From inspiring artistic masterpieces to the preservation of tropical plant species, these majestic botanical gardens from around the world will captivate you.
By Sophie Cole
Botanical gardens exude a sense of beauty, peace, and well-being, and bring us closer to nature. The serene sounds, vibrant colors of flora, and fresh air oxygenated from the surrounding plants make a botanical garden visit a wholesome, enjoyable, and grounding experience. And with different styles of gardens around the world — from formal landscape designs to wild gardening trends — each has its own unique essence and soul.
Whether you’re a nature lover, an aspiring gardener in need of floral inspiration, or you’re looking for a relaxing day-trip for the whole family, these five peaceful botanical gardens — all within proximity to Interval resorts — are a lovely way to enhance your vacation experience. After all, time spent outdoors can often revive us, and being surrounded by the ethereal beauty of flowers, exotic plants, and trees can stir something deep within us, reminding us of our inherent connection to nature and the natural planet.
Denver, Colorado
Denver Botanic Gardens
Spanning 24 acres (around 10 hectares) atop a former cemetery, Denver Botanic Gardens is a green oasis at the heart of the Mile High City. With diverse plant collections and multiple gardens — from internationally inspired ones to water types and 18 gardens of the West — this botanic has something for everyone.
Young visitors can enjoy a magical and educational experience at the 3-acre (1 hectare) Mordecai Children’s Garden section, where kids can learn about plant life and develop a lifelong appreciation for the natural environment. Created on the parking garage rooftop, this unique green space features swinging bridges, dirt-digging pits, and gardens that show children how everyday vegetables are grown, making it both a playful and purposeful place for younger aspiring gardeners to learn about nature.
Visitors are visually transported to Asia when they walk through the wooden, doorless “moon gate” at June’s PlantAsia. Plants from the Himalayan meadows and Asian Steppe exist in this introspective section of the gardens. To the northeast, there is a Chinese pavilion referred to as “ting.” Translating to “pause,” this area is a restful spot to be still, recalibrate, and reflect on the surrounding aesthetics.
New York City, New York
New York Botanical Garden (NYBG)
Established in 1891, the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx is one of the largest botanical gardens in the U.S., and it offers a welcome respite from the concrete jungle of NYC. It’s home to 250 acres (101 hectares) of neatly decorated flower gardens, expansive conservatories, and water features, with Renaissance-style architecture and landscape influences from grand gardens in England, France, and Italy.
Forest bathing, the Japanese practice of being quiet and calm surrounded by trees, can be enjoyed in the Thain Family Forest. This 50-acre (20 hectares) expanse of native forest is the largest remaining original woodland in New York, and it’s partly the reason why the site was selected for NYBG. Ancient oaks, maples, tulip trees, and sweetgums have evolved, adapted, and thrived over the centuries, and time spent admiring these towering trees is a great reminder of the resilience of nature.
Explore the lush indoor jungle at Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, where deep green hues of the palm collection transport you to the tropics, stop and smell the Pink Double Knock Out® roses at Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden, and notice the colorful alpine flowers blooming among the rock crevices at Rock Garden. A tram tour — included in park admission — also operates around the gardens and is perfect for those who wish to discover this vast botanical land in a more leisurely way.
