With so many botanical gardens around the U.S, you are likely to find one near to you to enjoy and inspire. They each offer beautiful gardens and vistas, with many featuring lovely sculptures, pools, and conservatories filled with more plants to educate and inspire the visitors.
Atlanta Botanical Garden
An urban oasis located in the heart of Midtown, the Atlanta Botanical Garden provides a stretch of 30 acres of easy respite from the city around. A tropical conservatory that is especially lovely, an area with edible plants, and an award-winning children’s garden area are just some of its many attractions. The gardens also offer annual outdoor exhibits in which international artists are invited to showcase their works. On display in Summer 2022 are floral paintings in the style of Old Masters, and an incredible exhibition featuring installations of nearly museum-quality metal sculptures inspired by the Japanese art of folding paper including, described by the botanical garden, as “the highlight of the show, a 25-foot sculpture of hundreds of stainless steel origami peace cranes towering over Howell Fountain.” Find out more at www.atlantaBG.org
Portland Japanese Garden
The Portland (Oregon) Japanese Gardens are tucked into 5.5 acres in the Washington Park area. Its five different styles of gardening – the Natural Garden, the Flat Garden, the Sand and Stone Gardens, the Tea Garden, and Strolling Pond – proved an exquisite backdrop for a stroll. Experts call this the most authentic Japanese garden that lies outside Japan. Click www.japanesegarden.org/visitvirtually to visit virtually.
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is located adjacent to Brooklyn’s Prospect Park in New York City. Founded in 1910, it is one of the oldest botanic gardens in the U.S. and boasts more than 10,000 different plants from different parts of the world. Despite its northern location, the garden is open all year-round allowing garden lovers to enjoy its stark beauty in winter. However, the best time to visit this garden is during spring when dozens of beautiful cherry trees bloom. This summer, its Water Garden is a special treat, with a meandering stream, and the historic Cranford Rose Garden in full glory in June with a second flush in late August or early September. Some of the original specimens planted when this garden opened in 1927 still bloom. Learn more at www.bbg.org
Desert Botanical Garden
It’s very easy to find botanical gardens with beautiful summer plants. But a desert botanical garden is very rare, so if you are close, don’t miss out on the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, proof that deserts can also be beautiful and alive. Its 140 acres feature more than 50,000 different plants, with five different loops arranged for visitors that showcase wildflowers, herbs, and cacti, of course; its Butterfly Pavilion provides a special treat. Nights of ballet and musical events are also featured. Please note that advance ticket reservations are required – learn more at www.dbg.org
Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
The Lewis Ginter’s Botanical Garden in Richmond, Virginia, has gardens featuring more than a dozen themes, giving you more than a dozen reasons to visit this garden. Although visitors can plan to attend yoga, tai chi or botany classes, its fifty acres include more traditional – and stunning – rose gardens and a children’s garden area. With its beautiful collection of plants, it also features lovely water structures. “Pollinator Power” and “Butterflies Live!” are two wonderful programs available into the fall. Click www.lewisginter.org to learn more.
Missouri Botanic Garden
No matter the weather, the Missouri Botanic Garden is a top attraction in St. Louis, covering an area of 79 acres. It contains an amazing collection of rare orchids in a 14-acre Japanese garden as well. However, the best feature of this garden is the Climatron, the first geodesic dome to serve as a conservatory. The garden was founded in 1960 with its unique beautiful structure. There are no columns supporting its 70-foot high center, lending it a magical feel. It also features a beautiful aquarium containing exotic fish and more than 28,000 plants in its tropical rainforest area. A Wednesday-night music series is a lovely addition to any week, though please note that (free) advance reservations are required. Learn more at www.missouribotanicalgarden.org