10 Best Holiday Destinations with Gardens to Visit
During the cold wet days of late autumn and early winter it’s great to think about our holidays for next year.
If you are wishing to include some beautiful gardens in your holiday itinerary as well, then I have just the destinations for you in this article.
10 Best holiday destinations with gardens to visit will inspire you and hopefully you will be able to decide where to go on your next garden travel trip.
Read about the beautiful cherry blossom in spring in Japan or the exotic Gardens by the Bay in Singapore or take in the gorgeous gardens and natural beauty of the island of Madeira.
There is something here for everyone.
Immerse yourself in different gardens and cultures, you will bring back ideas for your own gardens, from new plants to try to design ideas and climate change solutions.
Please do not bring plants or seeds back from your holidays as they can cause the spread of disease and viruses.
I have included gardens in the following countries, along with links for accommodation:
- Japan
- Singapore
- Madeira
- France
- Rome
- Holland
- Norway
- Thailand
- Morocco
- Britain
Cherry Tree Blossom in Japan
The best time to visit Japan is in the spring if you want to experience the visual and fragrant delight of the Cherry Blossom between March and May.
The appearance of the blossoms signal the beginning of spring time. Visitors travel from all over the world to see this spectacle. In southern Japan the blooms started to open in 2019 in mid March and were fully open by the 27th March, you need to time your trip about right.
In the North of Japan where it is cooler the flowers arrived in late April
You can check the predicted flowering times at this website. www.LiveJapan.com
Gardens by the Bay Singapore
If you are planning on visiting Singapore then the Gardens by the Bay and the Singapore Botanic Gardens are a must.
Gardens by the Bay is 250 acres of reclaimed land, the aim of which was to transform Singapore into a “city in the garden”. There are three beautiful waterfront gardens.
The largest of which is the South Bay Gardens at 130 acres, it proudly boasts the world’s largest glass greenhouse.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gardens_by_the_Bay
Singapore Botanic Gardens
The Botanic Garden is the country’s first UNESCO Heritage Site, joining the ranks of iconic landmarks such as Cambodia’s Angkor Wat and The Great Wall of China.
It was established in 1859 by the Agri-Horticultural Society, there are now 60 acres of land that have been transformed from a disused plantation into the popular beautiful gardens that you can explore to your heart’s content.
They are the oldest gardens in Singapore, and amongst many other lovely plants, you can see the world’s largest orchid collection here.
Gardens to Visit on Madeira
Madeira Island is world-famous for its lush, natural beauty and any visit surely must include some of the islands fantastic tropical and botanic gardens. The most well-known being the Funchal Municipal Gardens and the Botanical Gardens.
Make time for some of the lesser known gardens too.
Quinta des Cruzes is in Funchal, a small garden with an orchid collection and eucalyptus and camphor trees.
Quinta Vigia is also in Funchal, here you will find pools and water features and plant species indigenous to Madeira, such as barbusanos, dragon trees and geraniums.
Gardens in France
Again there are many beautiful gardens to visit in France. Any region in France has a plethora of gardens to visit. Check out my article Organic Gardens to Visit in the Loire
Now let’s take a look at something a little different, namely Chaumont’s international garden festival. It runs from April to October so not only are there fantastic show gardens but these gardens also have time to become established, you can see the seasonal changes.
So if you are exploring the Loire region Chaumont’s international garden festival is easy to visit.
Gardens to Visit in Rome
10 Best Holiday Destinations with Gardens to Visit
Rome is a fantastic city, popular at any time of the year. It has its fair share of stunning gardens too. If you want to get away from the cityscapes and crowds for a while then venture out to one or more of the green, lush gardens to be found in and around the city. Famous Gardens in Rome.
Dutch Bulb Fields
10 Best Holiday Destinations with Gardens to Visit
The Dutch Bulb Fields are truly a sight to behold. Wondrous colours and tones for acres and acres as far as the eye can see.
Consider visiting some of the lesser known areas such as the Flevoland bulb fields as well as the famous Keukenhoff gardens.
In my article here you will find lots more information and links for accommodation.
Dutch Bulb Fields
The best time to visit is spring.
Norway Arctic Alpine Botantic Garden
The world’s most northern botanic garden, the Arctic-Alpine garden in Tromsø is a must for Alpine Plant fans. The best time to visit this wonderful garden is March to May when the alpine plants burst into flower.
The gardens are home to thousands of plant species from all over the world. But the emphasis is on plants from polar regions and higher mountains areas. These plants do not enjoy the warmer temperatures of lower regions and thrive well in Norways cold snowy winters. The burst into full colour in spring
Collections include:
- Saxifrage
- Russian Scilla
- Meconopsis
- Gentian
- Primula
- and many other perennial and spring alpines.
Thailand Botanical Gardens
The best gardens to visit in Thailand are both the Nong Nooch Botanical Garden and the Queen Sirikit Botanical Garden.
Lush exotic greenery awaits you at Queen Sirikit gardens. There is a large collection of orchids and palms as well as the RainForest house, which emulates the Thai climate and houses ferns, ginger and palms.
Overall there are approximately 400 species of plants to marvel at.
At Nong Nooch Botanical gardens you can enjoy a range of activities. There are 500 acres of beautifully crafted gardens. It also has a scientific center dedicated to the collection and study of cycads–woody evergreens that sadly are not as abundant as they once were. Themed gardens include French gardens, an orchid and bromeliad display, as well as a butterfly hill.
Places to Stay near Nong Nooch Botanicals
Places to Stay in Pong Yaeng National Park
Morocco Le Jardin Secret Marrakech
Le Jardin Secret is recently restored and redesigned along the lines of the Islamic, paradise gardens. It was featured in the RHS Magazine, and it sounds and looks truly lovely.
The green spaces are divided into both exotic gardens and Islamic gardens.
Fragrant herbs, palms, pools of cooling water and the sound of fountains. A garden to entice all your senses. It inspires mindfulness, contemplation, calm and peace.
The best time to visit is March to May or in Autumn, September to November when the temperatures are more bearable.
Great British Gardens
10 Best Holiday Destinations with Gardens to Visit
Of course I have to include Britain in an article about best gardens to visit. There are so many fantastic gardens to see and I have to say that the best way to do so is to join the RHS Membership scheme or the National Trust Membership or the National Trust Scotland. All have an extensive list of gardens and properties, woodlands and countryside locations that are worthy of a visit. You can most certainly include any number of gardens on your holiday, mini break or weekend break in Britain. For a huge range in luxury cottages and other self-catering accommodation take a look at HolidayCottagesUK.
If you have enjoyed and been inspired by this article then please share it with friends and family and social media. Any questions or views can be added to the comments box below and I will reply as soon as possible.
Thank you
Louise
