I have a yearly pass to Butchart Gardens Victoria BC.

Under the National Gardens Scheme, English private gardens open to the public for charity. You can buy a book that lists them. Fabulous way to see English gardens.

Libby

More to see on Vancouver Island in the link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Places to Visit

If you are in Philadelphia, in addition to Chanticleer in Wayne, visit the Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania in Chestnut Hill and the Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College. In D.C., don't miss the National Arboretum and for something smaller, Green Spring Gardens in Alexandria. Also, Washington's River Farm has small, but pretty gardens and there is always Mount Vernon.

I like to add and alter your list. First, In the UK, The Royal Botanical Garden, Kew. If you've ever seen British 'stuff' on TV that shows the HUGE Victorian greenhouses, That is Kew. I passed even the roses for the 400 yo collection of trees. I have never been so dwarfed! Absolutely Awesome and Jaw Dropping. Plan a DAY and have lunch.

Second, I'd pass Sarah P Duke garden. BTW, its in Durham, not Chapel Hill. I'd go to Montrose. An internationally known private garden and estate (two blocks from my house).We could do lunch (lol)

Third, to add: Parc Quell, In Barcelona. The Gaudi designed garden/park that went with his home. I can't forget his beach and humongus Agaves, oh, and wild parrots all over the place. The architecture alone is worth the price of a plane ticket. FABULOUS.

I think the Butchart Gardens are lovely. Saw them years ago with my Mom, but unfortuantely, we went in the spring, before the roses were blooming. The rhodedendrons were beautiful!

Closer to home, I would have to vote for Manito Park in Spokane, WA. The park has several gardens, including a more recent addition, a Japanese garden that is very charming.

Good offshoot! I thought we needed to do this.

A second thumbs up for Sissinghurst - I was so overwhelmed in that garden that I had to sit down and cry. I was drinking it all in when an English blackbird (not like ours) started singing and my knees buckled. Hard to explain. Knowing the history of the garden and the story of Vita; the love and efforts over the ages... amazing. It wasn't the oldest garden I've been in by far; but certinly the most engaging. Have you ever heard the song, "The First Time I Loved Forever"? If I could sing a love song to a garden, I would sing that to Sissinghurst! It enclosed me. :) ThereÂs a (racy) romantic version of the song on YOUTUBE.

I never met a garden I didn't like.

OH-
Kingwood Center  2nd favorite

IL-
Chicago Botanic Garden

MO-
Missouri Botanic Garden

IN-
Indianapolis Museum of Art

MS-
Bellingrath

Other I like that have already been mentioned  Wisley, Butchart, Chanticleer, moreÂ

I personally didnÂt LOVE Biltmore. I liked it. I also didnÂt love Great Dixter; although it was interesting.

Last week this site cost me $$$ when I had to buy some books that were discussed. Now youÂre going to plan the next five years of my travels!! Awesome.

Mickie

One of my all-time favorites not yet mentioned is Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens in Ontario...and it's free!!

Here is a link that might be useful: Niagara Parks Botanical Garden

I am trying to remember the gardens that I've visited. Here are a few...

France:
Monet's Gardens at Giverny and other places around Paris:
Inspiration de Jardin: Giverny Musée des Impressionismes

Monet's House and Gardens

Monet's Clos Normand

Monet's Water Garden at Giverny

Jardin des Plantes

Jardin du Luxembourg

Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild

UK:
Kew
Hampton Court

Italy:
Boboli Gardens in Florence
Borghese Gardens in Rome

As a freelance writer, I have written travel itineraries (free to download) for the visitnc (North Carolina tourism) website. The 1-3 day itineraries include suggestions for places to eat that may be of interest to gardeners (farmer's markets, organic foods, etc.) as well as places to stay. Keep in mind, I was writing to promote tourism for our state!

Since these are free, I hope it's okay to link.

www.visitnc.com Gardens & Arboretums

Love our Triangle of GardensMountains of Flowers
Cool Coastal Gardens

Washington, DC and Virginia area:

US Botanical Gardens
Mount Vernon
Monticello
Poplar Forest (Jefferson's 2nd home)

That's probably enough!
Cameron

I would second Sissinghurst and add in Great Dixter. A friend in England visited both and sent me pictures that made my mouth drop wide open. I have the pictures uploaded to my Photobucket account if you are interested and bored enough during the long nights of winter to peruse. I am sure there are tons of other gardens in England that I would love to go visit, if not just the various individual gardens of many of the people who live in the countryside in that country.

