-mile-length encompasses 150,000 plants.

Created to provide year-round interest, fall-pruning is left until the spring, meaning stems and seedheads are left to stand over winter and be appreciated by both us and the local wildlife.

Consisting of contrasting zones, the styles change block by block. From The Diller – von Furstenberg sundeck, with its water feature, to the native plants of the Hudson River overlook, you will also not want to miss the interim walkway at the western rail yards for a reminder of what once stood before.

Gravetye Manor, Sussex, UK

Nestled within the quintessential English countryside of West Sussex, England, sits Gravetye Manor, a notable Elizabethan property surrounded by 35 acres of beautiful grounds.

Now a luxury hotel, Gravetye Manor’s garden unmissable areas include its tulip-filled flower garden borders in spring and wildflower meadow.

However, the 1.5 acre Victorian walled garden is the star of the show with its fruit trees and row upon row of neatly ordered and varied vegetables that supply the Michelin Star restaurant on site.

Longwood Gardens, Pennsylvania

Over 1000 acres host the impressive assembly of soaring trees, meadows, wetlands and magnificent glasshouses of Longwood Gardens, Pennsylvania.

Renowned for its superb botanical exhibitions and the spectacular, and impeccably kept, main fountain garden, it’s the meadow and forest district you will want to get lost in.

Trails lead you through open fields and shady forests where you can immerse yourself in the beauty of the natural world.

Gardens by the Bay, Singapore

Comprising three distinctive waterfront gardens and situated deep in Singapore’s downtown is the futuristic oasis of Gardens by the Bay.

Unlike any garden you will have seen before, visiting this urban horticultural metropolis will take your breath away on a great many occasions. The Cloud Forest, with one of the world's tallest indoor waterfalls, is wonderous, and the Flower Dome will leave you with a renewed appreciation of the beauty and scale of nature.

For a stunning bird’s eye view of the bay below, wander the 128-metre OCBC skyway amongst the iconic supertrees. Then lie down on the floor amongst them to experience the light show after dark. You will never forget it.

Chelsea Physic Garden, London

London's oldest botanic garden, the Chelsea Physic Garden was founded in 1673 and is currently home to more than 4,500 medicinal, edible and useful plants.

Encompassing 4 acres on the edge of the River Thames in central London, the Chelsea Physic Garden is a beautiful botanic garden and a place of learning and wellbeing in an urban environment.

Demonstrating the importance of plants today, you will find Victorian glasshouses, meandering paths through stunning borders and precisely labelled specimens.

Sissinghurst, Kent

Nestled within the Kent countryside in England, you will find the historic Sissinghurst Castle Garden.

Now under the management of the National Trust, Sissinghurst Castle was originally the site of a Saxon pig farm and used as a prison in the 18th century.

However, it was not until the 1930s that Vita Sackville-West and her husband Harold Nicolson began the garden's transformation.

Although known for its spectacular rose and cottage garden, it is the iconic white garden, consisting purely of white, silver and green plants that will leave you mesmerized.

Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, Cape Town

Celebrated as one of the great botanical gardens of the world, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden was established in 1913 and sits beneath the incomparable slopes of Table Mountain, Cape Town.

Within the estate’s 528 hectares, of which 36 is cultivated, you will find the jaw-droppingly beautiful protea garden (South Africa’s national flower), diverse fynbos landscapes and the Centenary Tree Canopy Walkway, which offers views you will never forget.

Claude Monet’s Garden, Giverny

The house and gardens of the extraordinary Giverny property, outside Paris, were Claude Monet’s 1883 to 1926.

As well as his family home, Monet created a spectacular garden where he could experiment with light and color.

Formed of two parts adjacent to the house, Le Clos Normand, a colorful flower garden and Jardin d’Eau, the water garden, where you will find the famed water lily pond and Japanese bridge.

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

Situated in Boothbay on the Eastern Seaboard are 300 acres that make up the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. Featuring 17 acres of managed gardens, it is the largest Botanical Garden in New England.

If you visit in late summer or early fall, a must-see is the Dahlia Garden, where you can see 80 cultivars in bloom. Another highlight is the Giles Rhododendron and Perennial Garden, where, along with other specimens, you will find more than 175 varieties of rhododendron and azaleas.

Drawing inspiration from European botanical gardens, the Arbor Garden showcases a large post-and-beam arbor made from Douglas fir, which is adorned with climbing roses, native wisteria and clematis.

Hanbury Botanic Gardens, Ventimiglia

Located on the coast near Ventimiglia, Italy is the renowned 44 acre Hanbury Botanic Garden. Purchased in 1867, the gardens were created by the Hanbury family and are currently under the management of Genoa University.

A superb coastal garden, visitors descend 340 feet from the entrance down to the shoreline.

Along the way down, must-sees include the numerous romantic fountains, citrus orchards and the Australian forest, all framed by dramatic views of the Mediterranean Sea.

The Lost Gardens of Heligan, UK

Located on the south coast of Cornwall, England, Heligan’s wonderful gardens declined after the start of World War One when its workers went off to war.

They were only returned to their former glory in 1990 in one of the largest garden restoration projects Europe had seen.

Heligan thrives under a mild climate that allows its exotics to thrive. Whether you visit the immaculately kept productive walled gardens, the national collection of camellias and rhododendron in the pleasure grounds, or the exuberant ‘Jungle' garden, Heligan is a place you won’t forget.

The Alhambra and Generalife Gardens, Grenada

A vast architectural complex, the Alhambra and Generalife gardens overlook the city of Granada in Spain and are a superb example of Moorish splendor.

With so much to see at this UNESCO site, it is hard to know where to start. However, must-sees if you do visit include the oldest areas of the Partal gardens, the stunning Generalife gardens, with its masterpiece of irrigation, and the impressive Court of the Myrtles.

The Butchart Gardens, British Columbia

Created 122 years ago by Jennie Butchart, the world-famous 130 acre Butchart Gardens are located in British Columbia, Canada.

Comprising 55 acres open to public view and five main gardens, if time is short, a visit must include the intimate rose garden, the formal Italian garden and the sunken garden created from an old quarry.

Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew

Dating back as far as the early 18th century and spanning 326 acres, The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in London, is one of the world’s largest botanical gardens. Combining botanical wonders and scientific and historical significance, Kew is a must-visit destination.

Just some of the high points include the impressively long Great Board Walk Borders, the spectacular Palm House and the new and innovative Carbon Garden.

The Villa d'Este, Tivoli

The Villa d'Este, near Rome, is considered a masterpiece of Italian garden design and culture.

Featuring an extraordinary system of fountains, it is an exceptional example of an Italian 16th-century garden.

From the Fountain of the Organ to the walkway lined with 100 fountains and the incredible Renaissance architecture, it is a remarkable and unique garden that you will remember forever.

Beyond Wild Expectations is a series exploring exceptional public gardens of every scale, from grand formal parterres to intimate community plots. We reveal the design vision, planting choices and defining details that bring the garden to life, and show how each one gives fresh perspectives on how we connect with nature and outdoor living.

There’s nothing quite like a garden visit to banish those winter blues, and there are few destinations more inspiring than The New York Botanical Garden. Just as spectacular during this season as in the rest of the year, it will leave you brimming with ideas to take back home, even in winter.

Spanning 250 acres of The Bronx, there are plenty of gardens and garden design ideas to explore. Weather that's gazing up at the majestic bare branches of the old-growth forest, or spotting some elusive, twinkling floral color on your way back to the tropical glasshouse, ready and waiting to envelope you in a well deserved dose of warmth.

‘Thanks to the sparse foliage and natural die back, natural light floods into usually shaded areas, opening up new corners of the garden, granting fresh glimpses through space and uplifting, extensive views,’ says Colin Kirk, the Marjorie G Rosen Manager of Outdoor Gardens at NYBG, when describing this epic space in wintertime. Owing to his invaluable insight, we've picked out some of his and our favorite garden highlights to share.

Winter is the Perfect Introduction

Winter may not appear the most rewarding time to explore a garden, but there are many benefits that other seasons simply can’t offer. ‘This time of year, reveals enhanced sight lines and an alluring palette of muted colors,’ says Colin.

Arranged in gardens, spectacular glasshouses and across wider landscapes, this treasured institution is loved by locals and visitors alike. Founded in 1891, around a rare section of old-growth forest, the New York Botanical Garden has become a hub for horticultural knowledge, diversity and expertise, plus a hugely important space for recreation and reconnection with nature amidst the densely populated urban sprawl.

Even with winter's shorter daylight hours and often gloomy weather, Colin insists there is still a wealth of visual and planting inspiration to be found. ‘Although the herbaceous borders and wider landscape provide a less immediately arresting range of color, there is plenty to notice and inspire,’ he says.

‘The quiet tones of different types of bark, stem and foliage create a subtle palette, that is quieter, more soothing and perhaps a touch more sophisticated than summer’s floral kaleidoscope. I love the muted blooms of hellebores: blacks, deep reds, greens. If one is willing to cut back last year’s foliage before the bloom, the effect is even better especially when mass planted,' he suggests.

