In Bloom | 5 Beautiful Gardens You Must See

Sophie Duvall

It’s easy to take the natural beauty of the world around us for granted. Probably more often than we’d like to admit, our lives become preoccupied with things like conference calls and after-school programs. So it’s important, every once in a while, to take a minute, step outside, and smell the roses (literally).

Keukenhof, Netherlands

It’s difficult to think about the Netherlands without imagining fields of tulips for as far as the eye can see. In reality, Keukenhof does not disappoint. Located in Lisse about an hour southwest of Amsterdam, it’s also known as the “Garden of Europe” with some seven million bulbs planted each year. Visit in the springtime between March and May to see the tulips in bloom.

Versailles, France

Few gardens have more history, both lavish and tumultuous, than the Gardens of Versailles. Extending across nearly 2,000 acres surrounding the Palace of Versailles, the main residence of French Kings up until the revolution, the garden’s intricate designs remain unchanged since 1661.

Biltmore, U.S.A

Biltmore, the sprawling 8,000-acre country estate of George Vanderbilt, is situated in Asheville, North Carolina against the backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The gardens surrounding the estate were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the same landscape architect behind Central Park. Through September, you can walk through the Rose Garden and breathe in the fragrant aromas of more than 250 varieties. The grounds also feature overnight lodging and a winery for visitors who can’t get enough.

Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden, Thailand

Initially, the land where the Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden is located was intended for a fruit plantation. But fate had a better idea. Today, the garden’s grounds are divided into several different styles of landscape including French and European. But the crown jewel of Nong Nooch is the cycad. Ancient and endangered, you can find almost every variety of the seed plant at the garden which also serves as a major scientific center.

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, South Africa

Experience the beauty of South Africa’s botanical flora at Kirstenbosch. Tucked below Table Mountain in Cape Town, you can get a bird’s eye view of the garden from the “Boomslang,” a bridge that rises 40 feet in the air and weaves in and out of the trees within the grounds. Visit during the summer (August-November) to catch the famous fynbos, unique to the Cape region’s floristic kingdom, at its best.