10 most beautiful gardens in the world

An actual location for many of his paintings, Giverny was Claude Monet’s inspiration for many artworks. Divided in two parts, a flower garden and a Japanese-inspired water garden, it is only a quick train ride from Paris, which means it should definitely be on your bucket list when visiting the French capital. While the flower garden presents a lot of different species, and particularly impressive climbing roses, the water garden is the setting for the Water Lilies series, a collection of 250 oil paintings by the French impressionist. So go ahead and step into the picture in Giverny! You can read more about visiting Giverny here.

Created in 1629 by Mito Yorifusa, Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens present a distinctly dual heritage, pulling inspiration from both Chinese and Japanese cultures. Particularly enticing during the Autumn season due to its mesmerising orange, red and yellow maples, it displays many elements such as ponds, stones, walking trails and manmade hills that create a mesmerizing, relaxing and artistic view in the middle of Tokyo's busy life and restless atmosphere. You'll find the gardens in the Bunkyo City area of Tokyo.

Spreading across 326 acres and offering more than 50000 different species of plants, Kew Gardens is a world heritage site thanks to its art galleries, its green houses hosting many tropical rainforest plants, and its various climatic zones. Recognised internationally for its influence on horticulture, plant classification and economic botany, Kew Gardens is a place you shouldn’t miss if you are interested in botany, architecture or ecology. And its Temperate House is the largest Victorian glasshouse in the world, so you probably won’t need to visit another glasshouse for a while after your visit! Head to their website to find out more about their work.

With 26 greenhouses and 55 acres, Butchart Gardens might not be the largest but it is a much beloved garden all the same. And being located in Vancouver, which is known as the “City of Gardens,” it is saying something. Take in the natural beauty in this picturesque environment, go for some wonderful afternoon tea or step up with fine dining… Whichever activity you pick, you are bound to have an amazing time in this stunning location. Head to their website for more details.

Probably one of the most famous gardens in the world and home to more than seven million tulips, Keukenhof Gardens is iconic for Dutch scenery and flora. The best time to visit (and actually the only time, as it is open only for two months) is from late March to late May, as it is the blooming season for tulips. It might get a little busy though, as 1 million visitors come to the gardens during those two months alone. For more information about Keukenhof, visit their website.

Working both as a research centre and a tourist attraction, Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden hosts an impressive 670 native species, among which cactus, succulents, bonsai, ferns and orchids play a big part. And if it wasn’t enough to convince you, Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden is also presenting a Thai cultural show and an elephant show, as well as offering cycling, elephant riding and boat paddling options to its visitors. Find out more about the Gardens on their official website.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden is a particularly grand place and has been called the most beautiful garden in Africa. It offers an exceptionally rich and diverse flora, with 7000 species and many threatened species sugarbushes, pincushions, cycads and heaths that are sure to enchant any and all visitors. Find out more about the Gardens on their official website.

In a subtropical rainforest and 2000 feet above sea level, and created by British poet Edward James, Las Pozas is a bit of an eccentric garden, with surrealist structures, waterfalls and pools where you can go for a swim. James spent 35 years building surreal concrete structures such as giant concrete flowers, castles and some still unfinished structures. For more information about visiting Las Pozas, head to their website.

With 800 hectares, 600 fountains and 372 statues, Versailles is one of the largest gardens in the world, and a model for traditional French garden design. Commissioned by Louis XIV in 1661, they were recognised as a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1979. It is also home to a large Orangerie that is home to thousands of trees and protects them during the winter. For more details about the gardens, head to their website.

One of Italy's 31 major historical and artistic sites according to UNESCO, Villa d'Este boasts some of the most impressive gardens and fountains in the world. With a shell-shaped basin and the Rometta fountain, a “little Rome”, it paints a fascinating and lovely picture of Italy in a garden. Visit their official website for more information about visiting the Gardens.