While the Benenson Ornamental Conifer Collection is a popular winter highlight, The Perennial Garden, Rock Garden, and Native Plant Gardens are undoubtably Colin's favorites.

'These are complex, intricate gardens that require a level of nuance and attention to detail that has been rewarding.' He adds, 'In the future, I’m hoping to simplify -not the work- but the communication and expectations in these spaces to hopefully make them even more beautiful.'

The New York Botanical garden is home to many winter flowering species including an impressive collection of witch hazel, mahonia and delicate snowdrops.

Inviting scrutiny, thanks to their intricate forms and fleeting beauty, Colin believes that there’s another seasonal quality that makes them so spectacular. ‘Seeing these jewel-like blooms shine out against a steely grey sky and, often, bare earth makes them even more captivating and poignant during this quiet time of year.’

Snow also adds an extra dimension, defining not just bare branches but the Garden's fine architecture too. The Enid A. Haupt Conservatory with its soaring dome and vast glazed galleries is a spectacular sight silhouetted against the winter sky.

A Culturally Profound Landscape to Cherish

Located in The Bronx, firmly attached to the mainland, the botanical garden has sensitively evolved around its geographical features. Bearing the scars left by glaciers, exposed rocky outcrops and a 50-acre section of old-growth forest, it is easy for visitors to reconnect to the region's past.

With mature oak, beech and hemlock trees bearing witness to well-worn Native American hunting trails and the American Revolution, the Thain Family Forest is a valuable and poignant space that is proudly protected and preserved.

‘The forest team conduct an inventory every five years to identify and manage invasive species. Cleared areas are replanted with native species grown from seed collected in the forest, enriching the habitat and helping to preserve the space for future generations,’ explains Colin.

Raw geographical elements are scarcely seen in this densely populated region, which partly explains the steadfast affection and fascination visitors have for the 500 million-year-old Warmsler Rock.

A dramatic metamorphic outcrop, it sits unchanging against the fleeting blooms of ice blue squilla, snowdrops, narcissi, heathers and grasses.

Nestled against the edges of the Thain Family Forest is the Rock Garden. Constructed in the 1930’s, this is one of the largest and oldest examples along the East Coast.

A pioneering feature when first established, this 2.5 acre section of the garden is home to hundreds of delicate rock garden plants, many with their vibrant yet ephemeral blooms shining out against the rugged and weathered stone.

Embracing European Grandeur

At the time of its foundation, The New York Botanical Garden was unashamedly guided by the grand gardens of major European cities such as Paris, London, Padua and Rome.

Establishing itself as a leading horticultural institution in the United States, the founders were keen to echo the current trends in architecture and garden design.

The magnificent glasshouse – now known as the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory – was constructed by Lord & Burnham Company and completed in 1902.

Drawing on Italian-Renaissance style designs found in The Palm House at The Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew, UK and Joseph Paxton’s Crystal Palace, the result is seriously impressive, featuring a magnificent, 90ft (27m) high glazed dome with wraparound pavilions that cover 512 feet (156m).

For Colin, another key feature is the Tulip Allee; an avenue of Tulip Trees framing the main approach to the Library Building.

‘Conceived in 1895, with planting commencing in 1903, the commanding design is reminiscent of the wide, open boulevards found in European cities and makes a contrasting statement to the tall, hemmed-in streets of Manhattan.’

During late spring and summer, the most popular area of The New York Botanical Garden is the Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden.

Featuring more than 650 rose varieties, the formal arrangement of paths and borders radiate out from a circular gazebo enclosed by ornate trellised panels and pillars.

Reminiscent of English Rose gardens, from May to October it is a memorable medley of colour and perfume.

A Global Hub of Horticultural Knowledge

Not just a wealth of living plants, The New York Botanical Garden is home to the LuEsther T. Mertz Library and the Steere Herbarium.

Both contain extensive collections including botanical illustrations, rare manuscripts and historical specimens all carefully preserved and documented.

As the largest in the Western Hemisphere, the Herbarium holds and impressive 7.8 million specimens, 60% of which have been digitized and made accessible to the public, students and academics worldwide.

The Mertz Library is the largest botanical research library in the United States, and the first to exclusively concentrate solely on botany.

Today The New York Botanical Garden is at the forefront of horticultural and botanical education, both at grassroots, professional and scientific level.

A comprehensive education programme, including The Edible Academy with its indoor-outdoor campus, invites schools, families and amateur gardeners to engage with the various plant collections.

Nurturing its Legacy for the Future

Managing a garden of this scale, not to mention of this cultural and historical significance, is a serious responsibility. Not just to maintain the health of the plants and enable them to thrive in the current environmental challenges, but also to develop the various collections and design elements for the future, ensuring they remain relevant.

One section of the garden that has undergone several refinements is The Jane Watson Irwin Perennial Garden.

Designed in the 1970’s by Dan Kiley, they were reimagined by Lynden B. Miller a decade later and most recently in 2003.

Arranged as four garden rooms, accessed from one main path, each has its own theme or specialism. These include the Fall Room, Hot Room, Cool Room and Bog Room giving clues to either the habitat or color palette featured.

Combining a dense mix of perennials, grasses, bulbs, shrubs, and trees, the result is rich in texture, foliage and ever-changing blooms and fruits. ‘Packed into a small area, this beautifully conceived array of plants is reflective of New York’s urban decline of the 1970’s and renewal of the 80’s,’ remarks Colin.

Running along the southern end of the Conservatory is the Ladies’ Border. An example of design work by leading landscape designer Lynden B Miller it's now home to many tender plants that are not usually found in New York.

Peruvian lilies, dainty Japanese apricot (Prunus mume) to deliciously fragrant Paper Bush (Edgeworthia chrysantha) are all prominent and thriving, thanks not only to the sheltered south facing aspect but also indicative of the gradually shifting climate this long-standing garden has endured.

One significant project that Colin is currently undertaking, along with his team, is the renovation of the Magnolia Collection.

'We are renovating our previously existing magnolia collection to create a more varied collection, a longer season of interest, and more intimate walking paths throughout,' explains Colin.

'We are adding multiple areas of herbaceous plantings as well as understory shrub plantings. I think one of the exciting challenges with this project is creating a new planting scheme called 'Transcendental Turf' that’s basically a no-mow lawn with added perennials.

'We’re trying to see if we can create a short, meadow-like turf for visitors to enjoy year round and also because to walk on. We’ll see if it works!' The project is due for completion in 2028.

Ideas to Steal from The New York Botanical Garden

With a garden as vast and comprehensive as The New York Botanical Garden there are endless design ideas visitors can try at home.

Here are three to try:

Add Layers of Winter Interest

Take a winter stroll along the curving paths of Benenson Ornamental Conifers and it’s hard not to be won over by the mass of contrasting forms, gentle tones and intricate lines.

Whether they are fringed by frost or outlined with snow it’s easy to see how these tough, undemanding plants can enliven a winter garden.

Essentially trees that bear their seeds within cones, these plants can be majestic in size but there are plenty of dwarf conifers that can create a beautiful textured landscape on a smaller scale.

Aim for a mix of shapes and foliage and include showstoppers such as a Dwarf Papoose Sitka Spruce, available from Amazon and the Gold Dwarf Mugo Pine, also from Amazon.

Reimagine Your Pathways

From wide, light filled avenues lined with trees to narrow winding paths that meander through majestic woodland and head-high grasses, The New York Botanical Garden is a great place to see how walkways can shape your garden experience.

Borrow these ideas – on a smaller scale – and reimagine your outside space. Edge a linear path with potted fruit trees to conjure up visions of a sun-soaked European terrace – these terracotta pots from Amazon are ideal.

Alternatively, why not weave a gravel or bark chip path through a densely planted border for instant mystery and intrigue.

Introduce a Statement Water Feature

A mere glimpse of the glass-like surface of Sheila Brady’s 230-foot-long water feature in the Native Plant Garden can be enough to convince you to include a water feature in your own backyard.

Reflecting the ever-changing sky above, the surrounding borders and the merest breeze or rain shower, the simplest water feature can add a new, magical dimension to your space.

Add a freestanding water table or reflective water bowl, such as this one from Amazon, placed at a pathway intersection or nestled in a border amongst arching grasses and flowering perennials.

Beyond Wild Expectations is a new series exploring exceptional public gardens of every scale, from grand formal parterres to intimate community plots. We reveal the design vision, planting choices and defining details that bring the garden to life, and show how each one gives fresh perspectives on how we connect with nature and outdoor living.

Few places bring horticulture and art together quite like the cultural hub of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Great Rapids, Michigan. Here, a sublime Japanese garden waits to enlighten with design delights that don't just deliver on the aesthetics – they transform one's perception of the world around us.

Spanning eight acres, Meijer's Japanese garden is home to a fascinating collection of Japanese native flora, encompassing meandering paths that twist and turn around a large pond central to the design. But it is so much more than a beautiful garden. For designer Hoichi Kurisu, The Richard & Helen DeVos Japanese Garden is a chance to immerse visitors in practices deeply rooted in Japanese garden culture, unlocking the symbiotic relationship between humanity and the natural world.

