THE PRETTIEST GARDENS AROUND THE WORLD - Isn't it time you made them a part of your travels?
Gardens have evolved to become a crucial element of society - a place for artistic expression and relaxation, including scientific research.
Serving as a quiet respite from the ever-encroaching din of the modern world, gardens have long been a safe haven of botanical wonder. For many of us, they were our refuge during the pandemic - a place we could escape to and "social distance."
Some of you may or may not know - in my past life, I owned/operated a Landscape and Irrigation Design / Build business - specializing in landscape design - back in the day when everything was hand drafted/designed.
So gardens and the outdoor environment, is particuarly special and important to me. I've travelled to many over and years and will continue to.
Let's walk amongst the flowers, with a small selection of the world's prettiest gardens.
And just as an FYI - I can easily plan a group trip for your next garden or art club, or horticultural association. What a fabulous passion to have in common!
JARDIN MAJORELLE – MARRAKECH, MOROCCO
Featuring sky-high cacti and towering
palms, Majorelle Gardens in Marrakech, Morocco, is a magical world that could
only be born of an artist’s imagination.
The garden is home to countless species of plants from around the world,
all collected by the original designer and artist, Jacques Majorelle, during
his travels.
Majorelle blue, the overarching colour of
the house and various architectural features of the garden, was created here as
an homage to Moroccan pottery glaze and traditional Amazigh paint hues that
Majorelle saw in the bazaars and countryside of Marrakesh.
Fashion icon Yves Saint Laurent, salvaged
the property in the 1980’s and brought it back to its former glory after it was
abandoned following Majorelle’s divorce.
Today the grounds are home to thousands of
plant species, several museums, and a boutique in Saint Laurent’s honour.
MONET’S GARDEN – GIVERNY, FRANCE
Lush willow tendrils reach affectionately
towards blooming tulips at Monet’s famed garden in Giverny.
Here you’ll find the subjects of many of
Monet’s most famous paintings, from the picturesque Japanese bridge to the
iconic lily pond.
Monet’s Garden in Giverny, France may be
the most idolized garden in the world and the epitome of anthopile heaven.
Known for its whimsical nature, Monet’s
gardens, adjoining his beloved home, are made up of two distinct areas: the
Clos Normand and the Water Garden.
The Clos Normand is a free growing
collection of flowers while the Water Garden was designed in the Japanese style
and is featured in some of Monet’s most popular paintings.
Visiting Monet’s Garden is a breeze from
Paris and can take as little as forty minutes by high speed train.
For a more intimate experience reaching
Monet’s home, rent a bike near the train station and pedal along in the idyllic
French countryside to reach your destination.
SISSINGHURST CASTLE GARDEN – KENSINGTON, UK
The iconic English garden perhaps has no
nonpareil than the perfectly manicured grounds at Sissinghurst Castle in
Kensington, England.
With 450 acres to explore, it’s not
difficult to discover your own secret sanctuary among the roses.
The Sissinghurst gardens include the rose
garden, white garden, and the Delos garden with other various smaller plots
sprinkled throughout.
Famed poet Vita Sackville-West was the
architect behind the garden, and her vision for the quintessential English
garden was slowly brought to life over a period of 30 years.
Particularly unique to these grounds is the
white garden, created entirely out of white, silver, gray, and green blooms and
foliage.
Sissinghurst is one of the earliest
examples of “garden rooms” which sat on either side of the main pathway.
Venture further from the larger gardens
here to explore rooms like The Nuttery, Orchard, and Herb Garden among many
others.
When you’re finished wandering, look for
the Elizabethan Tower, guiding your way back to the entrance among the lofty
blooms.
RYOAN-ji ROCK GARDEN – KYOTO, JAPAN
Thought to have been created in the 15th
century, Ryoan-ji Temple is a UNESCO World Heritage site and famous rock garden
in Kyoto, Japan.
Although small, Ryoan-ji Temple are an
example of a dry garden or karesansui, also known as a Japanese zen
garden.
Japanese gardens are known for accentuating
the natural landscape and being free of unnecessary ornamentation and Ryoan-ji
may be one of the finest examples. The rock garden is raked in a pattern that
evokes a meditative atmosphere, an important element in Zen Buddhism.
Made up of 15 larger rocks among smaller
pebbles and naturally growing moss, there’s many theories on what the garden
depicts.
View the garden in silence from the hojo,
or priest’s residence, as it’s traditionally meant to be seen, and contemplate
the meaning of its design.
A singular Sakura tree hangs over the walls
of the temple, further adding to the garden’s ethereal atmosphere when it
blooms in spring.
The grounds surrounding the temple are
exquisite themselves, featuring a large lily pond, ancient temple buildings,
torii gates, and other small gardens.
LAS POZAS – XILITLA, MEXICO
Built by the renowned poet, Edward James,
Las Pozas remains a bit of a mystery. Tucked away in the mountains of San Luis
Potosi in Central Mexico, Las Pozas or “The Pools” are far from a manicured
garden.
As an homage to James’ love of Surrealism,
the garden is filed with half finished architectural installations giving it a
whimsical, abandoned feel.
Las Pozas gets it name from the creek that
runs through the property, creating a natural waterfalls and pools throughout.
Most of the plants cultivated here are
indigenous although James had a particular love for orchids.
His original orchid collection numbered in
the thousands but was unfortunately killed in a freak frost incident in the
60’s.
The architectural gardens’ overgrown
quality lends a certain mysticism that makes a visit here truly unforgettable.
KEUKENHOF GARDENS – LISSE, NETHERLANDS
Perhaps one of the most famous and
recognizable gardens int eh world, the Keukenhof Gardens are a floral
kaleidoscope.
Created in 1857 for the Teylingen Castle,
today it’s the largest flower garden in the world with over 7 million blossoms
that bloom each year and drawing in visitors in the same numbers.
The iconic Dutch tulip fields surround the
park itself which is encompassed by traditional water canals.
Take a cruise through the blooms for a
unique view of the gardens and Dutch windmills lazily spinning in the distance.
While seeing the tulips at peak bloom is
never guaranteed, the grounds of the Keukenhof are always beautiful.
If you’re in search of the iconic blooms,
be sure to plan your trip between the end of March and beginning of May for the
best chance of witnessing them at their peak.
Not showcased here, but worth an honourable
mention are also:
Jardin Botanico de Vallarta in Puerto
Vallarta, MX CLICK
HERE TO SEE MY BLOG
Kew Royal Botanic Gardens - London
Butchart Gardens – Vancouver Island, BC
Gardens of Versailles – Versailles, France
Singapore Botanic Gardens – Singapore
Powerscourt Estate – Enniskerry, Ireland
Villa d’Este – Tivoli, Italy
I could go on and on, as we all have our favourites over the years – but hope this gives you a good start to begin compiling your list to get lost in. Which one is closest to your next vacation destination?
That’s what I’m here for – Planning your
vacation makes YOU happy – which makes me happy.
Scheduling a complimentary consultation to chat about your preferences, travel style, options and expectations, is key to go through before we start designing your handcrafted itinerary and vacation. CONTACT ME HERE
Wanna know what my peeps are saying about me? CHECK OUT MY TESTIMONIALS HERE