gardens Archives

The Boboli Gardens in Florence, Tuscany.

Visiting the Boboli Gardens, Florence: practical guide for first-time visitors

The Boboli Gardens behind Palazzo Pitti in Florence, Italy, are one of the great Italian Renaissance gardens — 45 hectares of terraced garden, grottos, fountains, and statuary stretching from the Oltrarno to Porta Romana. This guide was updated in June 2026. Two things to note…

The Oxford Botanic Garden in Oxford, South-East England.

Visiting Oxford Botanic Garden, Oxford: practical guide for first-timers

Oxford Botanic Garden is the oldest botanic garden in the United Kingdom, established in 1621. It's on Rose Lane beside the River Cherwell in central Oxford, managed by the University of Oxford. It holds over 5,000 different plant species across a walled garden, glasshouses, and…

El Drago in Icod de los Vinos, Tenerife.

Parque del Drago, Icod de los Vinos, Tenerife: practical guide for first-time visitors

Parque del Drago in Icod de los Vinos is a three-hectare botanical park centred on the Drago Milenario — the oldest and largest dragon tree (Dracaena draco) in the Canary Islands. The tree is officially dated at around 800 years old, though it is widely…

Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Visiting Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, Pittsburgh: practical guide for first-timers

Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens is a botanical garden and glasshouse complex in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This guide covers opening hours, ticket prices, parking, public transport, accessibility, and practical visitor tips. Last updated: June 2026. Note for visitors using older guides: the current adult admission price…

Visiting RHS Garden Hyde Hall, Essex: practical guide for first-time visitors

RHS Garden Hyde Hall is the Royal Horticultural Society's flagship garden in Essex, sitting on an exposed hilltop near Chelmsford with wide skies and far-reaching views that are entirely different in character from the other four RHS gardens. This guide was updated in June 2026.…

Visiting Kew Gardens, Richmond: practical guide for first-time visitors

Kew Gardens — officially the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew — is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Richmond, south-west London, holding the largest and most diverse botanical and mycological collections in the world across 320 acres. This guide was updated in June 2026. Two things…

The ruins of St Mary's Abbey in York Museum Gardens.

Visiting York Museum Gardens, York: practical guide for first-timers

York Museum Gardens are a 10-acre public botanical garden in the centre of York, managed by York Museums Trust and situated on Museum Street beside the River Ouse. This guide covers opening hours, entry costs, what to see, transport and parking, accessibility, and practical tips…

RHS Bridgewater: A Victorian estate demolished in 1943, now one of the North’s most visited gardens

In 1840, the 1st Earl of Ellesmere built Worsley New Hall — a Gothic Revival mansion on a 154-acre estate beside the Bridgewater Canal in Salford. Queen Victoria visited twice. King Edward VII reviewed troops here in 1909. Then came the 20th century: the house…

Visiting the United States Botanic Garden, Washington DC: practical guide for first-timers

The United States Botanic Garden (USBG) is a free, federally funded living plant museum located at 100 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington DC, adjacent to the US Capitol, with a collection of more than 44,000 plants and over 200 years of history. This guide covers opening…

Visiting the Santa Fe Botanical Garden, New Mexico: practical guide for first-time visitors

The Santa Fe Botanical Garden is a 19-acre public garden on Museum Hill in Santa Fe. It focuses on native and drought-adapted plants of the American South-West, alongside contemporary sculpture and educational programmes. This guide covers opening hours, admission, parking, accessibility, and practical visitor tips.…