Senior Vice President Steve LaWarre, who worked closely with Hoichi, says even when buried beneath a layer of snow, the garden encourages its visitors to look inward and seek a new point of view – to access a sense of renewal through ancient principles of Japanese garden design.

Snow Blossoms in Winter's Quiet: The Beauty of Impermanence

'Winter is one of my favorite times to walk through the Japanese garden,' says Steve. 'I think it's the sound. There's a quietness in the garden that allows me to perceive it differently,' he explains.

The DeVos Japanese Garden was inspired by a trip Frederik Meijer (founder of the garden) took to Japan in the early 2000s. Soon after his visit, plans were made to recreate what he saw here.

'We worked with designer Hoichi Kurisu for about five years on the design and installation of the garden. We just celebrated the 10th anniversary this summer,' Steve explains.

Aspects of traditional Japanese design can be found throughout the garden, with the space exuding tranquillity, peace, and welcoming a moment to pause and contemplate.

For Steve, this is felt most in the stripped back, calm winter landscape.

'It's just beautiful covered in snow. You hear the waterfalls differently, you see ice sweep over the pond. Everything feels a bit more muffled in the winter, but it somehow puts you at ease,' Steve describes.

There's much to see at this time of year. While plant matter may have faded, boulders and rocks are painted white in snow, cold-hardy ‘Yellow Groove’ bamboo stands tall, and water features softly trickle.

In Japanese tradition, the winter garden has as much life as the bloom-filled spring. It's a time to observe the underlying bones of the garden, take note of its structure, and appreciate stillness.

Snow is seen as another form of blossoming, with bare branches laden in a blanket of the season's offering.

As the snow melts away, it represents nature's fleeting beauty. This idea of impermanence is known as 'mujō', the same sentiment given to the short lifecycle of cherry blossoms.

For Hoichi, this evolving landscape is paramount to the visitor experience. Each season encourages you to look at things a little differently, with winter in particular demonstrating 'wabi-sabi'; the celebration of imperfection, simplicity, and subtle beauty.

Profuse Color: The Garden Awakens With Spring

As the garden begins to defrost in early spring, Steve says the color is almost immediate.

'The first flush of leaves on the trees is a joyful sight after winter. The small chartreuse green buds contrast to the dark stems,' he describes.

'Watching the ice go away, the snow melt, and the trees green up is a delightful process. It's a physical reminder of the restorative power of nature that Hoichi is so passionate about.'

The garden trees are fundamental to the structure of the garden year-round, offering evergreen color and foliage throughout.

'The conifers create a backbone of the garden, recognizable in all four seasons,' Steve says.

'I think they're one of the most iconic plants in the garden, especially because they have been pruned and shaped over time to really create the caricature of a tree,' he adds.

The pruning of these trees is referred to as 'niwaki', where branches are carefully selected and pruned to create an exaggerated silhouette that looks as though the tree has been shaped over many years by forces of nature.

It's an artform that leaves a tree with an airier, organic, and asymmetrical, yet refined look.

The art of bonsai also touches on this sculptural pruning, just on a smaller scale.

At Meijer, this can be appreciated in the the vast bonsai collection on display from spring to fall, including acers, pines, and even flowering varieties like azalea.

As spring progresses, the DeVos Japanese Garden experiences what Steve describes as 'ephemeral waves of bloom.'

'The first example of this is in late April with the flowering cherry blossoms in the Cherry Tree Promenade along the Zig-Zag Bridge,' he says.

'Sakura', the Japanese word for ornamental cherries, have long been symbolic of fleeting and transient beauty, flowering for just a couple of weeks.

During their peak bloom, which Steve notes is usually somewhere between 20 April and 1 May, creamy white and pink blossoms are in abundance.

'Serviceberry comes next, and then the vibrant azaleas, and later water lilies,' Steve says. 'Every week in the growing season has something new in flower, there's always a colorful display to soak up,' he describes.

And it continues into fall, as fiery hues take over the entire garden landscape thanks to the large collection of Japanese maples of all leaf shapes and sizes turning orange, red, and yellow.

A Taste of Japanese Culture in Michigan: The Teahouse and Zen Garden

Japanese plants are not the only core element of historic design principles, traditional structures are just as vital in the use of the garden.

One of the most bespoke features at Meijer is the traditional teahouse, open to the public to partake in the garden's renowned tea ceremony.

'The teahouse was actually created in Japan, dismantled for shipping, and reconstructed here, built from authentic materials,' Steve shares. 'It's got a hand bent copper roof and the tatami mats and woodwork are traditionally created.'

Inside, a traditional tea area is found, including a raised seating area for those with accessibility needs.

'It was important to us that persons of any ability can participate in the tea ceremony and enjoy the intentional views of the pond from the windows,' Steve says.

Tea ceremonies ('sadō' or 'chadō') hold deep meaning in Japanese culture and are strongly influenced by Zen Buddhist philosophy. They are practiced as a meditative art where individuals gather, share tea, and reflect.

'I've been fortunate to participate in not only our tea ceremony, but also a tea ceremony in Japan,' says Steve. 'It's a way to really quiet the senses and participate in mindful reflection, aided by the serenity of garden views,' he describes.

'It's an opportunity to connect with the people you're with, but also to connect with yourself.'

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park holds several tea ceremonies throughout the year run by professional tea masters.

'These events are always popular. People are delighted to experience such an authentic experience and get a feel for these traditions,' says Steve.

Another meditative art within Japanese gardens is the zen garden ('karesansui'), a dry gravel garden, minimal in design.

'This is a space where our four horticulturists looking after the Japanese Garden can really express themselves,' Steve notes.

Traditional Japanese rakes are used to create curving patterns in the gravel. The result is a piece of artwork in its own right, especially impressive when viewed from above.

'There are some classic designs that change through the seasons, but the zen garden is also refreshed if it rains or there are accidental footsteps,' Steve explains.

Zen gardens often have boulders placed asymmetrically on the gravel, as found at Meijer. It's a representation of islands, mountains, and living beings. The patterns around them offer organic shapes without rigid symmetry, creating a natural, light space to tune into your thoughts and emotions.

The Heart of the Garden: Reflections From The Water

No Japanese garden is complete without water, and the water features found at Meijer are pivotal in unifying the different areas of the garden.

'The shape of the central pond reminded Hoichi of the Japanese character for a heart. It's known as 'kanji',' says Steve. 'It's not your physical heart, but rather your spiritual heart, your sense of being.'

Within the pond are several islands, including a peninsula that sticks out. A network of bridges guides the visitors around these different areas, while keeping the water in sight at all times.

'We even have a viewing hill that you wind your way to the top of, giving you a view across the entire garden and pond,' Steve describes.

In Japanese tradition, bodies of water like this are representative of renewal and purification. It's a dedicated space to meditate, contemplate, and rejuvenate.

Aesthetically, the water offers a harmonious balance with the earth parts of the garden. It also creates astonishing mirrored reflections of the landscape above, an example of an art illusion in nature and a reminder for introspection.

'There are also four waterfalls in the garden and several water features to create sound and movement around that space, where the pond water can often lie still,' Steve notes.

Two main waterfalls sit at the north and south side of the pond, representing masculine and feminine energy, once again bringing a sense of harmony.

Centuries Old Tradition Meets Modern Art: A Timeless Living Masterpiece

Japanese gardens have historically been places of living art, which is why it makes the perfect fit for the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.

'It's interesting because while Japanese garden design is centuries old, I have always seen it as something not static, especially with Hoichi's design,' says Steve.

'We wanted to make sure that this garden was rooted in tradition, but there was also innovation. For us, that meant including contemporary artwork within the garden space,' he explains.

The Japanese Garden houses a number of permanent sculptures, as part of the wider garden's sculpture collection. Steve notes they're not all necessarily Japanese, but they do embody the overall theme of human connection to nature.

'Japanese gardens historically have sculptural structures, like lanterns and pagodas. The contemporary artwork nods to this with a modern feel,' Steve describes.

These artworks effortlessly slot into the landscape in which they're found, not disrupting the more traditional aspects but rather enhancing the possibilities of enlightenment for visitors.

'Japanese gardens don't have a specific formula, they're more of a concept with a few foundational principles around style and impact. Hoichi captures this in how he uses space in his design,' Steve says.

'One minute you can be in an incredibly intimate pathway that is narrow and has plant material enclosing on either side of you. The next, you'll emerge from lush planting to the opening of the pond, with a long view of the entire landscape.

'This is intentional, bringing you through different spaces to discover new things and ideas,' Steve describes.

'It's been the most wonderful opportunity to work with Hoichi and to continue working on the evolution of this garden,' Steve says.

'It's taught me to look at things differently. As humans, we can be focused on achieving neat lines and symmetry, but taking a moment to observe your surroundings will reveal this isn't usually how things are in the natural world.

'It's opened my eyes to working with nature, for example by manipulating plantings to natural contours on the landscape. It gives a new meaning to balance – not balance with symmetry, but rather being in balance with nature,' he describes.

