Green paradise: the world’s most beautiful gardens

There’s a certain serenity that only comes from being in nature’s midst, including in a garden: the atmosphere provides an invaluable retreat from a hectic world.

The gardens we’ll explore here represent perfect combinations of nature’s wonder and humans’ aesthetic and botanical skills — to organise and preserve that wonder. Spread across four continents and showcasing an incredibly wide range of flora (and fauna), these gardens will delight anyone from casually curious travellers to the most dedicated horticulturalists.

Japan’s Three Great Gardens: a spectrum of seasonal beauty

It’s common to find groups of three across many aspects of Japanese culture: everything from scenic spots and festivals to ghost stories and vengeful spirits. Fortunately, you’ll find none of the latter two in any of Japan’s Three Great Gardens: Kenroku-en, Kairaku-en and Kōraku-en, respectively located in Kanazawa, Mito and Okayama. They reflect the Setsugekka concept: Japan’s unique beauty during winter, spring and autumn.

Kenroku-en, home to about 8,750 trees, is considered the trio’s winter garden due to the heavy snowfall that accumulates atop its pines. But spring visitors will catch spectacular plum and cherry blossoms in full bloom, while autumn showcases the slow descent of Japanese acer maple leaves. The garden is arguably even more famous for its Kasumigaike Pond and the 11.5ft natural waterfall below it. Amid Kenroku-en’s vegetation, hills, streams and ponds, perfectly preserved teahouses, stone lanterns, bridges and other structures reflect the Edo period (1603-1868) in which it was constructed.

Unlike the other two Great Gardens, Kairaku-en was built expressly for the public in 1842. It’s also a year-round beauty, but you’ll want to seriously consider an early spring trip to catch its 3,000 blossoming plum trees — inspiration for the now-annual (and highly popular) Mito Plum Festival. Cherry trees, cedarwoods, azaleas and a bamboo grove can also be found in Kairaku-en, and no visit would be complete without stopping by Lake Senba to catch a glimpse of the swans, ducks, egrets and other waterfowl.

Last but certainly not least, Kōraku-en is notable not only for its botanical pleasures and spectacular view of the Asahi River, but also the adjacent Okayama Castle: though foreboding from the outside due to its deep black exterior, stepping inside is a genuine window into Japan’s shogunate past, as you’re permitted to try on traditional aristocratic clothing and take part in pottery workshops. Visitors more interested in the flora and fauna will be thrilled by Kōraku-en’s crane aviary (one of just a few remaining worldwide) and the gorgeous colour spectrum of the trees at the Chishio-no-mori Grove, among other attractions.

Miracles of Morocco: from Marrakech to Ourika

With (arguably) its two best-known cities popularly known as centers for global finance (Casablanca) and espionage both real and fictional (Tangier), “gardens” might not be the first word you associate with Morocco. But make your way to the greater Marrakech area and you’ll find some of the most visually arresting and singularly designed gardens in all of North Africa.

In the heart of Marrakech, the Majorelle Garden and Le Jardin Secret provide contrasting horticultural approaches: Majorelle was the home of French painter Jacques Majorelle from 1923 to the mid-1950s, and its palm trees, cacti, bamboo, and other fauna are mixed together in various formations, amid structures painted the deep Majorelle blue the painter used so frequently. Le Jardin Secret follows Islamic gardening principles, in which plants are organised by type. Both are well worth seeing, though the onetime painter’s residence draws much larger crowds (it’s also home to the Berber Arts Museum, adapted from Majorelle’s villa). Le Jardin Secret, first built as a palace in the 17th century and retaining much of that period’s architectural grandeur, offers a more tranquil experience. Native Moroccan plants like orange trees and rosemary are carefully laid out in the Islamic garden, while the exotic section features imported jasmine, yucca, silk floss trees, jacaranda trees, and much more.

For a completely different experience, travel about 25 miles southeast of Marrakech to Ourika and find Le Paradis du Safran, named for the rare herb cultivated on its grounds. It’s not strictly a public garden like its city counterparts, but Le Paradis hosts regular (paid) tours. In addition to the rows of saffron, you’ll see olive trees, rosemary hedges, and a wide variety of flowers, citrus plants, and herbs. Admission includes a tajine and soup lunch, so be sure to come hungry.

Rare flora and fauna in Mexico

Not far south from the hustle-bustle of one of Mexico’s best-known resort towns, in a forested area of Cabo Corrientes, you’ll find the Vallarta Botanical Garden. This conservation-focused garden includes specimens from Mexico’s many native oak and magnolia tree species, as well as vanilla, cacao, rhododendron, orchids, a wide variety of succulents, and much more. Vallarta Botanical Garden is equally focused on protecting fauna, and is celebrated by conservationists worldwide for its efforts on behalf of the ocelot and other species.

