150 GARDENS YOU NEED TO VISIT BEFORE YOU DIE
Introduction By Stefanie Waldek As someone who spends much of my time looking up at the stars, wondering about the mysteries of space, it’s funny that I should write a book dedicated to something so intimately bound to Earth: gardens. But if I were to boil my interest in the cosmos down, it’s simply that I am enthralled by exploration, both physical and intellectual. That’s why I became a journalist—to discover and to share. And that’s also why I write about travel, both on Earth and beyond. For me, gardens are the perfect microcosms for exploration here at home, and they’re something that can be enjoyed by all kinds of people, all over the world. I love nothing more than wandering garden paths and being delighted by what I see around every turn. But I’m also amazed by how gardens can transport you anywhere on the planet— and even back in time—through their meticulous designs, magnificent structures, and magical collections. In some gardens, you can trace the paths walked by royalty, philosophers, explorers, and scientists. In others, you can experience gardening as a cultural art form. And in others still, you can simply take in the natural beauty that makes our planet unique. There are countless reasons to spend time in a garden, and each is perfectly valid. In 150 Gardens You Need to Visit Before You Die, I’ve shared a vast range of gardens, from immense botanical institutions with thousands of specimens, to smaller plots for quiet meditations, to museums that combine both artworks and plantings. I hope these brief introductions inspire you to plan a visit or two, whether in your hometown or on your global travels, so that you can enjoy the sights, smells, sounds, and stories of the world’s best gardens.
5
OVERVIEW AFRICA
EGYPT
ARGENTINA
AFRICA 001
ASWAN BOTANICAL GARDEN
p.12
010
CAMPO DE LOS TULIPANES
p.29
p.30
JARDÍN BOTÁNICO CARLOS THAYS
012
JARDÍN JAPONÉS
p.31
013
ROSEDAL DE PALERMO
p.33
011
GHANA
002 ABURI BOTANICAL GARDENS
THE AMERICAS
THE AMERICAS
p.15
MAURITIUS
003
SIR SEEWOOSAGUR RAMGOOLAM BOTANICAL GARDEN
MOROCCO
004
ANIMA GARDEN
005 LA MAMOUNIA
BARBADOS p.18
014
p.34
ANDROMEDA BOTANIC GARDENS
015
HUNTE’S GARDENS
p.38
BRAZIL p.19
016
p.22
017
SEYCHELLES
006
SEYCHELLES NATIONAL BOTANICAL GARDENS
SOUTH AFRICA
007
DURBAN BOTANIC GARDENS
008 KIRSTENBOSCH NATIONAL BOTANICAL GARDEN
p.23
JARDIM BOTÂNICO DE CURITIBA
p.39
JARDIM BOTÂNICO DO RIO DE JANEIRO
p.40
CANADA
p.24
p.25
018
THE BUTCHART GARDENS p.43
019
HATLEY PARK GARDENS
p.44
020
MONTREAL BOTANICAL GARDEN (JARDIN BOTANIQUE DE MONTRÉAL)
p.45
MUTTART CONSERVATORY
p.46
021
UGANDA 009
ENTEBBE BOTANICAL GARDEN
p.28
CHILE 022
VIÑA SANTA RITA
p.47
OVERVIEW COLOMBIA 023
JARDÍN BOTÁNICO JOAQUÍN ANTONIO URIBE
036 p.50
ECUADOR 024 025
TULCÁN MUNICIPAL CEMETERY
p.51
JARDÍN BOTÁNICO DE QUITO
p.52
MEXICO
026
FLOATING GARDENS OF XOCHIMILCO
p.53
p.54
JARDÍN BOTÁNICO DEL INSTITUTO DE BIOLOGÍA DE LA UNAM