Ideas to Steal From Meijer's Japanese Garden

While many of us can only dream of having the sanctuary of a Japanese garden in our backyards, the quiet corners of the DeVos Japanese Garden prove you can create tranquil moments in the smallest of ways.

Here are three easy ideas to replicate in your own yard:

Consider asymmetry

As Steve notes, imperfection is something celebrated in Japanese garden design. At Meijer, this is apparent in asymmetrical sculptural trees, boulder placement in the zen garden, twisting paths, and more.

Incorporating asymmetry in your own yard can look like a number of things. You could try pruning conifers in a Japanese style 'niwaki,' (you'll find traditional Japanese pruning shears are best for this, which are available on Amazon), curate a border with a mix of plant heights, or use natural curves in paths to follow the landscape. It's these elements that create a more dynamic look to the garden, enhancing natural features.

Make a moment of water

No matter where you are in the DeVos Japanese Garden, you can either hear or see water. It's an element known to provide green therapy, instantly soothing nerves and clearing the mind.

Whether you have a garden pond or just a bird bath, there are lots of ways to incorporate water in the yard.

Add some movement to the body of water to create sound. You could do this by simply using a submersible water fountain for a bird bath (like this one from Amazon), for example.

Embrace the winter garden

When it's cold and frosty outside, it can be easy to ignore our outdoor spaces. But, this is one of the most peaceful times of year at the DeVos Japanese Garden.

Take a close look at how frost glistens on architectural seedheads, watch as branches are dressed in snow, and indulge in the silence of the season.

You can even incorporate winter plants in your yard so there's some color to capture the eye among a more monotone landscape.

Beyond Wild Expectations is a new series exploring exceptional public gardens of every scale, from grand formal parterres to intimate community plots. We reveal the design vision, planting choices and defining details that bring the garden to life, and show how each one gives fresh perspectives on how we connect with nature and outdoor living.

The peaceful suburb of Glencoe, Illinois is home to the esteemed Chicago Botanic Garden. More than one million people visit each year, but they're not just seeking uplifting garden inspiration. They're visiting to see first-hand the discoveries of one of the nation's most respected plant science hubs.

Here, thousands of plants are trialled for their hardiness, seasonality, and ornamental value to find superior varieties for Midwestern gardens. It's a unique opportunity to step into the midst of industry-leading research, as Chicago Botanic Garden's three evaluation gardens are open for the public to explore. Unlike field trials with uniform rows of planting, these plants are under observation in a real garden setting, tested in an environment that reflects their intended final destination.

This immersive approach intertwines horticultural research and astounding garden ideas, which is exemplified in the newest of the gardens, the Shida Evaluation Garden. In late fall, its towering, bronze architectural arbors steal the show, and vigorous wind rustles the foliage, creating whispers through the air. It forces you to slow your step and take a moment to pause, tuning in to the garden's quiet lessons of the season.

Color refusing to fade: Shida’s vibrant winter welcome

Each of the evaluation gardens at Chicago Botanic Garden serves a different purpose. The Bernice E. Lavin Garden focuses on sun-loving plants, the Green Roof Garden looks at plants for this challenging urban environment, and Shida was designed with an emphasis on shade garden plants, though sunnier perennials also have a place here.

'It’s painted by trees for fall color at this time of year,' says Fred Spicer, Executive Vice President and Director at Chicago Botanic Garden.

'You get all these russet tones from the dawn redwoods and bald cypress. The beeches, hornbeams, and crab apples display yellows ranging from dirty to brilliantly bright.'

Although completed in 2021, the concept of Shida was born in 2013 when Belgian designer Peter Wirtz pitched the idea of an immersive plant testing space. The following eight years saw Peter shape his vision into reality, bringing together meandering paths, sculptural hedges, and a sequence of garden rooms for different trial spaces.

Yews and dawn redwoods cast shade for trialling shade-lovers and woodland plants, while sun-filled beds allow for additional trialling of perennials, like roses.

'These garden zones act as microclimates, so we can somewhat push boundaries,' says Richard Hawke, Director of Ornamental Plant Research at Chicago Botanic Garden.

'For example, we can place more tender plants behind an evergreen hedge that blocks the wind, and we can test shade plants beneath the trees – something we'd never be able to test in the sunnier evaluation gardens,' he notes.

The permanent hedges and trees guide visitors through the garden, while curving crab apple tunnels and staggering hornbeam arbors interrupt the sightline, lifting your attention upwards.

'I love how these impressive structures really shine in the winter, even if they look stripped down as some of the deciduous trees lose their leaves,' says Fred. 'They speak to the architecture of the nursery greenhouses that sit on the other side of the garden,' he adds.

The Shida Evaluation Garden is found right in the heart of Chicago Botanic Garden's plant science area. Adjacent, greenhouses are home to the garden's plant breeding and conservation efforts.

On the southern side, the garden’s signature large mounds of ornamental grasses interrupt these sharper silhouettes with soft texture and movement.

'We selected Molinia, or moor grass, because it stood out in one of our previous ornamental grass trials for its hardiness,' Fred explains. 'Even in snow it didn't collapse.

'Peter Wirtz has such a way with words. He likens the mounds of grasses to cats sleeping on the lawn. He wants you to walk past and brush their tails, and for them to brush your legs. That’s why they stand so tall and proud,' he describes.

There's a sensory aspect to appreciate at Shida during the coldest months.

'Much of the garden is exposed to the elements, so we see an impact of wind from the west. Tree foliage rustles in the breeze, which creates a soothing sound,' Fred describes.

Perhaps the most unusual feature of the Shida garden is its location. It's a long, narrow garden measuring approximately 2.98 acres, divided in the middle by a road with a public access bike path.

Peter's design incorporated the road into the garden, with intentional winding paths crossing it at regular intermissions to seamlessly unite the space.

'It's really designed as a landscape,' says Richard. 'The brief was to create a permanent framework that would be attractive and dynamic in its own right, and in which we would regularly switch out different varieties to observe.

'It's a far more valuable experience for homeowners to see how plants perform in a garden setting rather than an open testing field,' he adds. 'It's a more realistic representation of which plants come out on top in this climate.'

Spring and summer delights: when Shida's collections awaken

When temperatures warm up after winter, it marks an important checkpoint for the evaluation team at Chicago Botanic Garden.

Perennials start to emerge, buds start to form, and the garden begins revealing the strongest specimens to have survived winter.

With the garden being just four years old, many of the plants are still young and trials are yet to be completed. Though, some exciting findings are beginning to come out of the woodwork.

'The highlight so far has been the hellebore collection, which wasn’t widely grown here for many years,' says Richard. 'Breeding in our climate zone (US hardiness zone 6) has now made this possible.

'It's opened my eyes to the fact we can grow so many types of hellebore and don't have to stick with just three or four seed-grown types,' he adds.

Fred expresses his excitement for the crab apple performance this coming spring.

'They're really just starting to hit their maturity, so I think we're going see those tunnels almost completely covered with flowers and foliage,' he shares.

Though the evaluation program is extensive, with a current 26 ongoing trials (clematis, hydrangeas, crab apples, heucheras, and more found in Shida), there are also some limitations of what can be tested at Chicago Botanic Garden.

'The flowering cherries are a stretch, but we have straight Yoshino cherry planted on the south side which is doing phenomenally, just hitting maturity in terms of flowers,' Fred says.

One of the secrets behind the rigour among the plants in Shida is the fact the garden was built from scratch.

'We have a sustainable soil initiative where we are managing soil health as well as plant health. It's about creating the best environment for plant roots because if they're healthy, what's above ground can be really resilient,' Fred says.

'Shida was a blank canvas, which meant we could create this bespoke soil profile to support the plants we intended to grow here. It's a proprietary blend, with a certain sand, local topsoil, and other local elements, as well as a highly bioactive compost,' he explains.

Establishing a healthy soil ecosystem like this encourages nutrient cycling to happen naturally, reducing the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

'It's an organic style of maintenance,' Fred adds.

There's plenty of opportunity for visitors to soak up spring garden galore in the Shida Evaluation Garden, as the team have worked hard to naturalize bulbs.

'There are about 20,000 creamy yellow daffodils that come out of the ornamental grass mounds in the spring. It's a real statement,' Fred describes.

Clematis also impresses, painting wooden pergolas in hues of white and purple from late spring to fall. These structures were put in by Peter as a dedicated space to test the best climbing plants.

Fred and Richard point out one of the most popular features among visitors is the rose trial.

'We evaluate many roses and work with lots of rose breeders who are looking for new varieties to introduce on the market,' Fred explains.

The roses are planted en masse in sunny flower beds, blooming through the summer months.

'It's certainly a magnificent sight, and the fun part is a lot of them don't have names yet,' Fred says. They're being bred for the best ornamental, hardiness, and disease-resistant qualities. Eventually the winners will come out and be given names by the breeders,' he explains.

One particularly interesting rose evaluation happening here is for the American Rose Trials for Sustainability

'The goal is to essential do nothing to the roses,' Richard says. 'If it does great on its own, it's a good plant.

