Beyond Wild Expectations: Escape to 21 of The Most Beautiful Gardens In The World
Grab a coffee and settle in to discover gardens you will never forget
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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.
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.