028
LAS POZAS
p.55
027
p.74
038 LADEW TOPIARY GARDENS
p.75
039
LEWIS GINTER BOTANICAL GARDEN
p.78
p.79
LIMAHULI GARDEN AND PRESERVE
041
LONGWOOD GARDENS
p.80
042
MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN
p.84
MYRIAD BOTANICAL GARDENS
p.85
NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN
p.87
PHILADELPHIA’S MAGIC GARDENS
p.88
PORTLAND JAPANESE GARDEN
p.91
SAN FRANCISCO BOTANICAL GARDEN
p.94
p.95
UNITED STATES BOTANIC GARDEN
049
VIZCAYA MUSEUM AND GARDENS
p.98
043 044 045
ST. LUCIA
029
DIAMOND BOTANICAL GARDENS
p.57
046 047
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
030
p.60
ASTICOU AZALEA GARDEN
031
BALBOA PARK
p.61
032
BROOKLYN BOTANIC GARDEN
p.63
CONSERVATORY OF FLOWERS
p.64
033
034 DESERT BOTANICAL GARDEN
p.65
035 FAIRCHILD TROPICAL BOTANIC GARDEN
p.69
p.73
037 HO‘OMALUHIA BOTANICAL GARDEN
040
FORT WORTH BOTANIC GARDEN
048
OVERVIEW JAPAN
ASIA
ASIA
065
BANGLADESH 050
LALBAGH FORT
p.99
066
CHINA 051
p.100
HUMBLE ADMINISTRATOR’S GARDEN
052
MASTER OF THE NETS GARDEN
p.101
053
YUANMINGYUAN PARK
054
ACROS FUKUOKA PREFECTURAL INTERNATIONAL HALL
p.119
ADACHI MUSEUM OF ART
p.120
067 HOKOKU-JI
p.121
068
p.122
HOTEL CHINZANSO TOKYO
069 KAIRAKU-EN
p.124
070 KENROKU-EN
p.125
071 KORAKU-EN
p.128
p.102
072
p.129
SUMMER PALACE
p.103
073 RYOAN-JI
p.131
055
WANGJIANGLOU PARK
p.106
074 SAIHO-JI
p.134
056
YU GARDEN
p.107
075 TENRYU-JI
p.136
HONG KONG
057
NAN LIAN GARDEN
MEIGETSU-IN TEMPLE
MYANMAR p.109
076
NATIONAL KANDAWGYI BOTANICAL GARDENS
p.137
INDIA 058
AMBER FORT
p.110
NEPAL
059
HUMAYUN’S TOMB
p.111
077
060
MEHTAB BAGH
p.112
061
ROCK GARDEN OF CHANDIGARH
p.113
GARDEN OF DREAMS
p.138
PAKISTAN 078
SHALIMAR BAGH
p.139
RUSSIA
IRAN 062
ERAM GARDEN
p.116
079
CATHERINE PARK
063
FIN GARDEN
p.117
080
MAIN BOTANICAL p.143 GARDEN OF THE RUSSIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
ISRAEL 064
BAHÁ’Í GARDENS HAIFA
p.118
081 PETERHOF
p.142
p.144
OVERVIEW SINGAPORE
EUROPE
EUROPE
082
GARDENS BY THE BAY
p.145
083
JEWEL CHANGI AIRPORT
p.146
AUSTRIA
084
SINGAPORE BOTANIC GARDENS
p.147
093
BELVEDERE GARDENS
p.164
094
SCHLOSSPARK SCHÖNBRUNN
p.165
SOUTH KOREA
085
BIWON SECRET GARDEN
p.150
BELGIUM
086
GARDEN OF MORNING CALM
p.151
095
MEISE BOTANIC GARDEN p.166 (PLANTENTUIN MEISE)
096
PARC DES TOPIAIRES
p.167
SRI LANKA
087
MAGUL UYANA
p.152
CZECH REPUBLIC
088
ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, PERADENIYA
p.153
097
p.168
PALACE GARDENS BELOW PRAGUE CASTLE
098
PETRÍN GARDENS
p.169
089 SIGIRIYA
p.154
THAILAND
DENMARK
090
MAE FAH LUANG GARDEN
p.155
099
FREDERIKSBORG CASTLE
p.170
091
NONG NOOCH TROPICAL GARDEN
p.159
100
UNIVERSITY OF COPENHAGEN BOTANICAL GARDEN
p.171
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
092
DUBAI MIRACLE GARDEN
p.163
FINLAND 101
SAPOKKA WATER GARDEN
p.172
FRANCE 102 103
CHÂTEAU DE VAUX-LE-VICOMTE
p.173
CHÂTEAU DU CHAMP DE BATAILLE
p.174
OVERVIEW 104
CHÂTEAU ET LES JARDINS DE VILLANDRY
p.175
105
FONDATION CLAUDE MONET
p.178
106