'This is really the aim of all of our trials, to not do much to them. If they succeed in whatever place we put them, they're quality plants. Struggling plants are equally valuable to us as data points,' he notes.

The art of evaluation: more than just a trials space

Peter's vision of an evaluative space embedded in an uplifting garden with year-round beauty has certainly prevailed. It's a space visitors come to appreciate just the same as the ornamental gardens Chicago Botanic Garden.

'I see people sitting in the arbors, reading and relaxing. Even though it's not the largest of our gardens, the winding paths allow you to get lost for a few moments,' Fred describes.

'We also get a lot of people who are not specifically visiting Chicago Botanic Garden because of the public access bike path that cuts through it,' Richard adds.

'We watch them stop by and enjoy the garden, meandering down the paths and walking through the tunnels,' he says.

Adding to the feeling of escapism is the fact Shida is located right next to the botanic garden's lake system – a manmade lake measuring 60 acres. It's a nod to the origins of Chicago Botanic Garden, built on the site of a marshland, and plays a key role in the garden's work around habitat restoration and ecosystem conservation.

'Being greeted by the water's edge in Shida provides another peaceful space to escape to,' Fred says.

'I've found it fascinating to hear why the public enjoy this trials space in particular. It's largely because it reads well as a garden landscape, rather than a plant testing space,' Richard explains.

'It makes them more inclined to take a closer look at what's on trial and they become curious to see for themselves what's performing well.

'It's the exact reason we first selected Peter's concept: to unify the evaluation plants with the setting. Showcasing their beautiful colors and shapes has proven to be an invaluable way to engage visitors with our research, who walk away with new planting ideas for their own gardens,' Richard adds.

Ideals to steal from Shida

There's no doubt the Shida Evaluation Garden is bursting with inspiration for home gardeners, so we've compiled our top three take aways:

Use ornamental grasses as a foundation for planting

Grasses are often one of the most underrated elements of planting schemes, but if there's anything Shida proves, it's that landscaping with ornamental grasses gives you a strong foundation year-round.

Choose flowering grasses like feather reed grass (see the collection at Nature Hills) and miscanthus for blooms spring-fall, and watch as switch grass and fountain grass turn bronze in the coldest months.

Give a bit more love to garden structures

It can be easy to become plant-happy when caught up in the buzz of a garden center, but don't forget to make room in your yard for impressive structures.

While you may not have a yard sizeable enough for the breath-taking tunnels and arbors at Shida, you can use things like garden trellises and smaller arches (like this one from Amazon) to achieve the same effect. Covered in climbing plants, these structures will turn into living sculptures.

Embrace the winter garden

Without the orange, yellow, and brown hues of the deciduous trees and fading perennials, the winter garden at Shida would stand bare.

That's why it's important to hold off on picking up your pruning tools and cutting back plants in fall. Instead, let seedheads take form, enjoy the changing foliage color, and sit back to watch your yard's landscape transition with the changing seasons.

Beyond Wild Expectations is a new series exploring exceptional public gardens of every scale, from grand formal parterres to intimate community plots. We reveal the design vision, planting choices and defining details that bring the garden to life, and show how each one gives fresh perspectives on how we connect with nature and outdoor living.

Hidden in the English countryside of Sussex sits Gravetye Manor, a historic Elizabethan property surrounded by a gorgeous 35-acre garden. Now a luxury hotel, Gravetye was once home to one of the most influential horticulturists and garden writers of the 19th and early 20th Century, William Robinson.

When William acquired the property in 1884, it was just the beginning of his 50 years of garden experimentation. As the only garden he ever built, this is where he laid down principles of wild gardening, created one of England's most astounding kitchen gardens, and set out a style rebelling against Victorian garden norms, something that hugely influenced the Arts and Crafts Gardens movement.

Today, his legacy lives on. Major restorations in recent years have returned many features to their original form, including the impressive 1.5-acre Victorian walled garden. A treasure trove for fall, it supplies the hotel's Michelin Star restaurant with exquisite ingredients from fruit trees, root vegetables, and leafy crops, as well as the best fall flowers. It's a true feast for the eyes and taste buds.

Harvest Season Galore: Feeding the Estate and its Guests

I was fortunate enough to visit Gravetye Manor right in the middle of October. Touring the garden with Head Gardener Tom Coward, it's apparent how enthused he feels at this time of the year when the walled kitchen garden is in its prime.

'William moved the kitchen garden three times before he decided this is the perfect spot,' Tom tells me.

As I enter through the garden gate, I'm instantly in awe. I can't help but look up and admire the towering elliptical walls.

As my gaze cascades, I'm greeted with large vegetable beds housing neat rows of cabbage, lettuce, beetroot, and all the other offerings of fall crops. In one patch, two of Gravetye's seven gardeners are harvesting squash.

There's also a cutting patch towards the back of the garden, where dahlias of all kinds are showcasing their best colors. Other fall staples, including rudbeckia and asters, infuse a seasonal feel to the space. I'm delighted to later find lots of cut flowers on display inside Gravetye Manor, too, creating a sense of the garden being an extension of the home.

Tom points out a small hole in the lowest wall of the garden – easy to overlook, but a feature that reveals the story of its original design.

'This is a really fascinating piece of engineering,' Tom says. 'We’re on a south-facing slope, and when cold air sinks, the oval-shaped walls funnel it out through this hole. It’s called a frost gate. Meanwhile, warm air, being less dense, stays inside the garden.'

The effect creates a microclimate ideal for growing crops – a technique William carefully developed after studying the land at Gravetye for 20 years and completing the walled garden around 1900.

But the kitchen garden hadn’t been consistently productive since William’s time. After his death in 1935, it fell into disrepair, and decades of neglect allowed weeds, brambles, and thistles to take over.

Restoration began in 2010, when Tom joined Gravetye. ‘When planning the kitchen garden, we looked at its heritage, how to make it productive, and its aesthetic value,’ he explains. ‘Very little is documented about how it originally looked, which has given us the freedom to leave our own mark.’

He adds a personal touch: ‘I know pears were William’s favorite fruit – I learned that from the son of Percy Picton, his gardener. Back then, nobody was allowed to prune the pear trees; William would bring in a specialist once a year.’

Pears can still be spotted throughout the garden, many espaliered in classic patterns. ‘This design is a nod to Great Dixter, another Sussex garden where I worked,’ Tom says. ‘The espaliered trees, the Comice pears there would screen the vegetable beds behind – it’s a classic approach. It frames the beds and establishes permanent crops in the garden.’

Adding to this structure, apple stepovers line the paths and passages between the vegetable beds.

‘Growing apples was probably one of my first passions,’ Tom says, plucking one from the stepovers and taking a bite. ‘I started my career at a fruit nursery on the Isle of Wight. I love that apples are delicious to eat, but they’re also beautiful plants.’

Gravetye’s collection of apple trees extends beyond the kitchen garden. The orchard here has over 60 varieties, harvested for cooking and juice.

‘The orchard has been very productive this year – we’ve made around 2,000 liters of juice from everything that can’t be used for cooking,’ Tom notes.

‘My top tip for growing apples is to pick a variety you enjoy eating. Start with a dwarf tree, not a big one, so you’re not overwhelmed,’ he advises.

A personal favorite of Tom’s is ‘Howgate Wonder’. ‘It’s an apple that originates from the Isle of Wight in the 1910s, and it’s one of the biggest apples you can get, creating some of the best juice,’ he describes.

It’s hard to ignore the exquisite scents as you walk through the kitchen garden, especially from the aromatic herbs growing here. Many are positioned next to the main walkway, so your nostrils are filled with rosemary, marjoram, oregano, and more as you brush past.

‘Growing food in William’s day was essential. It was just how people survived,’ Tom says. ‘Especially when you look at William’s youth, you can understand how important it was to him. William was born in Ireland and he was born poor. The Great Hunger began when he was about seven years old. This informed his passion to create such an abundant walled kitchen garden, fostering some self-sufficiency.

‘Kitchen gardens like this became prominent during the Industrial Revolution to keep people fed, and this is one of the last of its kind,’ he explains, looking around at where the old bones of the garden meet the current fruits of his labor.

A Kitchen Garden for Today: The Gardener-Chef Relationship

Today, the walled kitchen garden is fundamental to the running of the hotel, supplying the award-winning restaurant with organic crops.

Executive Chef Martin Carabott has been at Gravetye Manor since April this year, and Tom emphasizes just how important it has been to build the gardener–chef relationship.

‘We’re trying to grow flavors that you simply can’t buy,’ he says. ‘We’re providing flavors that you can only get directly from a garden. We give Chef a unique set of ingredients to work with.’

With each chef that comes to Gravetye, the garden is adapted for their menu, Tom shares. ‘It’s always based around the palate of the chef — that’s the purpose of this space.’

The garden, being such an invaluable resource, provides some insight into the pristine rows of vegetables.

'It's practical yet attractive work,' Tom says, with all the produce of the garden having its exact place to produce the highest quality.

'We also have a crop rotation system because if you grow the same vegetable every year in the same soil, you get a thing called replant disease,' Tom adds. 'Rotating avoids that and keeps the soil healthy. We also make our own compost to support this.'

