Top Ten
These are the Top Ten gardens we recommend throughout the United States and Canada.
Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania is our number 1 pick! It began as a Quaker Farm owned by the Pierce family in 1700. The family began planting an arboretum in 1798, which was purchased by Pierre du Pont in 1906. Since then, Longwood Gardens has grown into a spectacular horticultural showcase!
For more photos of Longwood Gardens, visit the gallery.
Five Stars
Handicap Access Garden Tours. Memberships. Group Passes. Parking. Family/Childrens Programs. Indoor/Outdoor. Garden Shops. Year-Round.
1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square , PA 19348. 610-388-1000
The New York Botanic Garden in New York City is a 250 acre garden located in the Bronx. Fifty acres of cultivated garden space and the largest conservatory on the East Coast modeled after the one at Kew Gardens, England make the New York Botanic Garden a great place to visit. Over 100 years old, it includes great perennial gardens, roses, a rock garden, and conifer collections. It is easy to walk with easy access to public transportation.
For more photos of New York Botanic Garden, visit the gallery.
Five Stars
Handicap Accessible. Tram Tours. Garden Tours. Memberships. Parking. Childrens Programs. Gift Shops. Plants for sale. Indoor/Outdoor. Year-Round. Restaurant. Cafe.
Bronx River Parkway at Fordham Road, Bronx, NY 10458. 718-817-8700
The Missouri Botanic Garden is located in St. Louis, Missouri. The garden is over 150 years old and was developed by Henry Shaw. Its 80 acres include water lily pools, rose gardens, Italian garden, display gardens, the Climatron which is a geodesic dome conservatory, the Desert house, Tower Grove House and adjacent herb garden, an English Woodland Garden, the scented garden for the blind, a Japanese Garden. One can also discover the Chinese Garden, the Kemper Home Demonstration Garden, the International Garden, Garden sculptures, the rock garden, a dry streambed garden and ornamental fountains. A leading U.S. horticultural institution.
Five Stars
Multiple sites. Handicap Accessible. Garden Tours. Memberships. Parking. Childrens Programs. Restaurant. Gift Shops. Indoor/Outdoor. Year-Round.
4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63110. 314-577-9400 or 1-800-642-8842
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is in Brooklyn, New York. Fifty-two acres. Great educational resources for home gardeners, spring bulb display phenomenal, more than 1,200 kinds of roses in the Cranford Rose Garden. The Steinhardt Conservatory boasts five pavilions, perennial and native plant gardens, herb garden, the Japanese Hill and Pond Garden (the first Japanese garden in a public garden in North America), the first children's garden in a botanic garden and in continuous operation, Gingko allee. Minimum 3 hour visit to see whole garden. Parking in adjacent lot shared with Brooklyn Museum of Art. The BBG is often referred to as a "Garden of Firsts" known for it's gardens within the Garden. BBG's many public programs are signature events that attract visitors from near and far, including Hanami, Sakura Matsuri -called "New York's Rite of Spring," Chile Pepper Fiesta, Ghouls and Gourds, and Lunar New Year (as provided by BBG).
Five Stars
Handicap Accessible. Garden Tours. Memberships. Parking. Childrens Programs. Gift Shops. Indoor/Outdoor. Year-Round.
1000 Washington Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11225. 718-623-7200
Butchart Gardens, located 14 miles from Victoria, British Columbia is a spectacular 55 acre garden converted from an exhausted limestone quarry into a jewel which has uninterrupted flowering blooms from March until October. 1,000,000 bedding plants color the grounds, along with spring daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, annuals and perennials. The summer includes glorious firework displays, the Japanese garden blazes in October and Christmas glows with lights and decorations. A visit to the orchids and butterflies, as well as the gift store and sumptuous meals at the restaurants round out a memorable visit.
Five Stars
Handicap Accessible. Garden Tours. Memberships. Parking. Children Programs. Gift Shops. Indoor/Outdoor. Year-Round.
800 Benvenuto Avenue, Brentwood Bay, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, BC V8M 1J8. 250-652-4422
Mount Auburn Cemetery is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts and is one of the oldest garden cemeteries in the nation. It attracts gardeners and birders from all over the east coast and is a special place to visit year round. A complete checklist of birds, noted persons buried there,s specimen trees and shrubs make this oasis of green a sanctuary for those who visit. 174 acres, with numerous paths and 10 miles of paved roads, this garden is well kept and well labeled for horticultural enthusiasts and beginners as well. Early morning birdwalks are a daily occurrence. Restroom facilities available onsite. NO picnicking or bicycles allowed.
Five Stars
Handicap Accessible. Memberships. Parking. Birding Programs. Gift Shop. Outdoor. Year-Round.
580 Mount Auburn Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 617-547-7105
Denver Botanic Gardens: In the high altitude of the mile high city flourishes a wonderful oasis which the city grew around. Gardens representative of those around the world, water fountains, rock gardens, alpine tundra displays, a conservatory, native plants, wildflowers and an education center.
Five Stars
Handicap Accessible. Garden Tours. Memberships. Parking. Children Programs. Gift Shops. Indoor/Outdoor. Year-Round.
1005 York St, Denver, CO 80206 720-865-3585
The Morton Arboretum, is located in Lisle, Illinois, some 25 miles west of Chicago and includes some 1700 acres. It has a large collection of trees: to name just a few are beeches, crabapples, elms, magnolia, maple, oak, and many conifers. Among the gardens are rare plants, container displays, ground covers, fragrance, four seasons, herb and wild gardens. There is a childrens' garden, and a maze. The arboretum is open every day and has a visitor center. The staff conduct narrated tram tours, tree walks, plant clinics, youth and adult programs.
Five Stars
Handicap Accessible. Garden Tours. Memberships. Parking. Children Programs. Gift Shops. Indoor/Outdoor. Year-Round.
4100 Illinois Route 53, Lisle Il 60532-1293 610-968-0074
The Atlanta Botanic Gardens includes an array of garden areas: Herb, Japanese, Hydrangeas, Dwarf and Rare conifers, Hardy palms, cobra lilies, summer bulbs, winter garden, conservatory garden, rose, water plants, annuals, and the Fuqua Conservatory. Sculpture in the garden, handicap accessible, cafe onsite, closed Mondays
Five Stars
Handicap Accessible. Garden Tours. Memberships. Parking. Children Programs. Gift Shops. Indoor/Outdoor. Year-Round.
1345 Piedmont Avenue NE Atlanta, GA 30309 404-876-5859
The Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina encompasses some 8,000 acres of land, which includes a 4 acre mansion, (the largest residence in the US), an Inn, a deerpark, a winery and an array of gardens. The surrounding forests were the first managed by Gifford Pinchot, the founder of the U. S. Forest Service. The gardens were originally designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the designer of Central Park in New York City.
When the Vanderbilts built the house, they had amassed 125,000 at that time. Subsequently, Edith Vanderbilt, George's wife, sold a large portion of the land to the federal government to form the beginning of Pisgah National Forest. The present gardens include and Italian garden, shrub garden, walled garden, spring garden, azalea garden, flower carpets reminiscent of the Victorian era, a Conservatory as well as exotic and native trees.
Visitors can follow walking trails and paths through the grounds and tour the mansion.
Five Stars
Handicap Accessible. Garden Tours. Memberships. Parking. Children Programs. Gift Shops. Indoor/Outdoor. Year-Round.
1 Approach Road, Asheville, NC. 28803 800-411-3812