HANGING GARDENS OF MARQUEYSSAC (JARDINS SUSPENDUS DE MARQUEYSSAC)
p.180
107
p.197
118
TROMSØ ARCTIC–ALPINE p.200 BOTANIC GARDEN
PORTUGAL
PALACE OF VERSAILLES p.181 (CHÂTEAU DE VERSAILLES)
AKUREYRI p.184 BOTANICAL GARDEN (LYSTIGARDUR AKUREYRAR)
POWERSCOURT ESTATE
p.196
NORWAY
119
BACALHÔA BUDDHA EDEN
p.201
120
MADEIRA BOTANICAL GARDEN
p.204
121
MONTE PALACE TROPICAL GARDEN
p.205
122
SERRALVES PARK
p.206
SLOVENIA
IRELAND 109
KASTEELTUINEN ARCEN
117 KEUKENHOF
ICELAND 108
116
p.185
123
ARBORETUM VOLCJI POTOK
p.207
ITALY 110
ISOLA BELLA
p.187
SPAIN
111
SACRO BOSCO
p.188
112
VILLA D’ESTE, LAKE COMO
p.189
124 ALHAMBRA Y GENERALIFE
113
VILLA LA MASSA, FLORENCE
p.192
SWEDEN 125
p.208
GOTHENBURG BOTANICAL GARDEN
p.209
MONACO 114
JARDIN EXOTIQUE DE MONACO
p.194
THE NETHERLANDS
115 HORTUS BOTANICUS LEIDEN
p.195
TURKEY 126
DOLMABAHÇE PALACE
p.212
127
EMIRGAN PARK TULIP GARDENS
p.213
128
TOPKAPI PALACE
p.214
OVERVIEW
UNITED KINGDOM
129 BOTANIC GARDENS (BELFAST)
p.215
130
CULZEAN CASTLE
p.216
131
HAMPTON COURT GARDENS
p.217
132
KENSINGTON PALACE
p.218
133
LOST GARDENS OF HELIGAN
p.220
134 QUEEN MARY’S GARDENS
p.221
135
ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, KEW
p.222
136
SKY GARDEN
p.223
143
WENDY WHITELEY’S SECRET GARDEN
p.238
144
WESTERN AUSTRALIAN BOTANIC GARDEN
p.239
FIJI 145
GARDEN OF THE SLEEPING GIANT
NEW ZEALAND
146
AUCKLAND BOTANIC GARDENS
p.243
147
AYRLIES GARDEN AND WETLANDS
p.245
148
CHRISTCHURCH BOTANIC GARDENS
p.248
OCEANIA
149
LARNACH CASTLE & GARDENS
p.249
AUSTRALIA
150
OTAHUNA LODGE
p.250
137
ADELAIDE BOTANIC GARDEN
138 BRISBANE BOTANIC GARDENS MOUNT COOT-THA
p.227
p.228
139
CHINESE GARDEN OF FRIENDSHIP
p.231
140
ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN SYDNEY
p.232
141
ROYAL BOTANIC p.233 GARDENS VICTORIA – CRANBOURNE GARDENS
142
ROYAL TASMANIAN BOTANICAL GARDENS
p.237
p.242
Africa
01
Egypt
ASWAN BOTANICAL GARDEN El Nabatat Island, Aswan, Egypt
TO VISIT BEFORE YOU DIE BECAUSE
The setting of this botanical garden is highly unusual: an island in the middle of the Nile River.
12
Standing on the bank of the Nile in Aswan, you’ll see Elephantine Island and its many archaeological sites, hotels, and restaurants. But hidden behind it is the less-visited El Nabatat Island, and you’d be remiss not to book a quick ride aboard a felucca to visit it. The island was formerly known as Kitchener’s Island for its 19th-century owner, Lord Horatio Kitchener, a British army officer who was gifted it for his services to the Crown. An ardent lover of plants, Kitchener imported flora from around the world to his 17-acre island, laying the foundation for what has since become the Aswan Botanical Gardens. Stroll down the palm-lined paths of this lush oasis, then stop for some tea in the garden’s café.
No official website
13
Africa
02
Ghana
ABURI BOTANICAL GARDENS Aburi, Ghana
TO VISIT BEFORE YOU DIE BECAUSE
This century-old garden is a respite from the bustle of Accra, the capital of Ghana.
