10 Stunning World-Renowned Gardens
Vacations are all about relaxing and escaping the crazy bustle of life, and where better to do that than a garden? These are some of the most mesmerizing gardens in the entire world and they have a very rich history that may surprise you. Many of them have been destroyed at some point whether from a fire or misuse, but thankfully do to conservation efforts throughout history they have been restored to their original conditions!
1. Brooklyn Botanical Garden, New York, United States
The gorgeous 52-acre garden is home to many different gardens within it. It is also home to the Steinhardt Conservatory which has the C.V. Starr Bonsai Museum, three different pavilions of plants – each with their own themed climate, iron and glass aquatic plant houses and an art gallery. The garden was founded in 1910 and has over 10,000 populations of plants and brings in nearly a million visitors every year.
2. Sitio Roberto Burle Marx, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The 100-acre garden is named after the well-known landscape designer Roberto Burle Marx, who was cherished by Brazil. Marx was world-renowned for his skills as a nature artist and enjoyed a long life full of successes. There are over 3,500 plant species and it holds many types of art that Marx adored.
3. The Gardens of Versailles, Versailles, France
Possibly the most well-known gardens in the world, they are home to more than 50 fountains and 200,000 trees, with 210,000 flowers being planted annually. In total, the land area amasses to an astounding 1,977 acres. There are many sculptures placed around the gardens that date all the way back to Louis the XIV in the 17th century.
4. Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden, Chonburi Province, Thailand
The 500-acre botanical garden is filled with bright colors and unique designs that make the garden feel very vibrant and alive. The property was originally bought in 1954 to use as a fruit plantation, but the owners decided that instead they wanted to plant tropical flowers. The garden opened to the public in 1980 and is now one of the most beautiful places on Earth.
5. Kenroku-en Garden, Ishikawa, Japan
One of the three great gardens of Japan, this 24.7 acre enclosure is a very old private (it’s now open to the public) garden that dates back to the 1620s. In 1759 there was a massive fire that engulfed nearly the entire garden. Thankfully, the fire didn’t destroy the garden’s tea house, which continued to be used. During the Meiji period the garden was fully restored.
6. Butchart Gardens, British Colmbia , Canada
The internationally renowned garden gets close to a million visitors per year and is a National Historic Site of Canada. The floral display gardens were designed in the early 20th century by garden designer Isaburo Kishida, before he returned back to Japan. There are multiple birdhouses in the gardens and several bronze statues.
7. Villa d’Este, Tivoli, Italy
The UNESCO world heritage site was built in the 16th century and was commissioned by Cardinal Ippolito ll d’Este. The garden is an amazing work of Renaissance styled architecture and has many marbled statues and buildings. The garden is filled with fountains, pools and water troughs that is supplied by the Aniene River.
8. Het Loo Palace, Apeldoorn, Netherlands
Het Loo Palace is the Dutch words for “Woods Palace” and was designed in the 17th century by Claude Desgotz for King William lll and Mary ll of England. The area was renovated between 1976 and 1982 and is now a state museum. The magnificent gardens cover six acres and are open almost all year.
9. Keukenhof Gardens, Lisse, Netherlands
Keukenhof being the Dutch word for “Kitchen garden” is vibrant with color throughout the forest with flowers matting the green surface. It is the world’s second largest flower garden and is often called the “Garden of Europe.” The garden has approximately seven million flower bulbs and covers an area of seventy-nine acres!
10. Alhambra, Granada, Andalusia, Spain
The oldest garden on the list, Alhambra dates all the way back to the 9th century! The garden is part of a small fortress that was destroyed and later renovated in the 11th century. The area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as well and covers nearly twenty-six acres. 
