World famous beautiful flower gardens captivate visitors

Which are the most beautiful gardens in the world? Of course, beauty is subjective but these stunning green spaces are among the best gardens worldwide. Whether you’re a keen gardener yourself or you simply enjoy visiting them online, these spectacular gardens can’t fail to impress.

Most Beautiful Gardens in the World

From vibrant tropical gardens to shimmering fountains, these outdoor spaces delight at every turn. There are many world famous gardens in this list, as well as a few hidden gems for your bucket list.

1. Keukenhof, Netherlands

One of the largest flower gardens in the world, Keukenhof is famous for its tulips and other flowering bulbs. Spread over 32 hectares of land, Keukenhof is located in the town of Lisse, an easy day trip from Amsterdam.

Around 7 million bulbs are planted here each year. This flower garden is only open in the Spring, usually from mid March to mid May.

Nicknamed The Garden of Europe, Keukenhof boasts 800 varieties of tulips. The colorful flowers are supplied by growers for free.

Address: Stationsweg 166A, 2161 AM Lisse, Netherlands

2. Fondation Monet in Giverny, France

Famous for being French Impressionist painter Claude Monet’s garden, Giverny is a magical place. Situated in a picturesque area of Normandy, the Giverny gardens are usually open from June to beginning of November.

Visitors can admire Monet’s pink house and the Japanese style gardens with their water lilies. Monet immortalized this view in many of his iconic water lily paintings.

Claude Monet lived at Giverny for 43 years, and you can also tour his house. The painter made striking use of color, with a yellow dining room, blue kitchen and sitting room.

From 1887, several American Impressionist artists came to live in the village of Giverny. They included Louis Ritman, Willard Metcalf, John Leslie Breck and Theodore Wendel.

Address: 84 Rue Claude Monet, 27620 Giverny, France

3. Jardin Majorelle, Morocco

Another famous garden associated with an artist is Jardin Majorelle in Marrakech. Created by Jacques Majorelle, a French painter, the garden took almost 40 years to complete.

Spread over 9,000 m², this tropical garden has both Art Deco and Moorish influences. By 1980, the gardens and villa were in need of renovation and French fashion designers Yves Saint-Laurent and Pierre Bergé purchased it.

This botanical garden has a vibrant blue villa designed by Paul Sinoir in the Cubist style. If you visit from Monday to Friday, you can also see the Villa Oasis garden, which was the private garden of Saint-Laurent and Bergé.

Don’t miss the Yves Saint-Laurent museum, a popular tourist attraction. It’s just a three minute walk from the Jardin Majorelle.

Address: Rue Yves St Laurent, Marrakech 40090, Morocco

4. Isola Bella, Italy

Meaning the beautiful island, Isola Bella is located close to Lake Maggiore. One of three Borromean islands owned by the Borromeo family since the 16th century, Isola Bella is famous for its Italian style baroque garden.

A monumental structure known as Teatro Massimo features a statue of a unicorn, the heraldic emblem of the Borromeo family. Other statues represent Lago Maggiore and the Rivers Ticino and Po. White peacocks strut around the grounds and delight the visitors.

As well as the gardens of Isola Bella, you can also visit Palazzo Borromeo. This baroque building has several impressive rooms including the Hall of Honour, the Gallery of Tapestries and several artificial grottos.

Address: Isola Bella, Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, Italy

5. Longwood Gardens, United States

This extraordinary botanical garden in Pennsylvania extends over 1,077 acres. Set aside 3 to 4 hours to walk around the displays.

There’s something different to see in each season, including a spectacular Christmas themed garden. Visitors at night can admire the illuminated Open Air Theatre Fountain Shows which run every 15 minutes.

The Main Conservatory is a popular attraction, while the miniature Garden Railway successfully blends horticulture and engineering.

Address: 1001 Longwood Rd, Kennett Square, PA 19348, United States

6. The Butchart Gardens, Canada

With over a million visitors each year, The Butchart Gardens are one of the most popular tourist attractions in British Columbia. This National Historic Site of Canada was created by the wife of a cement manufacturer.

Jennie Butchart transformed her husband Robert’s limestone quarry into a true oasis. Within the 55 acres of these Victorian gardens, there are 900 plant varieties and 26 greenhouses.

Don’t miss the Rose Garden, Japanese Garden, Sunken Garden and Mediterranean Garden. There’s a gift shop and several places to eat including The Blue Poppy Restaurant, The Dining Room and Coffee Shop.

Address: 800 Benvenuto Ave, Brentwood Bay, BC V8M 1J8, Canada

7. Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, UK

Famous for its Victorian glasshouses, the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew are also an important center for horticultural research. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is home to the largest collection of plants and fungi in the world.

Kew Gardens were the passion project of Princess Augusta, the wife of Frederick, Prince of Wales. George II’s son, he died young and his widow actively developed the collection of exotic plants that she and her husband had started together.

Among the highlights of a visit to Kew Gardens are the Treetop Walkway, the Japanese style pagoda and the Princess of Wales Conservatory. The Palm House was the first large scale use of wrought iron, while The Temperate House is the biggest surviving Victorian glasshouse in the world.

Another interesting attraction is The Hive, a geometric structure with an immersive visitor experience controlled by bee activity. Kew also has a charming hidden gem, the Marianne North Gallery. This Victorian building showcases 832 botanical paintings representing over 900 species of plants.

