As the famous quote by Cicero states: “If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need”. While browsing bookshelves can be fulfilling, not much compares to the natural beauty of a garden. Particularly if you’re into travelling and exploring.

50ft is the average UK garden size, which usually contains ten different kinds of flowers, a barbecue and a water feature, Foxtons estate agent has found. Although this sounds great for the homeowner, it doesn’t pique our interest as a voyeur of remarkable outdoor spaces. So, where are some of the world’s most beautiful and extravagant gardens? Composite decking boards retailer, Arbordeck, explains more:

Kew Gardens

Foxtons also found that competition over lawn and flowerbed maintenance is high amongst Brits — with a third admitting to it. This suggests that we have an affinity for aesthetically pleasing outdoor spaces, rather than just area that we can grow vegetables or do DIY.

The shapes, colours and light found in London’s Kew Gardens entice visitors from around the world to make a trip to the capital. The iconic glasshouse is surrounded by a collection of rare plants and immaculately kept lawns. In the evening, the area is illuminated spectacularly and during the day, you can wander around a maze of water features, buildings — such as the 18^th-century pagoda — and wildlife — from peacocks and robins, to ducks and Chinese water dragons.

Visitor numbers are on the up too, with Kew Gardens figures up 20% on the previous year. If you visit, makes sure to see The Hive — a 17-metre, multi-sensory construction that changes depending on bee activity.

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The Palace of Versailles’ Gardens

King Louis XIV’s reign was one of grandeur and spectacle. Designed and renovated by André Le Nôtre in 1661, the monarch’s gardens surrounding the Palace of Versailles in France today offer some of the most striking landscapes in the world.

Designing the gardens took over 40 years, as Le Nôtre collaborated with artists and architects under the watchful eye of the king. The renovation was a mammoth task consisting of creating canals, shifting soil and transporting trees from various regions in the country at a time when the logistics and construction industries were obviously nowhere near as advanced as today.

Visitors today to the Palace can enjoy orange, lemon, oleander and pomegranate groves, as well as ornate marble sculptures and relaxing waterfalls.

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Gardens by the Bay

Housed in the 250-acre Gardens by the Bay are more than a million plants, spread across three waterfront areas.

Futuristic sci-fi lovers will appreciate a trip to Gardens by the Bay. A panoramic view of this destination gives the impression of a grown-over city centuries from now, with huge towers, glassed domes, immaculate walkways, and immense water features surrounded by exotic trees and vivid plants. Visit Flower Dome — the largest glass greenhouse in the world — or head to Supertree Grove, which is a network of illuminated, tree-shaped vertical gardens. The Cloud Forest section is a great place to learn about rare flowers and endangered plants, and you can experience memorable views from the 22-metre high aerial walkway of the entire area.

Over 40 million people have visited this garden hotspot, securing its space on the list of Earth’s most checked-in places on Facebook.

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Keukenhof Gardens

The Horticultural Trades Association estimates the UK’s garden plant spend at around £1.5 billion. At the Keukenhof Gardens in the Netherlands, you have 32 hectares of land scattered with seven million flowers — including 800 varieties of the iconic Dutch tulip in hues and shapes you’ve never seen anywhere else.

You’ll have to time your visit right, as today the Keukenhof Gardens is only open for two months during the year. However, the visit is worth it. You’re treated to a blend of English and French horticultural designs filled with old beech trees and pretty ponds, and there’s also a petting zoo home to miniature pigs, giant rabbits and alpacas!

Cumulating with a classic music festival, this year’s theme at the gardens has been announced as ‘Romance in Flowers’.

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Bookworm Garden

A.A Milne once said: “Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them,”. Bookworm Gardens is a quirky, botanic environment found in Wisconsin, USA, and inspired by our favourite childhood stories!

Fusing literature with the outdoors, the gardens were opened in 2010 and have since been modified to feature some of young minds’ favourite literary characters and buildings. With turkeys, owls, chipmunks and butterflies calling Bookworm Gardens home, it’s no surprise that the venue is a top place for families and schools.

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Garden of Cosmic Speculation

Science lovers and fans of optical illusions should start planning their trip to the Garden of Cosmic Speculation. Found in Dumfries, Scotland, it’s 30 acres in size and was created by revered architect, Charles Jencks.

Visiting the garden can be overwhelming, as you explore theories, ideas and influences as you make your way through the environment. There are terraces, sculptures, lakes, bridges, and a labyrinth of witty architectural works at Garden of Cosmic Speculation. Designed to detail the story of the universe and complexities of space and time, you can spend hours working out what Jencks meant by checked terraces, snail-formed mounds and zigzagging staircases.

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Sources:

https://hta.org.uk/learn-develop/market-information/garden-industry-statistics.html

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/3692942/british-garden-research-gnome-bbq-sheds-summer/

https://www.kew.org/sites/default/files/RBG%20Kew%2016-17%20Annual%20Report%20and%20Accounts.pdf

https://www.kew.org/kew-gardens/attractions/the-hive

http://en.chateauversailles.fr/discover/estate/gardens

http://www.gardensbythebay.com.sg/en/attractions/ocbc-skyway.html

https://keukenhof.nl/en/#discover-the-park

https://www.travelwisconsin.com/arts-and-culture/bookworm-gardens-208647

http://www.bookwormgardens.org/

http://scotlandsgardens.org/portrack-the-garden-of-cosmic-speculation/