Is there anything more peaceful than a walk in the garden? Filled with life, botanical gardens are also places where you can learn much about the world’s flora. Here are five of the best to visit in the United States.
Beauty and Splendor
Courtesy of Longwood Gardens
Originally purchased from William Penn, Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, was once Quaker farmland. Its 18th-century owners were avid naturalists who planted a varied collection of plants. Developed by businessman and philanthropist Pierre S. du Pont, today Longwood has grown to almost 200 acres of meadows and gardens, and it offers beautiful views of the Brandywine Valley. There’s so much more, too: dancing fountains, a conservatory, and a chime tower. Go between May and September for the wow-worthy Festival of Fountains.
Japanese Elegance
Jonathan Ley/Portland Japanese Garden
A visit to Portland Japanese Garden in Oregon is an opportunity to visit Japan without the jet lag and the long, cramped flight. Following World War II, Portland became a sister city with Sapporo, Japan. This garden, which became public in 1967, was part of an effort to repair rifts between the United States and the Land of the Rising Sun. There are eight distinct areas. Walk over wooden bridges in the Strolling Pond Garden and feel the serenity in the Tea Garden. Then go for steaming ochazuke or miso soup at the Umami Cafe.
Tropical Wonderland
Carlos Causo/Courtesy of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
David Fairchild was a remarkable botanist. He traveled the world in the late 19th century and the early 20th, gathering plants on six continents, including the cherry trees that still bloom in Washington. In 1938, Fairchild moved to southern Florida and helped open the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Coral Gables. The 83-acre garden, which still bears his name, contains many of his international treasures, including rainbow eucalyptus and a huge African baobab tree. Walk among rare palms, vines, and trees from dozens of far-flung countries.
Education and Conservation
Kent Burgess/Missouri Botanical Garden
Founded in 1859 and covering 79 acres, this is a true oasis in the heart of St. Louis. The biggest attraction at the Missouri Botanical Garden is definitely the Climatron. All glass and steel, it was the world’s first geodesic dome to be used as a conservatory and encloses some 24,000 square feet. Walk inside, and you’re immediately in a rain forest where thousands of tropical species grow, including orchids, coffee, cacao, and rare double-coconut. But there’s plenty more to see here, too, including one of the largest traditional Japanese gardens in North America.
Desert Oasis
Courtesy of Desert Botanical Garden
Walk one of the five different circuits at the 140-acre Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona, and you can get lost in the Sonoran Desert (in all the best ways). This is one of the world’s most remarkable botanical gardens. Botanists brought together over 50,000 plants that thrive in the driest and hottest places on Earth. Wander amongst wildflowers and hummingbirds, past succulents, and under towering saguaro cactus backed by the red Papago Buttes and a sapphire-blue sky. Then, immerse yourself in the wonders of the 3,200-square-foot, open-air Butterfly Pavilion.
This article was originally published in American Essence magazine.
