The Savvy Traveler » Botanical Gardens

Where Are The Best Botanical Gardens?

Jennifer — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 03:12:39 +0000

If you are a fan of gardens, or just nature in general, then you surely will have to visit one of the country’s most popular botanical gardens. These gardens can be found in many places, but some have obviously been rated higher than others.

Botanical gardens are places where a large variety of plants are grown, usually for scientific purposes. Not all botanical gardens are open to the public, but the ones that are serve as a great educational tool, as you will be able to study many different plants up-close. While research certainly takes place on these plants, a botanical garden also serves as a place for conservation, keeping these plants safe in the process.

Famous Botanical Gardens

The New York Botanical Garden is one of the most famous botanical gardens in the world. Situated in the Bronx borough of New York City, this garden sits on 250 acres and contains 50 gardens and plant collections. It was founded in 1891 and it acts as the region’s leader in research and plant collection. The New York Botanical Garden has also remained as international leader when it comes to research. If you ever are planning a trip to see one of these gardens, this would certainly be a place to keep in mind, as they contain some of the best collections of plants in the entire world.

The Missouri Botanical Garden is also very popular in the United States. Located in St. Louis, this particular garden is known for having some of the best botanical research around. There are also a number of horticultural displays and education programs geared toward teaching people everything about botanical gardens.

Denver’s Botanical Garden is one of the top-rated gardens in all of the United States. This is a very unique garden because of where it is situated – the western part of the country. Therefore, by visiting this garden you will get a glimpse at some plants you will not find in many other places, especially back east. Visually stunning and essentially a work of art, this botanical garden has been around for over 55 years and has served as both an eye pleaser and an educational tool.

Those are just three of the most popular botanical gardens in the United States. These gardens can be found all over the world and each one has something different to offer. While these are usually used for conducting research and other educational purposes, one really can look at a botanical garden as a work of art. Beautifully designed, you must visit one in your lifetime; it is guaranteed that you have not seen anything like it, and surely you will not leave disappointed.

Gardens Of The World: Celebrating Nature

Jennifer — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 03:06:01 +0000

When you think of gardens, do you picture a small patch of land containing flowers or vegetables, or do you picture one of the gardens of the world, where the power of nature is truly celebrated in all its glory? If you have never visited any of the gardens of the world, you don’t know what you’re missing, especially if you’re a nature lover. There are several great gardens of the world, spanning from Florida to Hawaii, to England and even Russia, these gardens are unlike any other in the world. If you want more information on these gardens of the world, and would like to visit one, or all of them, search for the gardens online where you’ll find descriptions as well as locations where you can visit the gardens personally.

Florida

Florida contains two gardens that are considered gardens of the world. There’s Leu Gardens as well as the Fairchild Tropical Garden. Leu Gardens is in Orlando, while Fairchild Tropical Garden is in Miami. Both gardens contain over fifty acres of rare and beautiful species of plants and flowers.

England

The Ness Botanic Gardens is one of the gardens in the world in Liverpool, England. It was been added to by exotic plant hunters since the nineteen hundreds and is even part of Liverpool University’s work.

Russia

In Russia, there are two gardens of the world. There’s the Botanic Garden of the Irkutsk State University, which isn’t generally open to the public since it’s primarily used for the University’s work, and then there’s the Petrozavodsk State University Botanic Garden, which seeks to cooperate with other gardens of the world to increase its variety and also add to the variety of other gardens.

New Zealand

There’s even one of the gardens of the world in New Zealand, where they have the Christchurch Botanic Gardens, which is home to many acres of trees, flowers and shrubs. When you arrive, you become the master or mistress over all of these acres, and you will love the many walkways, bridges, and shady rests that are available to all who visit.

There are several other gardens of the world, and they are all beautiful and unique in their own right. If you truly love nature and would like to view exotic species and varieties of plants and flowers, and much more, visit one of the gardens of the world near you or begin your travels to all the corners of the world to visit gardens of the world in other countries and states. You’ll love what you see and you’ll love how the power of nature overwhelms you as you likely have never felt before.

The History Of Leu Gardens

Jennifer — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 02:53:47 +0000

Harry P. Leu grew up in Orlando, Florida and later became a successful businessman. Together, with his wife Mary Jane, he settled on an 1898 farmhouse and began to transform it. He traveled extensively with his wife all around the world to collect specimens of exotic plants and began planting them on his estate, thus creating Leu Gardens. They resided at that farmhouse until 1961, when they finally donated the gardens to the city of Orlando. However, they created a stipulation that their land be made available to the public. Today, in the center of Leu Gardens, there stands the Leu House Museum, which is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

When Leu Gardens was first available to the public, it was a drive through garden complete with large paved walk ways. Since then, foot trails, benches and a gazebo have been added to accommodate the public. You can tour the complete garden in about an hour and a half, but these added courtesies allow you to rest any time you want to, so take your time and enjoy Leu Gardens.

The Old Farmhouse

When Harry Leu moved into that humble farmhouse in 1936 and transformed it into his personal garden, he probably never imagined he’d be able to turn it into a rich man’s estate, but he worked hard to make his vision a reality and today Leu Gardens still stands, ready for all to see. It’s quite a sight to behold and makes for one very relaxing afternoon.

Leu Gardens contains nearly fifty acres of manicured lawns and artistic gardens that flow from one to the other almost seamlessly. The gardens themselves are home to many exotic species of flowers and plants. However, Harry Leu’s first love was camellias. There are over two thousand specimens and twenty species at Leu Gardens. The flowers can be seen anytime from October to March, but peak in January and February. In fact, Leu Gardens is the largest collection of camellias in the nation.