When choosing which fruit and vegetables to grow, Tom notes that a mix of heirloom and modern varieties is important.

'If William Robinson were gardening here now and he was going to plant some apples, he would plant the best apple he could find. That's the approach we take,' says Tom. 'We use heritage varieties, but we don't let that restrict us because we ultimately just want to produce the best flavor,' he adds.

The Birthplace of Wild Gardening: William's Horticultural Playground

While the kitchen garden may provide brain-scratching symmetry, I notice this garden layout is hard to find elsewhere at Gravetye. And that's by no mistake.

'The first time anyone mentioned the term wild gardening was in William's book, The Wild Garden,' explains Tom as we walk along Gravetye's wildflower meadow.

'With the wild garden, you must have contrast. It's a fine line between beautiful naturalistic planting and a big mess,' he adds.

William championed working with the landscape over the formal, repetitive, and rigid gardening that was quintessential to the Victorian garden style.

It's an idea that became core to the Arts and Crafts Gardens movement, where gardens were seen as relaxed spaces, unified with the home. This is a concept particularly advocated by Gertrude Jekyll, who was deeply influenced by William's work here.

'This wildflower meadow is probably the most enduring part of his work. Part of the concept of wild gardening is where you naturalize a plant that'll spread and take care of itself,' Tom describes.

Fall crocus have just finished for the season, and in spring, this area is taken over by daffodils, scilla, and tulips.

'We even consider the orchard a productive wild garden, with thousands of camassia planted beneath the trees,' Tom says.

This philosophy is also reflected in the hardy perennials and groundcovers throughout the garden, giving it a look of permanence as though it's been there forever.

Right outside the house, a sensational flower garden impresses with jam-packed mixed borders – another ideology of William's that lives on and informs English cottage gardens.

My eyes are immediately drawn to the bright yellows and oranges of dahlias, red hot pokers, and Ipomoea lobata.

'Very soon, the Nyssa sylvatica will be bright orange in the backdrop of the garden,' Tom points and smiles. 'We're always looking at pinching elements like this from the landscape.'

Other trees for fall color can also be spotted in the natural landscape of the garden: aspen, beech, and maples. It encompasses Gravetye in fiery hues.

'Orange is an interesting color, it's so different and stands out in the garden. At this time of year, the oranges, reds, and yellows work so well in the mellow light.

'In June, the sun is right overhead, and it bleaches everything. These colors don't work as well, so we would rather use subtle colors,' Tom continues.

Next to the flower garden, Gravetye Manor stands tall. Large windows overlooking.

'It was a writer's garden to William. He didn't mind if he looked out in October and it was dull because it offered him time to learn about growing something for July,' Tom explains.

'Now for our guests, we use successional plantings of annuals and tender perennials, along with mixed herbaceous perennials and shrubs to provide interest throughout the seasons,' he adds.

The restaurant was added in 2018, protruding into the flower garden. It immerses guests in the borders as they dine and gives them a front row seat to the gardeners at work.

As we pass by, Tom waves to one gardener who is pruning lavender.

'We were nervous about whether the guests would want to watch us in action, but what's lovely is that they really enjoy watching what we do from the restaurant,' says Tom. 'It's a really enjoyable way to share the garden with them.'

Continuing Traditions: Using Historic Growing Techniques

Continuing on my tour with Tom, we arrive at a beautiful Victorian glasshouse. It was built in William's day, but needed some huge restoration to be in usable condition.

Inside, peach trees are planted in beds, trained upwards. Opposite, fig trees are found training up a wall.

'We grow peaches in the glasshouse out of tradition,' Tom notes. It's one of the trees William would have grown ,and the glasshouse provides the perfect environment to prevent issues like peach leaf curl (a fungal infection causing distorted, red leaves, worsened by excessive rainfall).

Tom also lets me in on the secret that you get the very best taste from peaches if they ripen fully on the branch, which this glasshouse environment allows for.

It seems the garden at Gravetye Manor has come full circle. Once a blank canvas for William Robinson to define, now a space Tom and his team are making their own, never without William's founding principles in mind.

'It's really quite exciting that we've got these experiments and methods from William's written works. We also have the test of time on our side and can see the results all these years later,' Tom says.

'We want to keep experimenting. We do all sorts of things, like trying to grow bulbs from seed, get ground-covers to settle as a habitat, and even cross-pollinate plants,' he shares.

'In the modern world, working here for 15 years seems like quite a long time. But for the life of a garden like this, it's just the blink of an eye,' Tom says.

'I feel immense responsibility to be the custodian of such an important historic garden. That's why it's so rewarding to see people enjoying it and appreciating the craft. But in many ways, I do feel like I have just started here.'

Ideas to Steal from Gravetye Manor

Gravetye Manor is bursting with garden ideas to recreate at home. Even if you don't have the room for a full vegetable garden or mixed border, there are lots of ways to bring the essence of Gravetye to your yard.

Naturalize lawns for low-maintenance spring color

Sometimes the endless possibilities for a spring garden can be overwhelming. But, if there's one trick to take from Gravetye Manor, it's planting bulbs for naturalizing lawns for a reliable, low-maintenance, returning display.

Many of the best spring bulbs can be planted into a lawn to spread and provide you with a floral carpet. Things like crocus (bulbs from Burpee), daffodils (bulbs from Burpee), and snowdrops (bulbs from Amazon).

Bonus tip: planting successional bulbs will ensure your lawn has interest from early spring right up until fall.

Celebrate the garden indoors

Although William was not directly involved in the Arts and Crafts Gardens movement, much of his planting style at Gravetye influenced it. This includes the idea of the home and garden being a unified space. One of the easiest ways to do this: make floral arrangements with blooms from your yard.

This can involve having a cutting garden raised bed, or simply snipping from your perennial border. For a seasonal twist, why not forage for fall foliage and stems in your yard? Place them along the center of tables to uplift your tablescape for the hosting season.

Practice crop rotation

If you're planning a kitchen garden for your yard and want to achieve bumper harvests like Tom and his team, it's important to practice crop rotation.

As Tom explains, this involves rotating where different types of crops are planted to prevent replant disease. This is where a crop struggles to grow in the same spot as before due to a buildup of pests, diseases, and a lack of essential nutrients.

Our expert guide to crop rotation can help you plan a sequence for the fruit and vegetables you're planning to grow.

Beyond Wild Expectations is a new series exploring exceptional public gardens of every scale, from grand formal parterres to intimate community plots. We reveal the design vision, planting choices and defining details that bring the garden to life, and show how each one gives fresh perspectives on how we connect with nature and outdoor living.

In Beyond Wild Expectations, Homes & Gardens celebrates brilliant public gardens – from grand parterres that command attention to small community plots bursting with personality.

We explore the vision behind every garden we visit, whether sweeping or intimate, paying particular attention to planting choices, structural details, and the layers of texture and form that bring the spaces to life.

From paths that draw you in, to plant palettes that speak to the place and season, the features we highlight in the series reveal how thoughtful design can elevate gardens. More than just a look at landscaping, though, Beyond Wild Expectations shows how public spaces can inspire us to shape our own gardens, improving our well-being and deepening our love of outdoor living.

With over a thousand acres of land, there is a never-ending supply of planting to discover at Longwood Gardens, Pennsylvania. Vast collections of towering trees, wetlands, and meadows comprise the natural backdrop to award-winning botanical displays in breathtaking glasshouses. Step inside and you'll be transported to something other-worldly, bursting with garden ideas to ignite the imagination.

Pennsylvania is well known as the American horticultural hub. It's where the nation's seed trade began and gardening culture was born, and today the state is home to many magnificent public gardens that millions of tourists swarm to each year. The largest and most renowned is Longwood Gardens.

Famous for its exquisite botanical spectacles, Longwood is home to North America's biggest Chrysanthemum Festival. Every fall, visitors can explore the wonder of these colossal floral art exhibitions, where giant orbs of mums hang from conservatory ceilings. The flowers are the building blocks for dazzling installations, and every inch of vertical space is painted in chrysanthemums of all colors. It's not just something to see, but somewhere to experience a living masterpiece.

Fall color explosion: America's largest chrysanthemum celebration

'We preserve over 200 cultivars of chrysanthemums for this show in tissue culture, and we grow them out each year,' says Jim Sutton, Associate Director of Display Design for Longwood Gardens. 'They're all exhibition mums, not garden mums.

'These are your big football mums, incurves, and your spiders. We also have cascade mums that we collected from Japan in the 60s,' he explains.

Mums take on an incredible 66 specialty forms at the festival. Alongside the iconic spheres elevated from the ceilings, towering columns are covered, tall single stems showcase the beauty of these flowers, and jaw-dropping topiary shapes put chrysanthemums on display in a way you've never seen before.

The jewel in the crown is the 'Thousand Bloom Chrysanthemum', known as 'Ozukuri' in Japan. It's a historic technique of growing a large singular mum with as many blooms as possible, typically over 1000.