Another of Mexico’s finest gardens, the Chapultepec Botanical Garden, is tucked into one of the planet’s busiest cities. Located near the Bosque de Chapultepec in Mexico City, the garden was originally founded by decree of the pre-conquest Indigenous leader Nezahualcóyotl (although it was more of a private collection than the facility you can visit today). At the modern garden, you’ll see many examples of the plants for which Mexico is best known, including agave, calla lilies, and cacti (ranging from the common to the extremely rare). Chapultepec Botanical Garden’s orchid collection is also renowned for its comprehensiveness. Meanwhile, the culinarily-inclined will be fascinated by the many chilli varieties and endemic herbs like achiote and epazote.

Ireland’s green spaces: world-famous Wicklow and beyond

We simply couldn’t have a list of some of the world’s most beautiful gardens and fail to include Ireland. The Emerald Isle could qualify based on gardens in County Wicklow alone. National Geographic ranked Powerscourt near the Wicklow Mountains as the world’s number three garden, and it’s also highlighted on an unranked list compiled by Failte Ireland, the country’s National Tourism Development Authority.

Two other Wicklow sites — the Mount Usher Gardens in Ashford and June Blake’s Garden in Tinode — also made Failte Ireland’s list, so if the southeastern Irish county is the focal point of your trip, make time to visit these as well. Mount Usher boasts scenic views of the River Vartry to accompany its remarkable magnolias, eucalyptus trees, azaleas, rhododendrons and other plant life, while Blake’s garden features an experimental layout and blends native grasses with bamboo and tropical plants. But Powerscourt’s gardens, segmented into several subsections across 47 acres, should be your priority: from the Renaissance-inspired terraced paths of the Italian Garden and its immaculate roses, marigolds and chrysanthemums, to the lavender of the Bee Sanctuary and Ireland’s tallest Douglas fir tree, there’s something to impress even the most dedicated nature skeptics. (Not to mention the 17th-century grandeur of Powerscourt House and the estate’s nearly 400ft waterfall, Ireland’s largest.)

If your Ireland trip is more city-focused, have no fear: the National Botanic Gardens in Dublin feature more than 16,000 unique plants from across the globe, including 300 endangered species and six that are extinct outside the facility. Conservation is a priority for this garden, and some of the most striking plants you’ll observe are in greenhouses. But there’s plenty to view in the open air, such as the Rose Garden, the seasonally-rotating Carpet Beds (succulents in summer, pansies and wallflowers during winter and spring), and the herbs bordering many of the garden paths.

Great gardens of South Africa (and one Garden Route)

South Africa is one of the world’s most biodiverse countries, so highlighting its spectacular gardens is a must.

The Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden in Cape Town is a logical place to start: founded in 1913 and overseen by the South Africa National Biodiversity Institute, Kirstenbosch may feature more indigenous or endemic plant species than any other garden we’ve discussed (at least 1,000). And that’s but a fraction of the native flowers, known locally as fynbos, that exist in the overall Cape region (about 9,000; 6,000 of them endemic). Names for these magnificent flowers range from the conventional (sugarbush, silver tree) to the whimsical (green tree pincushion). The wildlife at Kirstenbosch is just as fascinating as the fauna, with some species — particularly the many birds — much easier to see than others (the incredibly secretive water mongoose, Cape fox and Cape porcupine).

Horticulturalists visiting Johannesburg, meanwhile, should steer themselves to the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden, resting in the shadow of the 246ft Witpoortjie waterfall. Like Kirstenbosch, preserving plant biodiversity is this garden’s chief priority, but about 12 acres of the site’s 73 function as a wildlife preserve. The birdlife you’d expect is there, including the gigantic Verreaux’s eagle, and so is a cornucopia of insects, reptiles, fish, and mammals (the latter, such as the honey badger, being hardest for visitors to see).

For ambitious nature-lovers visiting South Africa, however, the most rewarding experience may not be in a garden but on the Garden Route. Starting at Mossel Bay along the southern-central coast of the Western Cape province and ending at Storms River in the Eastern Cape, this 124-mile stretch allows you to easily observe South Africa’s wildlife and vegetation in their natural states.

Make it happen

With spring just around the corner, there’s no better time to explore any of these gardens (and their countries). Chat with our local experts today to start planning your horticultural getaway.

1. Japan
2. Morocco
3. Mexico
4. South Africa