SPECTACULAR BOTANICAL GARDENS & ARBORETUMS MAKE THESE CITIES MORE BEAUTIFUL NOW

Big cities are beautiful in their own right, but the lack of green space can sometimes bring even the most seasoned urbanite down. These beautiful city botanical gardens and arboretums add a welcome splash of natural beauty to urban life. They offer wonderful respites for your mind and body. Check them out below.

1. SINGAPORE, MALAYSIA -- GARDENS BY THE BAY

Gardens by the Bay is a groundbreakingly beautiful collection of 3 gardens in a park on the waterfront of the Marina Reservoir, in Singapore. They are part of the government’s plan to transform Singapore from a “Garden City,” in name only, to a “City in a Garden.”

Built on 101 hectares (250 acres) of reclaimed land, this magnificent park is on its way to becoming Singapore’s most important urban outdoor recreation area.

2. PATTAYA, THAILAND -- NONG NOOCH TROPICAL BOTANICAL GARDEN

Check out the Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden, a beautiful urban retreat in the city of Pattaya, Thailand. The lush flowers and plants in this 202 hectare (500 acre) garden are part of an important wildlife conservation project.

Here, you’ll encounter a Cycad Gene Bank. Cycads are long-living and slow-growing seed plants, with stout trunks and stiff evergreen leaves. This Bank is a major center of scientific research on the taxonomy and horticultural use of this endangered and ancient plant group.

Check out the martial arts demonstrations, treat yourself to some relaxing massages, enjoy incredible elephant shows, and experience powerful religious ceremonies, while you are there.

3. PHOENIX, ARIZONA, -- DESERT BOTANICAL GARDEN

Phoenix, Arizona’s 57 hectare (140 acre) Desert Botanical Garden houses more than 21,000 plants, ⅓ of which are indigenous to the area. Most of them are well-suited to desert conditions, such as those in the Australian, Baja California, and South American sections of the garden. Check out the diverse collections of beautiful agave and cacti here.

4. LONDON, UK -- KEW GARDENS

Perhaps the most famous city garden in the world, London’s Kew Gardens houses the largest collection of living plants in the world on its 121 hectare (300 acre) property. More than 30,000 types of plants grow here. The herbarium, one of the largest in the world, houses over 7 million preserved specimens.

You won’t want to miss the water lily greenhouse, which is a verdant oasis full of hanging plants and a pond brimming with lush lilypads.

Kew Gardens is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

5. SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA -- ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS

The stunning Royal Botanic Gardens, in Sydney, Australia, are situated on the harbor, right next to the city’s iconic Opera House. It is the oldest scientific institution in Australia.

With themed gardens, ranging from romantic roses, to intriguingly rare plants, this is a wonderful showcase of the diverse beauty that nature has to offer. A special display, called Cadi Jam Ora - First Encounters, is also on view. It showcases the Cadigal, Sydney’s original inhabitants, and their relationship to the land.

6. SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA -- THE ARBORETUM IN BALBOA PARK

A must-see on any visit to San Diego is the Arboretum in Balboa Park. Its collection of 2,100 permanent plants is impressive.

In front of the Botanical Building, stands a lily pond and lagoon, built for the 1915-16 Panama--California Exposition. This gorgeous view is now one of the most photographed scenes in the park and is considered one of the city’s main attractions.

7. WASHINGTON, D.C. -- UNITED STATES NATIONAL ARBORETUM

The United States National Arboretum, in Washington, D.C., is 180 beautiful hectares (446 acres) of trees, shrubs, and plants. It is one of the largest arboretums in the world. The also arboretum functions as a major center of botanical research.

The exhibits run the gamut, from perfectly manicured formal gardens to the unique Gotelli Dwarf and Slow Growing Conifer Collection. Their famed bonsai and aquatic plant collections, as well their Herb Garden are extraordinary.

The Corinthian columns sitting in Ellipse Meadow, originally built to support the Capitol

Building in 1828, are another magnificent landmark.

8. DUBROVNIK, CROATIA -- TRSTENO ARBORETUM

The Trsteno Arboretum, in the city of Dubrovnik, was constructed in the 15th century by a local noble family, and was developed further, periodically, during Gothic Renaissance, Renaissance Baroque, and Romantic times. This protected national monument holds a wonderful collection of Mediterranean and exotic plants.

Perhaps the most special spectacles here are the 2 Oriental plane trees located in the central marketplace. These beauties are 45 and 60 meters tall and 5 meters wide, and have flourished for over 500 years.

9. ROCHESTER, NEW YORK -- INTERNATIONAL BONSAI ARBORETUM

The city of Rochester, New York, is home to the International Bonsai Arboretum, founded and run by bonsai master, William N. Valavanis. It is especially beautiful in autumn, when it becomes colorful miniature wonderland. 

10. PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA -- MORRIS ARBORETUM

Residents of the city of Philadelphia have a beautiful green space in the urban jungle at the Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania.

The collection of tree specimens from around the world was started in the 1880s by plant enthusiasts John & Lydia Morris, who originally owned this property. There are now a whopping 13,000 labelled plants here, made up of over 2,500 types, from North America, Europe, and Asia.

There are a plethora of special gardens to explore in the property’s 37 hectares (92 acres) of land. You can wander between the English Park, the gorgeous Victorian Fernery, and the historic Garden Railway, or explore the Japanese Hill and Water Garden and the elegant Swan Pond.

Read more about Beautiful Cities, as it relates to Arts/Design, Nature/Science, Food/Drink, Place/Time, Mind/Body, and Soul/Impact including 10 New Books Featuring the Most Beautiful Cities Now, 10 Gorgeous City Nature & Science Museums Around the World, 10 Gorgeous New Restaurants in Beautiful Cities Now, Night in the City Looks Pretty Amazing Now, and New Reasons to Visit These 10 Stunning Cities Now.

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IMAGE CREDITS:

1. Image: by Shiny Things. The Supertree Grove at Gardens by the Bay. Singapore, Malaysia.
2. Image: by Allie Caulfield. The Cloud Mountain. Gardens by the Bay. Singapore, Malaysia.
3. Image: by Kim Seng. Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden - Pattaya, Thailand.
4. Image: by Andrew Flynn. Noches de las Luminarias + Chihuly, the Nature of Glass exhibit. Desert Botanical Garden. Phoenix, Arizona.
5. Image: by Diliff. The Palm House and Parterre. Kew Gardens. London, UK.
6. Image: by J Bar. The Tropical Centre Pyramid. Royal Botanic Gardens. Sydney, Australia.
7. Image: by Michael Seljos. The Arboretum in Balboa Park, San Diego, California.
8. Image: by Nicolas Raymond. Capitol Arboretum Columns. United States National Arboretum. Washington, D.C.
9. Image: by Ivica Vlahović. Neptune's fountain at Trsteno Arboretum. Trsteno Arboretum. Dubrovnik, Croatia.
10. Image: by William V. Valavanis. International Bonsai Arboretum. Rochester, New York.
11. Image: by Daderot. Morris Arboretum. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
12. Image: by Diliff. Interior of the Water Lily Greenhouse at the Royal Botanic Gardens. Kew Gardens. London, UK.
13. Image: by Nicolas Raymond. All Roads Lead to Fall. United States National Arboretum. Washington, D.C.
14. Image: by BN App - Download now!
15. Image: by kashmirhare. Thailand Pattaya Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden. Pattaya, Thailand.