VI
EN
Jardim Botanico Garden (Brazil)
The Jardim Botanico, spanning 140 hectares, is located at the foot of Mount Corcovado in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is home to over 6,500 rare and diverse plant species. Founded in 1808 by King John VI of Portugal, the park initially cultivated spices such as nutmeg, pepper, and cinnamon, which originated in the West Indies before being imported to Europe. Opened to the public in 1822, the Jardim Botanico continues to be one of Brazil's most important botanical research sites. Beyond its collection of rare plants, Jardim Botanico is also an ideal destination for bird lovers, offering the opportunity to admire the rare white-throated falcon, a species not easily found in its natural habitat.
Brooklyn Botanic Garden (USA)
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is located in the Prospect Park neighborhood of New York City, USA. This 52-acre garden was established in 1910 and attracts over 900,000 visitors annually. The garden boasts over 200 cherry trees, encompassing 42 different species, and is considered one of the best places outside of Japan for cherry blossom viewing.
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden includes the Steinhardt area, where the air and temperature can be controlled to grow flowers from tropical, warm temperate, and even desert regions. In addition, the garden features an art gallery and a children's garden, the oldest continuously operating children's garden in a botanical garden in the world.
Singapore Botanic Gardens (Singapore)
Located alongside the bustling Orchard Road for over 158 years, the Singapore Botanic Gardens is the only tropical garden to be included in UNESCO's World Heritage list. The garden is considered a Mecca for orchid lovers, boasting over 20,000 exquisite orchid species scattered throughout its grounds.
This 183-acre garden also features a children's garden, an evolutionary garden, a ginger garden, a rainforest, and a wild monkey army. It is also one of Singapore's most popular tourist attractions.
Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney (Australia)
Located on the edge of Sydney's towering central business district, the Royal Botanic Gardens occupies a prime location in the port city. To the west of the gardens lies the famous Opera House. Opened in 1816, the gardens are not only home to many rare plant species but also host some of Australia's oldest scientific events. The park is also home to a massive colony of over 20,000 bats.
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (England)
The Royal Botanic Gardens, located on the River Thames in Kew, England, is home to the world's largest collection of plants. Established in 1840, the gardens boast over 30,000 different plant species. The gardens are one of the world's greatest heritage sites and also a vast library containing over 750,000 invaluable texts by renowned botanists, including the scientist Joseph Banks. The park also houses the Water Lily House, the Temperate House, the Palm House, the Conservatory, and is one of three botanical gardens included in the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Denver Botanic Gardens (USA)
The Denver Botanic Gardens not only boasts the largest plant collection in North America, but it also proudly hosts spectacular concerts. This 23-acre garden sits atop the former cemetery of Prospect Hill (Colorado). In 1893, most of the bodies, including those of notorious bandits from the Wild West era, were relocated. In 2010, four more graves were discovered during renovations to the park's irrigation and sprinkler system.
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden (South Africa)
Located on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain in Cape Town, Kirstenbosch National Botanic Gardens is one of the most beautiful destinations in the world. It was the first national park to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the few places in the world that cultivates only native plants. In 1913, to commemorate its centenary, the park's management commissioned the construction of the Centenary Underpass, a curved steel and timber bridge. Inspired by the skeleton of a snake, the bridge has been nicknamed "Boomslang" (Snake Bridge) by locals.
Montreal Botanical Garden (Canada)
The Montreal Botanical Garden, established in 1931, is a renowned oasis in the heart of the city. It features a Chinese garden with a collection of bonsai trees and rockeries, a Japanese garden with numerous Japanese plants, and a national garden dedicated solely to native Canadian plants.
The park is also renowned for its unique art installations. In 2018, the park management constructed a viewing walkway directly above the animal enclosures, all of which are very large in scale. Visitors can see a wide variety of mammals, birds, and insects native to Quebec.
Nongnooch Tropical Botanical Garden (Thailand)
Located on 500 acres of rolling hills and valleys behind the Pattaya tourist area, Nongnooch Botanical Garden is the brainchild of Dr. Nongnooch, who drew inspiration from the beauty of world-renowned gardens to transform his orchard into a spectacular tropical flower and bonsai garden.
Opened to the public in 1980, the garden quickly became one of the most popular attractions in Southeast Asia. The garden is a blend of Thai architecture and European-style gardens.
Nongnooch Tropical Botanical Garden features a French garden and a European garden, an orchid garden, a flower valley, and a dinosaur valley with life-sized replicas of species such as Oviraptors, Styracosaurus, and Cyrolophosaurus.