15
On weekends, Accra’s residents make the 45-minute trip into the nearby hills to escape the cacophony and the heat of the city, many ending up at the Aburi Botanical Gardens for a leisurely afternoon. Though by no means the most extensive botanical garden in the world, Aburi offers a range of atmospheres to cater to all sorts of visitors—sometimes it’s filled with ebullient picnicking families, sometimes it’s enveloped in moody mist. The garden was founded by the British in 1890 as a sanatorium before it transitioned into a botanical garden helmed by Mr. William Crowther of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Today, highlights include an allée of towering palms, a strangler fig, a “tree of life” with artistic carvings, and, quite unusually, an old helicopter often used by children as a playground.
aburi.ghana-net.net
+233 34 219 7473
Africa
03
Mauritius
SIR SEEWOOSAGUR RAMGOOLAM BOTANICAL GARDEN Royal Road, Pamplemousses, Mauritius
TO VISIT BEFORE YOU DIE BECAUSE
The Giant Water Lily Pond looks like it belongs in Jurassic Park.
18
In 1767, French botanist Pierre Poivre (1719–1786) founded a botanical garden in Mauritius, now called the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden after the country’s first prime minister (though it’s sometimes referred to as the Pamplemousses Botanical Garden). Poivre was tasked with acclimating non-native crops to the island, but he brought in non-native flowers, too. The garden’s signature feature, its Giant Water Lily Pond, was developed by its second director, Jean-Nicolas Céré (1775–1810), while its 80-species-strong palm collection was initiated by James Duncan, who took up post as director in 1849. Fun fact: Mauritius has only one endemic mammal, the Pteropus niger bat, otherwise known as the Mauritian flying fox, which can be spotted in the garden’s treetops.
www.ssrbg.govmu.org/SitePages/ Index.aspx
+230 243 94 01
Africa
04
Morocco
ANIMA GARDEN Douar Sbiti, Route d’Ourika, Marrakech, Morocco
TO VISIT BEFORE YOU DIE BECAUSE
This art-filled garden in the shadow of the Atlas Mountains is a sensory delight.
19
If you tire of the crowds in Marrakech, take a 45-mile drive into the Ourika Valley to visit the eccentric Anima Garden, opened in 2016 by Austrian multimedia artist André Heller (b. 1947). The nearly 5-acre grounds are filled with bright and playful sculptures by international artists interwoven between palm trees, cacti, and bamboo. Walk down one path, and you might find a replica of The Thinker by Auguste Rodin (1840–1917). Stroll down another—there’s a stele by Keith Haring (1958–1990). Turn a few corners and you might happen upon a tree covered in African masks. It’s an eclectic collection, which makes your discoveries as you meander through the garden all the more delightful. And if the works and the flora aren’t enough, they’re both set against the impressive backdrop of the snowcapped Atlas Mountains.
www.anima-garden.com
+212 524 48 20 22
Africa
05
Morocco
LA MAMOUNIA Avenue Bab Jdid, Marrakech 40040, Morocco
TO VISIT BEFORE YOU DIE BECAUSE
“This is a wonderful place,” Sir Winston Churchill said of La Mamounia.
22
In the 18th century, Alaouite Sultan Mohammed Ben Abdallah (c. 1710–1790) gifted a 32-acre orchard to his son for his wedding. The prince transformed it into a lavish garden for entertaining, and that spirit has been carried through to the current day—the grounds now belong to one of the most famous hotels in Marrakech. Built in 1922 in a combination of Moroccan and Art Deco styles, La Mamounia has welcomed legendary guests, from Winston Churchill (1874– 1965), to Charlie Chaplin (1889–1977), to Yves Saint-Laurent (1936–2008) and Pierre Bergé (1930–2017), who would go on to design their own sumptuous garden in the city, Jardin Majorelle. The gardens of La Mamounia are filled with palm trees, cacti, bougainvilleas, delphiniums, and even 700-year-old olive trees, which together create a sensational landscape.
www.mamounia.com/en/the-exclusives/ the-gardens.html
+212 (0) 524 388 600
Texts Stefanie Waldek Copy editing Amy Haagsma Book Design ASB (Atelier Sven Beirnaert)
Sign up for our newsletter with news about new and forthcoming publications on art, interior design, food & travel, photography and fashion as well as exclusive offers and events. If you have any questions or comments about the material in this book, please do not hesitate to contact our editorial team: art@lannoo.com © Lannoo Publishers, Belgium, 2021 D/2021/45/321 – NUR 450/500 ISBN: 9789401479295 www.lannoo.com All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any other information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher. Every effort has been made to trace copyright holders. If, however, you feel that you have inadvertently been overlooked, please contact the publishers.