It first debuted at Longwood in 2009 and is now a central feature to the festival each year, requiring an 18-month long process for the Longwood horticulturalists who meticulously grow, pinch, and train the plant to a dome-shaped frame from scratch.

For many, this event is fundamental in celebrating fall gardening and the very best of fall flowers.

Christmas is just as impressive as the fall season comes to an end.

'Our visitors love what we do at Christmas. We always have a theme which is reflected both in the glasshouses and out on the grounds,' Jim says.

Think uplit trees showcasing wonderful silhouettes in different colors, and winding paths leading you through different illuminated planting displays, towards spectacular light shows over fountains.

'Every tree branch is outlined from garden lighting,' says Dan Sekowski, Associate Director of Outdoor Landscapes at Longwood Gardens. 'It's great because where there are taxodium trees you may not otherwise notice for example, the lights showcase how beautiful their shapes are.'

Inside, elevated orbs take center stage again, alongside impressive displays of Christmas plants like poinsettias.

It all began with tree conservation: Pierre du Pont's first love at Longwood

What's here today stems from the original passion project of one man: Pierre du Pont. The industrialist and philanthropist purchased the land as a farm in 1906 with the intent to preserve an already incredible collection of trees there. Now a public botanical garden, Longwood Gardens is a place Pierre couldn't have even dreamt of a century ago.

You may be familiar with the name du Pont if you've ever visited the other du Pont family estates in Delaware. Longwood Gardens is the only venue to be found in Pennsylvania. It was somewhere for Pierre to bring his ambitious horticultural goals to life.

'He originally bought the gardens to save the trees,' says Jim. 'He actually considered investing in land to be a bad investment. So, we were the only property he ever bought because he fell in love with the trees here.'

Peirce's Woods is a woodland area of Longwood Gardens, containing the original collection of trees Pierre adored. Many of the trees were first planted by the Peirce brothers between 1798 and the mid-1800s, who were stewards of the land before Pierre purchased it.

Here, you can find lots of native planting, including oak, ash, and maples. Today, the woods house over 200 species and cultivars of trees, shrubs, and the best groundcover plants, including tiarella and creeping phlox.

It's a fiery treat for fall, with the best trees for fall color showing off their most vibrant hues.

But, Pierre's vision extended beyond the trees.

'He travelled through Europe quite a bit and was inspired by the gardens there, so he brought a piece of that back to Pennsylvania,' Jim notes.

It was during this time Pierre became fascinated with an impressive display of water pumps at the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, when he was just a child. This is the inspiration behind much of the water garden features found at Longwood.

'Pierre had a fascination with flowing water, so we have a beautiful Main Fountain Garden, an Italian Water Garden, and lots of water features throughout the garden,' Jim describes. 'We even have water features within the conservatories as well.'

Pierre originally intended for Longwood Gardens to be a private family estate, but this grew into a fantasy of creating a public attraction.

'Pierre left us an endowment to open the gardens to the public and we still run on it today,' Jim says.

And its evolution continues, now existing as a collection of gardens showcasing the very best in horticulture. Many notable garden and landscape designers, such as Roberto Burle Marx and Isabella Greene, have worked on projects at Longwood, leaving their own mark on its history.

Abundant year-round planting: somewhere to intentionally get lost

If there's one thing to be sure of, it's that you can never get bored at Longwood Gardens. Each season is filled with beautiful plants to see, stunning formal garden design, and exquisite indoor garden displays.

The Flower Garden Walk was Pierre du Pont's very first garden at Longwood and features 600 feet of blooms to explore from spring to fall.

'In our flower border, there's annual traditional planting with color blocking along the brick walkway,' explains Dan. 'We go through a system of red and yellow, then orange, purple and white.'

This is particularly dazzling as a spring garden, abundant in tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths, among others. 'It's very traditional annual spring flowering plants with just over-the-top amounts of color,' Dan describes.

Dan reveals there are 500,000 bulbs being planted across the garden for spring this year. 'In spring, the garden is erupting outside,' Jim says.

It's these large-scale showcases that bring so many people to Longwood each day – they're currently on track for 1.6 million visitors this year. Yet, Dan and Jim note the sheer scale of the gardens also provide plenty of quiet corners to escape to.

'If you want a more solitary experience, you can head out to the Meadow Garden, for example. There are these moments here where the garden seems like it's just for you,' Jim describes.

As summer settles in at Longwood, the outside landscape continues to wow.

New for 2025, Longwood Reimagined saw the opening of 17 acres of grounds with a brand new West Conservatory. In the summer months, the gardens surrounding the conservatory are in full glory.

'This project allowed us to increase our waterlily presence tremendously,' says Jim.

The Waterlily Court outside the new conservatory was first designed by the renowned landscape architect Peter Shepheard in 1989. The Longwood Reimagined project has allowed for the spectacle to be renewed and enhanced.

It's home to approximately 100 varieties of waterlily specimens, as well as lotus flowers, and other aquatic plants from around the globe. Here, visitors can view astounding aquatic cannas reaching up to eight feet tall. Many of them come from Longwood's own breeding program.

Futureproofing science: conserving Longwood's rare collections

Something that also makes Longwood such a special place is the active science department here.

'We do a lot of virus testing, especially on our chrysanthemum and orchid collections,' Jim says. 'If anything does get a virus, we try to clean it up through tissue culture.

This means we can use it again in our collection so that we're displaying virus-free plants,' he explains.

There's also a lot of work around conservation and breeding at Longwood Gardens.

'We have one person on staff whose job it is to scour the globe for new plants,' Jim says. 'The most recent one was in Tanzania and he brought back a yellow waterlily (Nymphaea stuhlmannii) that most people thought was extinct. That yellow waterlily is in our collection this year,' he adds.

Jim notes they are continuing work on breeding Disa orchids, too, a unique type of orchid native to South Africa. Longwood was the first in the US to flower Disa uniflora in 1963 and has become specialized in breeding hybrids since.

'The Orchid House displays between 300-500 orchids on any given day,' Jim notes. 'For that to happen, we have about 5000 back-up plants.'

There are also plenty of plant trials happening on the landscape at Longwood.

'We're looking at what trees are going to be here in thousands of years time,' says Dan. 'We're managing invasive species, too.

'There's a lot of thoughtfulness going into planning for the future through our science,' he adds.

Marrying together innovation, artistry, and botanical science, Longwood Gardens continues to stand as a symbol of horticultural excellence, driven by the same passion founder Pierre du Pont had for the amazing things you can do with plants and nature.

'We consider every day a flower show,' Jim says. 'We always have a large floral presence and there's not a day that you can't come and see something.'

Ideas to steal from Longwood Gardens

'We actually have an Ideas Garden where we explore historic gardening mixed with new gardening,' Dan shares. 'It's a place where you can come along with just a 10x10ft garden space at home and leave with ideas to maximize a small garden and a container garden.' he adds.

Here are three ways to recreate some of the magic of Longwood Gardens in your own backyard:

Bring water bodies to life

It's no secret that water is a core element of what makes Longwood Gardens unique, and of course it was one of the things most favored by founder Pierre du Pont.

You don't need a large amount of space to have a thriving water feature in your yard. If you have a garden pond, use centerpiece plants, like growing lotus flowers and aquatic cannas (like this hardy water canna plant from Amazon), to bring it to life. You can even grow some aquatic plants in pots.

With water pumps (like this submersible pond pump from Amazon) and garden fountains, you can easily incorporate running water for a sensory experience, too.

Mix evergreen trees with deciduous trees

The woodlands at Longwood are painted orange, red and yellow by the time fall rolls around. But, this striking color palette would be incomplete without the reliable evergreens that remain a staple throughout the year.

When the deciduous trees drop their leaves, evergreens will ensure your garden's backdrop doesn't become bare. In fact, those bare branches sitting in between evergreens dusted in frost will give you a magnificent winter garden display.

Some of the easiest evergreen trees to grow include junipers (see the range of juniper trees at Fast Growing Trees) and hollies (see the range of holly trees at Fast Growing Trees).

Create a botanical spectacle

The iconic hanging orbs Longwood create throughout the seasons is a dynamic, innovative way to display plants. You can take inspiration from this in a few different ways at home.

For indoor gardens, try making kokedama with houseplants, or use a spherical hanging planter like this one from Amazon.

As Longwood displays, planting en masse is an easy way to get instant impact. Dedicate a border to spring bulbs (using this pack of spring bulbs from Amazon), or line a path with block color flowers, like in the Flower Garden Walk.

It's all about shifting your mindset to see plants as art materials and working with them to create displays akin to exhibits.

Beyond Wild Expectations is a new series exploring exceptional public gardens of every scale, from grand formal parterres to intimate community plots. We reveal the design vision, planting choices and defining details that bring the garden to life, and show how each one gives fresh perspectives on how we connect with nature and outdoor living.

Nestled between Broadway and West End Avenue in New York City is an unassuming wrought iron gate you might miss if you blink as you hurry past. Behind, a long and narrow staircase leads to one of Manhattan's best kept secrets: a thriving rooftop oasis, nurtured by a network of dedicated gardeners.

