Public Gardens

While you can visit Alabama’s Bellingrath Gardens any time of the year, the holidays make for a truly special visit. Not only will the plantings wow you, the millions of Christmas lights will make you feel like a kid again.

It’s the world’s highest botanic garden – making the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens in Vail, CO, the most unique public garden of its kind. If you haven’t had a chance to visit yet, here’s a glimpse at some of the hardy alpine beauty that awaits.

Traveling to Portland, OR? Don’t miss Bishop’s Close! This magnificent garden has great views of Mount Hood and the Willamette River, as well as fascinating plants gardeners are sure to love anytime of year.

Butchart Gardens is a wonderful place to visit for inspirational gardens…and a little romance.

Looking for a little inner peace? The calming spirit and essence of natural waterfalls, mountains, lakes and forests can help get you there – and it can all be found in a Chinese garden.

Headed to North Carolina’s Outer Banks for some fun in the sun? Be sure to visit The Elizabethan Gardens – a tribute to the first English settlers in the New World.

Thirty miles south of San Francisco rests a gorgeous country estate that uses its historical plantings to bring new gardening inspiration. Welcome to Filoli.

The oldest botanical garden in Texas keeps young with new features and educational opportunities for all visitors – as well as scores of well-identified plants. With a large Japanese Garden as its centerpiece, the Fort Worth Botanic Garden is truly of place of peace, beauty and learning.

If you’re a garden lover and headed to the Pacific Northwest, don’t leave Portland, OR, off your list. There are so many incredible gardens to visit there – some large and some hidden treasures. You’re bound to get all kinds of inspiration for your own back yard!

When visiting the north island of New Zealand, the Hamilton Gardens south of Auckland are a must see! From an Indian Char Bagh Garden to Italian Renaissance and American Modernist, Chinese, Japanese and more, there are fantastic gardens to explore and enjoy.

Talk about a destination garden center! Heirloom Roses in St. Paul, OR, offers more than 500 varieties for sale – along with 7 acres of beautiful gardens and endless amounts of helpful rose advice.

Long before Xeriscaping became a popular approach to drought-tolerant landscaping, research efforts were underway in Cheyenne, WY, to find plants that would grow under tough conditions. Learn how gardeners continue to reap the benefits of this research today and what’s in store for the High Plains Arboretum.

Would you consider your yard a botanic garden? Plantsman Tony Avent does. Tony runs Plant Delights Nursery from his back yard in North Carolina, as well as operates Juniper Level Botanic Gardens (which surrounds his house). Open-house visits may be limited, but the trip is well-worth it!

With more than 75 different areas to explore, this half-acre space for kids will inspire your entire family to find new ways to bring wonder into your own back yard.

Filled with lush gardens and amazing sculptures, Millennium Park is as much a “must do” when visiting the Windy City as eating stuffed pizza. (And you’d never suspect that this large “playground” in the heart of downtown is actually one big rooftop garden!)

Located in the heart of Portland’s Chinatown/Old Town, the Portland Classical Chinese Garden is a must-see for gardeners! This mini-wonder is easy to find and only a block long, so any visitors to this fair Oregon city should be able to fit it into their schedules.

Sit back and let our own Mark Miller be your cyber guide through the natural sights and amazing ecosystems he encountered during a relaxing – and inspiring – trip to Puerto Rico.

If you’re big on Texas or cowboy country, you’ve got to visit the San Antonio Botanical Garden! It’s got something for everyone – from formal gardens and native plants to water wise landscaping styles that’ll inspire you to make your own garden more Earth-friendly.

Daniel Stowe and his wife, Alene, left a legacy to their North Carolina community, reflecting their love of gardening and appreciation of their neighbors.

Growing roses doesn’t have to be a thorny task when you select the hardiest ones around. Old garden roses, like the time-tested beauties in Fairmount Cemetery’s Heritage Rose Garden in Denver, are extremely adaptable to poor soil, freezing temperatures, hot summer sun and drought.