Great Garden Destinations

Ever since our primeval ancestors began working the land, gardens have represented life and renewal, a way to participate with nature in making something beautiful. Public gardens are an inestimable gift.

For planning purposes and to get you started thinking about vacations, we’ve compiled a list of gardens that make for inspiring destinations. All of these gardens have websites, complete with stunning photography, and, in some cases, video, that’ll tempt you to pack your bags and take off today!

Dallas Arboretum & Botanical Garden
The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden features 66 acres of spectacular display gardens that showcase seasonal flowers, ornamental shrubs, trees and plant collections in a serene setting on White Rock Lake. Its mission is to promote the art, enjoyment and knowledge of horticulture, while providing opportunities for education and research. A signature event is the Dallas Blooms festival. Now in its 41st year, it offers a floral display featuring more than 500,000 blooming spring bulbs, an outstanding collection of tulips, daffodils, pansies, poppies and thousands of other annuals and perennials

Duke Mansion
When James Buchanan “Buck” Duke of Duke University fame owned the Duke Mansion in the heart of Charlotte, North Carolina, he dotted the grounds with dramatic fountains and manicured lawns that people would make a special trip to see. In 2014, the mansion, a luxurious nonprofit bed and breakfast on the National Historic Register, began the process of enhancing the gardens. Five of the garden spaces are complete, including a loop walking path that encourages visitors to enjoy the entire garden and a connecting garden that bridges two other pieces of urban green space. The grounds are home to the famous Mecklenburg County Treasure Trees, the oldest or best examples of a particular species, and other plantings, some a century old. The mansion offers garden tours for different audiences, from young people to experienced gardeners.

Desert Botanical Garden
Unique because of its desert environs, the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona, has been teaching and inspiring visitors from the local community and around the world for more than 70 years, providing research and exhibits designed to help visitors understand, protect and preserve the desert’s natural beauty. The garden spans 140 acres, with 55 acres under cultivation and 50,000 plant displays showcased in beautiful outdoor exhibits.

Mounts Botanical Garden
Mounts Botanical Garden is Palm Beach County’s oldest and largest botanical garden. The 14 acres of lush gardens contain more than 2,000 species of tropical and subtropical plants, both native and exotic, of wetland and arid land. There are flowering trees and shrubs, tropical fruit trees, bromeliads, palms, herbs, roses, a vegetable garden and other specialty plants interwoven throughout the landscape plus an outdoor butterfly garden. The garden provides plant and gardening information to local residents and visitors while promoting the preservation of its surrounding environment. The garden is host to various educational and horticultural programs such as the Master Gardener Certification course, stories in the garden for children and hands-on classes.

Aldridge Gardens
Since Aldridge Gardens opened in 2002, the 30-acre former property of horticulturist Eddie Aldridge and his wife, Kay, has become a popular attraction in the greater Birmingham, Alabama, area. The garden showcases hydrangeas, including the Snowflake Hydrangea, which was patented by Aldridge and is now the official flower of the city of Hoover. Other features include an event venue and gallery in the couple’s former home, an outdoor pavilion, a six-acre lake and a walking trail. Aldridge Gardens also host plant sales, art exhibits and shows, classes and seminars, bird walks, fishing days and concerts.

Sunken Gardens
Sunken Gardens is a botanical paradise in the middle of a bustling city. As St. Petersburg, Florida’s oldest living museum, this 110-year-old garden is home to some of the oldest tropical plants in the region. Guests stroll meandering paths, lush with exotic plants from around the world, and explore cascading waterfalls, beautiful demonstration gardens, and more than 50,000 tropical plants and flowers. Sunken Gardens provides garden tours, horticultural programs and special events.

Yaddo
Yaddo is a renowned artists’ retreat but also plays host to moody flower and rock gardens that are open to the public seven days a week. Founded in 1900 by financier Spencer Trask and his wife Katrina, a poet, Yaddo is located on a 400-acre estate in historic Saratoga Springs, New York, a Victorian resort. It contains a rose garden and a rock garden featuring a variety of plants that peak throughout the season. The roses begin to bloom mid-June and are at peak in late June through July and then again mid- to late August. The rock garden is in bloom mid-June through mid-September. The remainder of the estate is private and may be visited only on special occasions.
As always, check the websites before making travel plans. And enjoy the glorious blooms!

Sources: dallasarboretum.org, dukemansion.org, dbg.org, mounts.org, aldridgegardens.com, sunkengardens.org and yaddo.org.