The 5 Best U.S. Botanical Gardens You Should Visit Now
WRITTEN BY 5 REASONS TO VISIT® EDITORIAL STAFF
PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 2023 • 5 min read
Botanical gardens are magical things. Concrete jungles have increased the innate human desire for all things verdant and spending time surrounded by flora of all origins has never been more desirable. Plants are awesome. You know this, we know this, everyone knows this. Feel the magnificent power of nature at these educational and Instagrammable botanical gardens.
New York Botanical Garden
New York, New York
The New York Botanical Garden is a museum of living plants—from the award-winning Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden to the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, this 250-acre garden is the largest botanical garden in the United States. Featuring plants from around the world—the rose garden will have you immersed in intoxicating perfumes from over 650 varieties of roses. While the conservatory will give you a glimpse of cactus-filled deserts and lush tropical rain forests, all adorned in green.
Image courtesy of New York Botanical Garden
The New York Botanical Garden highlights close to 100,000 native plants from North America, in their Native Plant Garden—Making this garden a shelter and sustenance for wildlife such as squirrels, frogs, and a colorful array of birds and butterflies a sight to be seen.
Naples Botanical Garden
Naples, Florida
The Naples Botanical Garden is a 170-acre world-class garden located on Southwest Florida’s “Paradise Coast.” Here you will experience an array of themed gardens that represent the culture and flora of the tropics. Each garden has its own character—Irma’s garden which is known for its charismatic plants will keep your eyes in awe. Kathryn’s garden is inspired by lush and tropical landscapes, similar to what you would see in climates similar to South Florida. While LaGrippe’s Orchid Garden showcases the beauty of orchids, bromeliads, air plants, and more.
Image courtesy of Naples Botanical Garden
Naples Botanical Garden will have you immersed in fragrance, color, texture, and sound. Showcasing colorful blooms from around the world that vary throughout the seasons. The Kapnick Brazilian Garden was inspired by the Brazilian landscape architect, Roberto Burle Marx. While taking in this garden you will come across aroids, bromeliads, South American palms, and a brightly colored mosaic wall created by the famed designer himself.
San Francisco Botanical Garden
San Francisco, California
If you’re looking for a way to escape the usual city environment and immerse yourself with beautiful plants, than the San Francisco Botanical Garden is the place for you. From the moon viewing garden to the succulent garden, there’s plenty of natural beauty to be seen. A garden boasting bold shapes and even bolder blooms, the San Francisco Botanical Garden will energize your senses. The Moon Viewing Garden will leaving you feeling zen, while the Garden of Fragrance will heighten your senses - bringing you closer to nature with some of the most pleasant and unique plants and scents.
Image courtesy of San Francisco Botanical Garden
The San Francisco Botanical Garden hosts various plants from around the world - these dedicated gardens showcase plants native to areas such as Australia, the Mediterranean, South Africa and more. There’s no denying the beauty and biodiversity of San Francisco’s Botanical Garden.
Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden
Miami, Florida
Located in Southern Florida, the 83-acre Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden is home to rare, exotic fruit species, such as mangosteens, cacao and vanilla orchids. A butterfly conservatory that hosts close to 3,000 exotic butterflies as well as a 12-acre tropical flower garden with over 740 species. Step into the Wings of the Tropics exhibit where you’ll have a one-of-a-kind-experience with more than 40+ species of butterflies, creating a living rainbow.
Image courtesy of Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden
If you’re lucky you can watch the butterflies hatch from their cocoons and be released into the conservatory! With stunning displays of tropical, flowering plants, trees, shrubs and orchids, you will be able to take in the diversity, texture, color and fragrances of the Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden.
Missouri Botanical Garden
St. Louis, Missouri
The 79-acre Missouri Botanical Garden, located in St. Louis, hosts a 14-acre Japanese Garden, along with one of the world’s largest collections of rare and endangered orchids. On the grounds you will also find the garden’s founders original 1850 estate home. One feature of the Missouri Botanical Garden is the “Climatron,” a termed used to emphasize the climate-control technology of this greenhouse dome.
Image courtesy of Missouri Botanical Garden