Mary Jane

Leu Gardens also contains Mary Jane’s Rose Garden. This garden was added to Leu Gardens in 1990. It contains over one thousand plants and it’s one of the largest rose gardens in Florida. The roses bloom in April and last through January. However, Florida’s subtropical climate ensures that something will always be in bloom.

If you love nature and love gardens in particular, you need to visit Leu Gardens. Walk the trails, sit in the gazebo and just soak up the beauty of Harry and Mary Jane’s creations.

New York: The Five Borough’s Botanical Gardens

Jennifer — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 23:59:38 +0000

Geographically, New York City is divided into five boroughs or districts: Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island and the Bronx. Interestingly, each houses a botanical garden and deciding which is the best is an exercise we leave to experts.

But for the visitor wanting only to experience the quiet, lush beauty of the extraordinary settings no controversial decision is necessary. Simply visit them all!

Manhattan hosts, of course, Central Park. While not designed as a botanical garden there are nonetheless thousands of flower and tree species on display. Carefully sculpted and landscaped in accordance with Frederick Law Olmstead’s original master plan, the current park has seen a Renaissance in recent years and is a must-see destination.

A short subway ride north, next to the world famous Bronx Zoo, is the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx. Located on 250 acres of the northern half of Bronx Park there are 16 gardens.

Here the lover of nature can find the country’s largest Victorian greenhouse, along with the International Plant Science Center where botanical research has been ongoing since 1891.

The Enid Haupt Conservatory holds several flower shows and exhibitions while the Ross Conifer Arboretum features the country’s largest collection of century-old pines, spruces and firs. And be sure not to miss the annual Tulip Festival.

Take the subway back down, all the way to the southern tip of Manhattan and step onto the Staten Island ferry. Disembark and experience the Staten Island Botanical Garden at 1000 Richmond Terrace.

Founded in 1977, the gardens are home to everything from English perennials to the New York Chinese Scholar’s Garden. Chinese Scholar gardens date back to the Ming Dynasty and this one holds a series of pavilions and covered walkways.

Located within the grounds of the Snug Harbor Cultural Center the Victorian charm of the English style garden is a delightful lush companion to the more spare Chinese style.

Take the bus across the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge or the subway under it to Brooklyn and see the BBG. The Brooklyn Botanical Garden houses a dozen gardens each as unique as Brooklyn itself.

Whether your interest is in the aromatic – the Herb Garden, or you prefer the spare – the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden, the BBG has something for every plant lover.

Explore in depth the Shakespeare Garden donated by Henry Folger, founder of the Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC. The original dates back to 1925 and, though relocated from the original location, here can be found over 80 plants mentioned in the works of the Bard.

The BBG also contains the Steinhardt Conservatory with a gallery displaying a variety of educational and entertaining works related to the exhibits. The Curator’s Corner offers a behind-the-scenes look at how the artistic displays are created.

A short bus or subway ride up to Queens offers the visitor another 39 acres of secluded blossoms to refresh the spirit. Free to the over 300,000 visitors arriving annually, the gardens have been a must-see destination since their origin at the 1939 World’s Fair. The Garden relocated to the present site in 1963.

There’s the three-acre Wedding Garden, in true 19th century Victorian style and the six-acre Perkins Memorial Rose Garden, one of the nation’s largest. There is even a composting education facility in the Arboretum for blossoming gardeners.

Enjoy all of New York’s Botanical Gardens, rare retreats among the bustle of the capitol of the world.

Montreal Botanical Garden

Jennifer — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 21:25:01 +0000

The Jardin Botanique de Montréal happily resides in one of the most lush areas of North America. It was founded in 1936 by one of Canada’s premier botanists, Frère Marie-Victorin and houses over 100,000 specimens representing 20,000 species. Second in size only to Kew Gardens in London, it is easily a rival for New York’s famed institutions.

There are nine public greenhouses and over 20 others that house research and maintenance plants from the world over. There are here some of the rarest medicinal herbs in the world, lovingly cared for by the Jardin’s gardeners. Associated with The Botanical Institute of the University of Montreal, it has the expertise and interest that has helped create one of the world’s finest botanical treasures.

Those specimens sit contentedly in a rock garden, a Chinese garden, a Japanese garden and many other attractions. There is a collection of alpine plants, orchids and a large variety of other flowers. Few botanical gardens can boast such a wide assortment of species from so many climate zones.

The Chinese Garden is one of the site’s proudest displays. It is reported to be the largest outside of Asia and holds hundreds of native species of that continent, such as the well-known penjing. Its winding paths and artificial mountain are the epitome of the Chinese style.

Nearby is the Japanese Garden with its renowned bonsai collection. Here you can see miniaturized, but not dwarf, species of all kinds. Bonsai are not genetically modified, but trimmed, pruned and groomed to retain their small size. Miniature plum, pine and windswept species of many types are here. Visit the tearoom when you’ve finished and enjoy a Japanese Tea Ceremony.

The Jardin also has an area that holds plants of a kind that might be found in the Sonoran desert. Cacti and succulents even bloom here, despite the variable cold and hot weather for which Quebec is famous.

At the west end of the city, the Jardin offers a relaxing arboretum, featuring willows and chestnuts, along with dozens of other tree species. Not far away is the famed Medicinal Plant Garden where species that have supplied cures since the Middle Ages can be seen.

Emulating a garden that might easily have been found in a monastery, you can hear about the most modern science used to care for them. Ask one of the friendly tour guides all about which of the herbs can help.

Along with the delightful plants there are waterfalls that mist the air, which will be appreciated on one of those typical hot Montreal summer days. One of the best times to visit is mid-August when many of the plants are at their most active. Visitors can sit and enjoy the smell of the orchids while they relax before continuing.

Located at 4101 Sherbrooke Street East, the Jardin Botanique is easy to reach via the Metro (Montreal’s subway). Just exit at the Pie-IX station.