“If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need,” were
said to be the wise words of famous Roman, Cicero. But, although it can prove
fulfilling to read a book from your library, it may not compare to the natural
beauty of a garden. The UK’s average
garden is 50ft. long and is home to 10 types of flowers, a water feature and a barbecue,
according to a report by Foxtons, an estate agent. But what about the most expensive,
luxurious and extravagant gardens the world has to offer?
The USA:
Bookworm Garden
The
Netherlands: Keukenhof Gardens
Scotland: Garden
of Cosmic Speculation
Sources:
Browse this list of unusual and beautiful gardens from around the world
in our outdoor guide by Arbordeck — a leading supplier of composite decking boards.
Situated in Wisconsin, Bookworm Gardens is an environment that has been
based around a host of popular childhood tales. With an aim to fuse a love of
the outdoors with an affinity for books, Bookworm Gardens opened in 2010 as a
non-profit organisation and now features fun buildings and characters from
books such as The Tale of Peter Rabbit. With turkeys, owls, chipmunks and
butterflies calling Bookworm Gardens home, it’s no surprise that the venue is a
top place for families and schools.
France: The
Gardens of the Palace of Versailles
King Louis XIV
made his reign all about wealth and beauty. Designed and renovated by André Le Nôtre in 1661, the monarch’s gardens
surrounding the Palace of Versailles in France today offer some of the most
striking landscapes in the world.
The garden project
took a very long time to be finished — across
four decades, Le Nôtre worked with artists and
architects to design the gardens — with each project being overseen by the monarch.
The renovation consisted of creating canals, shifting soil and transporting
trees from various regions in the country at a time when the logistics and
construction industries were obviously nowhere near as advanced as today.
It’s possible to now enjoy
the gardens’ orangery, or stroll along the perimeter, taking in its marble
sculptures, beautiful parterres and peaceful waterfalls.
England: Kew Gardens
When it comes to gardening, a third of Brits say they are competitive according
to the earlier-mentioned Foxtons survey. This suggests that we have an affinity
for aesthetically pleasing outdoor spaces, rather than just an area that we can
grow vegetables, seed
potatoes, or do DIY. Kew Gardens is a very popular place to see for
both Brits and international tourists. According to the most
recent report, Kew
Gardens attracted 20% more visitors than the previous year, implying that our
love of attractive gardens is growing.
The glasshouse is iconic and is surrounded by an array of rare plants
and immaculately kept lawns. In the evening, the area is illuminated
spectacularly and during the day, you can wander around a maze of water
features, buildings — such as the 18th-century pagoda — and wildlife
— from peacocks and robins, to ducks and Chinese water dragons. Planning a
visit? Make time for The Hive — a 17-metre, multi-sensory construction that
changes depending on bee activity.
There are seven million flowers, including 800 different types of tulip,
on show at the 32-hectare Keukenhof Gardens. Perhaps it’s because Brits spend
around £1.5 billion on garden plants every year, according to the Horticultural
Trades Association, that this destination is popular.
Unfortunately, although it’s thought of as an excellent holiday spot,
the Keukenhof Gardens only remain open for two months each year, so be careful
when you visit. Here, you’re treated to a blend of English and French
horticultural designs filled with old beech trees and pretty ponds, and there’s
also a petting zoo home to miniature pigs, giant rabbits and alpacas!
Singapore: Gardens
by the Bay
With a trio of waterfront areas than are home to over a million plants, Gardens
by the Bay covers 250 acres. Into quirky venues and intrigued by what the years
to come may look like? This futuristic-looking garden gives the impression of a
grown-over city centuries from now, with huge towers, glassed domes, immaculate
walkways, and immense water features surrounded by exotic trees and vivid
plants. Clearly, it’s a popular destination — Gardens by the Bay has attracted
more than 40 million people to date and is even one of the top-20 checked-in
places on Earth by Facebook users.
The largest glass greenhouse in the world — Flower Dome — and Supertree Grove, which is a network of
illuminated, tree-shaped vertical gardens, are two spots to vist. At Gardens by
the Bay, you can explore rare flowers and endangered plants. Plus, you can
experience memorable views from the 22-metre high aerial walkway.
This space, in Dumfries, is somewhere science geeks and puzzle fans will
adore. This 30-acre garden was made by architect, Charles Jencks, and offers
visitors the chance to explore ideas, theories and global influences — from
black holes to oriental landscaping! There are terraces, sculptures, lakes,
bridges, and a labyrinth of witty architectural works at Garden of Cosmic
Speculation. Designed to detail the story of the universe and complexities of
space and time, you can spend hours working out what Jencks meant by checked
terraces, snail-formed mounds and zigzagging staircases.
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