Small, large or outrageously grand. Wherever you travel, a wander around a great garden can be a bonus in anyones memory. Away from the streets if in a big city or town the escape can have a most positive effect. Regenerating the mood or calming after a long day sight-seeing. Even when I was in the adventure capital of the world, Queenstown, New Zealand I found there was a beautiful green space to help wind down.
Spring and summer together with the hours of labour from green fingered souls can create colour beyond colours, nature with art. Laid out in vast splendour or pretty little corners. Different climates, different fashions of yesteryear have helped create some flowery artistic wonders around the globe.
Netherlands – Keukenhof Gardens
The largest ‘flower garden’ in the world, the least you can expect from the Netherlands, the largest exporter of flowers in the world. Do not think endless open fields of Tulips but flower varieties laid out in one huge garden area. English style landscapes, water gardens and even an historical garden to see the bulbs and way it was done in yesteryear. Keukenhof is situated in the town of Lisse and open from March to May.
Canada – Butchart Gardens
If a garden is so well visited and is given the honour of being a National Historic Site of Canada then you know they are not going to be a shabby affair at all! Over a million people a year come to visit here on Vancouver Island. What once started out as a limestone quarry for the cement industry in the Butchart family has become and grown into a beautiful sunken garden.
France – The Gardens of Versailles
You want meticulous? Perfect lawns on an extremely large scale? The Gardens of Versailles offers over 800 hectares of it all beside the Palace. Royal views made for kings. Millions of visitors a year come to marvel and relax at the splendour here. One of france’s biggest draws in fact. Sculptures, rows of trees lines immaculately. Open grass with evidence of hundreds of years of what must be continuous hard work.
Italy – Villa D’Este
On a smaller scale but just as beautiful are the masterpieces of small gardens dotted around the world, inspired by classical ideals of the 16th century. The Italian Renaissance inspired new ideas about gardens. to the East of Rome at Tivoli is Villa D’Este. Pools, fountains upon fountains, hanging trees and landscaping. Typical of a grand garden of its time, the kind that went on to inspire French Renaissance gardens and even the English Garden.
Every City, and I am sure every town, where ever you go there will be a wonderful garden place to relax in. So many to list. I will probably show more soon. What/where are your favourites?
Main Image: Laurence Arnold
Read Paul’s other blogs for Cheapflights: Reflections on the water of the world
