For many people across the globe, gardens carry different meanings. From sacred spaces to a house for art to a distinction for royalty, humans have been cultivating gardens around the world for centuries. Today, they have developed in what could easily be called another wonder of the world.
With flowers in a shade of every color of the rainbow to luscious trees surrounding elaborate water fountains and palaces, gardens are being labeled an art form for their natural beauty. Whether you're traveling to Italy or New York, you'll be able to find a breathtaking, beautiful, and amazing garden wherever you go. Take a look at our top 10 most awe-inspiring gardens from around the world.
10 Summer Palace - Beijing China
Located in northwest Beijing, the Summer Palace has been named the "Best Preserved Imperial Garden In The World." Though it is only a short drive away from Beijing, many visitors say it's like another world. With its hilly landscape making a home to historic pavilions, temples, and bridges the Summer Palace is known as one of the largest gardens in China.
For lovers of adventure, boating on the Kunming Lake, walking the Long Corridor, and even watching a performance in the ancient theater on the garden grounds are just a few things you can do. The harmony of plants, water, land, and hills make it a great place for a summer escape.
9 Gardens Of Versailles - Versailles, France
West of the Palace of Versailles just outside of Paris sits the Gardens of Versailles, one of the largest, most beautiful, and extravagant gardens in all of France. In 1662, King Louis XIV commissioned designer André Le Nôtre to expand the grounds of the palace. The extension of that royal land has grown into what we know today as the Gardens of Versailles.
The Gardens of Versailles house 11 water fountains, all built out of delicate stone, allowing for traditional French-style to live in the space. The fountains are made of sculptures of ancient Greek and Roman gods that each tell its own piece of history. From the Grand Canal to shimmering reflecting light pools, this is a garden a tourist should never miss.
8 Kew Royal Botanical Gardens - Kew, United Kingdom
Among all of the beautiful gardens that the United Kingdom's heavy rain showers give life to, the Kew Royal Botanical Gardens is home to one of the largest collections of plants and flowers in the country. With over 50,000 different species of plant life living on its grounds, the Kew Royal Botanical Gardens is a place that any first-time London tourist shouldn't pass up visiting.
Only thirty minutes away from central London, tickets to enter the garden grounds are required, but amazingly affordable. Open seven days a week, Kew Gardens takes pride in being a home to plant life and a place for families, couples, and friends can make new memories while walking through it.
7 Villa d'Este - Tivoli, Italy
Besides being known for pasta and pizza, Italy has been named by many as one of the most beautiful countries on the planet. The Villa d'Este is just one piece of proof as to why. This 16th-century garden in Tivoli, located just outside of Rome, is famous for its gorgeous fountains, hillside terrain, and Renaissance-inspired architecture.
Today, tourists can visit the Villa by entering a doorway on the Piazza Trento that will take you on a pathway to the gardens, the courtyard, and a view of the historic Church of Santa-Maria Maggiore. For all you Renaissance-lovers, this place was made just for you.
6 Brooklyn Botanical Gardens - New York, New York
Not just a home to skyscrapers and hit Broadway musicals, New York is also home to many beautiful gardens, but not just Central Park. In the borough of Brooklyn lives the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Founded in 1910, this garden is known to house "gardens within the garden," as the plant life, trees, flowers are part of an incredibly diverse collection.
With something for everyone, the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens contains cherry trees, a Japanese Garden, a Shakespeare Garden, and a Children's Garden that many families often love to visit. From educational programs to plant conservation to community horticulture, don't overlook New York when it comes to beautiful gardens. It's a perfect escape from city life.
5 Butchart Gardens - British Columbia, Canada
The Butchart Gardens in British Columbia, Canada, located just outside of Vancouver Island, are a group of floral gardens that contain a diverse collection of colored flowers. Designated a National Historic Site of Canada, these gardens receive over a million visitors per year.
Over 100 years old, the Butchart Gardens not only houses the most luscious trees and colorful flowers in British Columbia but also hosts nights of entertainment for guests. From summer dining specials to boat tours to live music, the Butchart Gardens are the perfect stop for families and friends visiting Canada for the first time.
4 Powerscourt Estate and Gardens - Enniskerry, Ireland
First built in 1731, the Powerscourt Estate and Gardens in Enniskerry, Ireland is a large country state in the middle of the Irish countryside, most famously known for its beautiful, green landscaped gardens. Originally a thirteenth-century castle, the house was destroyed in a 1974 fire. Reconstruction in 1996 has left it more beautiful and alive than ever, with their gardens receiving hundreds of tourists regularly.
Surrounded by trees in all shades of green and beautifully made sculpture fountains, these gardens are also home to the Powerscourt Waterfall and its surrounding valley. At 121 meters, Powerscourt is Ireland's highest waterfall. If you're looking to learn a little more about Irish history and to see the calming countryside, make it a priority to visit Powerscourt Gardens.
3 Monet's Garden - Giverny, France
Monet's Garden is funded by the Fondation Claude Monet, a nonprofit organization that runs and preserves the house and gardens of the late, famous French painter Claude Monet. With a total of nearly 600,000 visitors each year, Monet's Garden is the second most visited tourist site in Normandy just after the Mont Saint-Michel.
For many French visitors, Monet's Garden is a beautiful, colorful escape from the bustling city of Paris or the crowded beaches of Normandy. With painted bridges that cross over paths of water that breathe life to some of Normandy's most vibrant flowers, this garden is a perfect place to stop if you're looking to get away from the city.
2 Keukenhof - Lisse, Netherlands
Located in Lisse, Netherlands, Keukenhof is most famously known as "The Garden of Europe," as it is one of the world's largest flower gardens. With just over 7 million flower bulbs are planted every year across the park, Keukenhof is home to many of the most colorful tulips in the world.
From winding paths to water gardens, Keukenhof is open every year from mid-March to mid-May. The best time to view the Keukenhof tulips is around mid-April, so be sure to schedule your trip to the Netherlands then!
1 Wisteria Tunnels - Tokyo, Japan
With flowers built so high that they're able to form tunnels, the Wisteria Tunnels in Tokyo, Japan is a place that every traveler should visit at least once in their lifetime. The gardens are home to over 150 Wisteria flowering plants of almost 20 different species which is why the tunnels are able to give off so much color.
Like a scene from the movies, the Wisteria Tunnels is a great place to discover with your loved ones, your friends, and also a great place to take photos, but don't forget to take in the breathtaking beauty of its nature while you're there! It's truly an awe-inspiring sight to see.