'There are always new people discovering us. I lived in the neighborhood for decades without knowing it was here,' says Karen Gershenhorn, Co-President of The Lotus Garden. 'There's a lot of enthusiasm for it from the local community, which is delightful.'

Decades previous in the 1960s, The Lotus Garden's plot was home to two grand movie theaters, the Riverside and Riviera. When the buildings were eventually demolished, gardeners came together to create a guerrilla gardening space. But building plans were soon made for a new condo to go up, which sparked green-fingered activists Carrie Maher, a horticulturist, and Mark Greenwald, an architect, to fight for a garden to be installed on site and protect this wonderful community asset.

40 years later, the garden sits 20 feet upon a condo garage and provides an escape from the city, without having to leave.

Abundant in woodland planting, flowering climbers, fruit trees, and bright annuals that sit against the backdrop of a concrete jungle, it's a pocket of paradise in the Upper West Side.

But it hasn't always looked how it does now.

This urban garden is constantly evolving at the hands of the individuals who curate it to their own taste, ensuring The Lotus Garden remains made for the community, by the community.

Finally having the room to grow: creating more than just a community garden

Carrie and Mark designed the rooftop garden to be divided into 28 different plots, with each one looked after by a different gardener. Though, you wouldn't be able to spot this division as you wander through the winding paths and observe how the planting effortlessly melts together.

'The plot holders all have different reasons to have joined. There are people who have lived nearby forever and were surprised to discover us here,' says Eve M. Kahn, Co-President of The Lotus Garden.

'I lived right across the street when the theaters were demolished and watched the garden being built from my window,' says Kenneth Karpel, Treasurer and past President of The Lotus Garden.

'I decided to go over and learn more about the garden. The then-President asked me to plant a Schizophragma hydrangeoides (climbing hydrangea vine) in her plot. I didn't realize this was an audition, but she then offered me the plot where Mark and Carrie had gardened,' he describes.

'It's just such a special place to be, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic. I was very sick in March 2020, but having the garden to tend to gave me structure to my day and was very healing,' he continues.

And at 7am, it's a common sight for the peaceful corners of the garden to be occupied by city-goers grabbing a moment of calm with their morning coffee.

'Many of our members choose to work up here or just come to read and enjoy the space because it's a place you can get away from the city and not be bothered,' Karen notes.

The Lotus Garden is also a hub for the wider community, not just its members. Public events and holiday parties are held here, alongside the garden being open every Sunday between April and November. Next year, The Lotus Garden will be the very first NYC garden in The Garden Conservancy's Open Days.

'We get a steady stream of people during those open hours. Many tourists will show up after discovering The Lotus Garden in a random guidebook and often they don't speak English, but we find plants are a universal language that brings them to us,' Eve says.

A garden pond that sits in the top left corner of The Lotus Garden is a particular magnet for young families and has proven to be a great way to engage children with gardening.

'We get lots of cute children come along because we have fish that they love to stand at the edge of the pond and admire,' says Eve.

'And many New York City high schools require students to do volunteering hours. So often on Sundays we get teenagers come and help do some gardening. They turn up thinking they're not interested in plants but leave feeling excited about all the things they have learned,' Eve describes. 'They'll help plant bulbs in fall and are ecstatic to see the bright blooms come up in spring.'

It's exactly the space Carrie, Mark, and those founding members first envisioned: a garden for all, to grow plants, to find peace in, to learn from, and to come together to enjoy nature in the middle of the buzzing city.

Making a rooftop oasis possible: planting shaped by people

Much of The Lotus Garden presents a woodland garden scheme, as it's actually part of the Urban Woodlands Community Gardens, a non-profit corporation.

'Because of this, we try to keep it naturalistic-looking, and the plot holders typically have their spaces for years, even decades, so the planting really does look like it's been there forever,' Karen says.

Walking through the garden, Kenneth describes the trees and shrubs that have been there since the creation of the garden. Many are fruit trees: a peach tree, a quince tree, and even a sour cherry tree. Much of the harvest is shared with visitors who find delight in savouring the freshly plucked fruit, he shares.

In Kenneth's own plot towards the back of the garden, the best shade plants are celebrated. 'I was inspired by a hosta garden in New Hope, Pennsylvania with hundreds of kinds of hostas, so now I have a wide variety of them here,' he explains.

'But, the most beautiful plant in my plot is Corylopsis sinensis, Chinese winter hazel. It has pretty racemes, bright yellow flowers,' Kenneth describes. Russian sage and lots of ferns can also be spotted in his woodland planting plot.

Of course, one of the challenges of an urban rooftop garden is the lack of ground soil. Here, there is just 30 inches of soil to work with, something that has forced the gardeners to make careful planting choices.

Another unique characteristic of The Lotus Garden is the light exposure across the space. While Kenneth's plot is much more shaded, Karen and Eve's plots, which are both towards the front of the garden, receive a fair amount of sunlight, despite the towering neighbouring buildings.

Eve's plot can be found with a sprawling wall of pale purple and white clematis. 'It's put everything else out of business on my plot. It's so healthy,' she describes. 'Karen is three feet from my plot, but she gets a different light pattern than I do with more direct sun.

'Towards the back, there's almost no natural light. There are real microclimates here, it ranges hugely within this tiny space,' she explains.

Something quite beautiful is the way the buildings create shafts of light, placing a spotlight on different parts of the garden throughout the day.

Inward from the walls of the garden, one plot holder has an abundance of zinnias and sunflowers. 'Many of his plants are six to 10 feet tall and add some variation to the garden,' says Eve.

'There are community gardens in New York that are very boxy, but our plots are sort of amoeba-shaped, and you can't really tell the lines between the plots. The only way you can know the actual borders is when a gardener takes you on a tour,' she continues.

With winding garden paths between the unobtrusive plot boundaries, The Lotus Garden has a soft appearance, where everything flows together.

'Our style is much more Gertrude Jekyll than the formal gardens of Versailles,' Eve notes. 'What's amazing is this garden was built and created 41 years ago and the way Carrie and Mark laid it out has held up wonderfully.'

Supporting biodiversity: somewhere plants and wildlife flourish

Not only are the hearts and minds of the people of The Lotus Garden full, it's evident the plants are happy here, too.

'A few months ago, a woman approached me saying she had been struggling to grow a peach tree in her apartment and would like us to adopt it. We accepted the offer and thought we'd just see what happens, although with all leaves yellowing and about to fall off, we weren't too hopeful,' Eve shares. 'Well, it now has about six inches of new growth since living here. It's absolutely incredible what we can achieve with plants in our little garden.'

The Lotus Garden also prioritizes sustainable gardening to keep the plot chemical-free and encourage rich biodiversity.

'If I spot aphids, I simply put gloves on and remove them by hand. I also pick off the slugs one by one and put them in our community compost bin where their work is welcome,' Eve explains.

The garden is full of plants for pollinators too, with bees and bird life in abundence.

'We get everything from the most ordinary pigeons, to mourning doves, and robins that nest. I once even saw a hummingbird,' Eve shares.

But, having a healthy garden doesn't mean everything has to be perfect all the time. There is plenty of room for error and learning, as this garden proves to be rather forgiving.

'That's the wonderful thing about The Lotus Garden: you can make a mistake and the scars don't last, it looks untouched,' Kenneth says. 'The garden really is something you don't expect to stumble across among the surrounding buildings, and the bones of it have stood up beautifully.'

'Everyone is so grateful for this space,' says Karen. 'They always thank us and many take it really personally. If something's broken or they see something wrong, they alert us. They treat it as their backyard as well as our backyard, which is really beautiful.'

Ideas to steal from The Lotus Garden

As well as The Lotus Garden being a beautiful space to visit in NYC, there is plenty to be inspired by in this urban garden that can easily be recreated at home:

Make the most of shade

For a yard with shady coverage, perhaps from lots of trees, Kenneth's use of ground cover plants for shade is an excellent example of creating a luscious, leafy landscape without needing lots of sun exposure.

Plants such as hostas (see the collection at Nature Hills), ferns, and even shade-loving blooms like cyclamen give you plenty of interest while covering ground that is more challenging for sun-loving plants.

Use planting to elevate seating

There's something to be said for the outdoor seating in this urban garden. The Lotus Garden's tranquil seating is created by placing romantic benches and small tables among planting.

Create a garden room with shrubs to provide some privacy for your seating, allowing you to feel immersed in nature when you retreat there, away from the busyness of everyday life.

Encourage wildlife to bring your garden to life

The simplest of wildlife garden features in The Lotus Garden bring a wide range of birds, bees, butterflies, and more. Having bird houses in trees, a flower bed full of plants for bees, and opting for native planting are easy ways to bring more life to your outdoor space.

Of course, if you wish to have something a bit bigger, The Lotus Garden's fish pond proves to be a joy for all that spend time there.

Beyond Wild Expectations is a new series exploring exceptional public gardens of every scale, from grand formal parterres to intimate community plots. We reveal the design vision, planting choices and defining details that bring the garden to life, and show how each one gives fresh perspectives on how we connect with nature and outdoor living.