Address: North Gate, Kew, Richmond, TW9 3AE, UK

8. New York Botanical Garden, United States

Spread over 250 acres, New York Botanical Garden is home to 1 million plants! This is also an important plant research organization and a National Historic Landmark.

These magnificent gardens were created by the botanists Elizabeth and Nathaniel Lord Britton in 1891 after their trip to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.  They chose the northern section of the Bronx Park as the site of their botanical garden, due to the gorge, freshwater river and forest.

Today, this New York landmark includes 50 specialty gardens, the Mertz Library Building and the Haupt Conservatory.

Address: 2900 Southern Blvd, The Bronx, NY 10458

9. Gardens of Versailles, France

Created by the French landscape artist André Le Nôtre for the king Louis XIV aka the Sun King, the Versailles formal gardens are a fine example of French garden design. Taking over 40 years to complete, the Versailles Palace Gardens are spread over almost 200 acres.

One of the most famous Versailles garden features are the large parterres with their elegant symmetrical patterns. The Orangery boasts over 1000 trees including orange, lemon, pomegranate, palm and olive trees. 

There are 221 sculptures in the Palace of Versailles gardens, making this one of the largest open-air sculpture museums in the world. Another unmissable feature is the Queen’s Hamlet. This charming model village is built around an artificial lake in the Trianon Gardens.

Address: Place d’Armes, 78000 Versailles, France

10. Compton Acres, UK

A lesser known yet equally impressive garden is Compton Acres, in Dorset, United Kingdom. Founded by a wealthy margarine manufacturer in 1920, these award-winning gardens extend over 10 acres.

There are 5 main themed gardens, with something to see in all seasons. The Rock & Water Garden is one of the largest rock gardens in England.

In the Italian Garden, the Wrestlers of Herculaneum statues flank a picturesque lily pond. There are two gift shops within the grounds of Compton Acres, as well as several places to eat.

Address: 164 Canford Cliffs Rd, Poole BH13 7ES, United Kingdom

11. Monte Palace Gardens, Madeira

Madeira is famous for its botanical gardens and parks. One of the best is Monte Palace Gardens, which has an extensive collection of exotic plants from around the world.

Spread over 70,000 square meters, Monte Palace Gardens are on multiple levels. As you wander around, you’ll get fantastic views of Funchal and the sea.

Monte Palace has some particularly stunning tropical gardens, as well as an important collection of Hispano-Moorish tiles from the 15th and 16th centuries. In Monte Palace Madeira Museum there are many African sculptures as well as a fascinating mineral collection.

Address: Caminho do Monte 174, 9050-288 Funchal, Portugal

12. Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, Japan

One of the most beautiful gardens in Japan can be found in Tokyo. Shinjuku Gyoen was formerly a residence of the Naitō family in the Edo era.

It was turned into a public park in 1949 and has three types of garden: traditional, formal and landscape. If you can visit Tokyo in Spring, there are over 1,000 cherry trees to admire.

In Autumn, enjoy the changing colors of 450 Japanese maple trees. There’s a small fee to enter the garden, which is well worth it.

Address: 11 Naitomachi, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 160-0014, Japan

13. Dubai Miracle Garden

One of the most Instagrammable gardens in the world, Dubai Miracle Garden is a must visit. Boasting 50 million flowers and 250 million plants, this is the largest natural flower garden in the world.

Located in the district of Dubailand, the gardens are spread over 72,000 square meters. Over 1.5 million people visit the gardens each year.

As well as the heart shaped floral arches, there are many other highlights. A floral Airbus A380 airplane is a Guinness World Record-breaker as the largest flower arrangement in the world.

Address: Al Barsha South 3 – Dubai – United Arab Emirates

14. Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, France

Also known as Villa Ile-de-France, this charming garden is located on the French Riviera on Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. The Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild was constructed for Baroness Béatrice de Rothschild.

She was a keen gardener who designed several themed areas in the grounds. There’s a Florentine Garden, Spanish Garden, and several others to enjoy.

In the French Garden, musical fountains operate at regular intervals throughout the day. All the gardens are organically cultivated, with no chemical treatments.

Address: 1 Avenue Ephrussi de Rothschild, 06230 Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, France

15. Nong Nooch Tropical Garden, Thailand

One of the most beautiful gardens in Thailand, Nong Nooch extends over 500 acres. There’s a lot more than just flowers at Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden though.

NongNooch Pattaya Garden & Resort to give its full name, also includes accommodation, restaurants, meeting halls and a swimming pool. There are daily cultural shows in the Thai Cultural Hall, as well as cycling and paddle boats.

An elevated walkway gives great views of the garden. Another popular attraction is the feeding of the Arapaima, giant fish from the Amazon.

Address: 34 Na Chom Thian, Sattahip District, Chon Buri 20250, Thailand

16. Gardens by the Bay, Singapore

Since opening in 2012, Gardens by the Bay have welcomed more than 50 million visitors. Not to be confused with Singapore Botanic Gardens, this futuristic space is a popular photo spot.

There are three waterfront gardens, with a grove of 18 luminous Supertrees. An elevated walkway links several of these structures, and one contains a restaurant.

The Cloud Forest is the second tallest indoor waterfall in the world. As for the Flower Dome, it is the world’s largest column-free greenhouse.

Address: 18 Marina Gardens Dr, Singapore 018953

We hope you’ve enjoyed this selection of the most beautiful gardens in the world. If there are any other green spaces that you would add to the list, please let us know in the comments.