Sissinghurst

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v158/nckvilledude/Sissinghurst/

Here is a link that might be useful: Great Dixter

I'll add a few fantastic ones that I have visited in Scotland:

- Inverewe Garden (NTS) - Wester Ross area
- Jura House Garden - Hebridean Isle of Jura
- Attadale House Garden - near Lochcarron, Wester Ross
- Crarae (NTS) - Argyll
- Arduaine (NTS) - Argyll
- Benmore Younger Botanic - Argyll
- Ardkinglas Woodland Garden - Argyll

NTS = National Trust for Scotland

Eduarda

n'dudes, Great Dixter is amazing! I love the juxtaposition of the sculptural hedgerows with the wild exuberance of the gardens in front. Wow. My brain is plotting a trip...if nothing else, it will be added to my images in "my happy place" escape from reality.

Southern Calif
Lotusland
Huntington Gardens
Descanso Gardens
Quail Botanical Gardens

Northern Calif
San Francisco Arbotetum
UC Berekely Botanical Garden
UC Santa Cruz Botanical Garden
Filoli
Mendocino Coast Botanical Garden
Ruth Bancroft Garden

Annies Annuals (very cool display gardens)

Oregon
Washington Park Rose garden (Portland)
Cistus Nursery (Sauvies Island)
Heirloom Roses

NYC
Wave Hill

Mass

Tower Hill

Maine
Maine Coast Botanical Garden

Chicago
Lurie Garden in Millenium Park

Kathy in Napa

Oops forgot to add Powerscourt Garden in Ireland. Visited there over 10 years ago and just loved it. The house itself had been hit by fire and they were just starting to renovate it, but the gardens were just wonderful.

Cameron, I'm glad you added Boboli. The statuary was beautiful and the grotto breathtaking.

This list is great! Keep them coming!

Brookgreen Gardens in Myrtle Beach SC is great!

Hmmmm, the west coast seems to be getting a short shrift :-)

Some good California gardens listed. I'd add to that the garden at the Getty Museum. And if you like that plant type (which I do), the Moorten Botanical Garden, aka the National Cactus and Succulent Botanical Garden and Research Center in Palm Springs is stunningly dramatic.

In Washington state, I wouldn't miss the Bellevue Botanical Garden (with one of largest mixed perennial borders in the US), Kubota Gardens, the Rhododendron Species Foundation garden, Bloedel Reserve, Washington Park Arboretum and Ohme Gardens in Wenatchee. Although closed to the public now (with the odd open day for special events) the gardens at the old Heronswood Nursery in Kingston were spectacular. Its loss is a continuing sore point for the many locals that grew up gardening with this former fabulous nursery. Burpeewood just cannot compare.

Thyme2dig, much thanks for this great thread from a newbie who can't wait to visit all of these beautiful gardens. I visited the NY Botanical Garden this summer - wow! Leslie

Wonderful thread!! If I may reinforce/add:
Kew Gardens - any season - golden pheasants in the rhodo bower.
In London, St. James Park!!! Wow!
Also, in London, check all the hidden Gardens - not all have high walls, some have nice wrought iron fences!!
North of Dublin - Ardgillan Demanse - amazing!!! A monkey puzzle tree, at least 4 storeys high. A fabulous rose garden. The nearby towns and villages are full of private pockets gardens that will blow your mind!!
Dublin itself - a fabulous city park, opposite Grafton Street.
Outside of Rome - Tivoli Gardens!! The garden is mostly green, but check out the water features!!
Rome - the Borghese Park - great if just for the gelato vendors and folly's, but awesome on it's own.
Aberdeen, Scotland - check out the Winter Gardens. All under glass - many different zones - excellent. Also, in summer, renowned for its Roses!!
Versailles was pretty much shut down for Winter when I was there.
Ottawa - Grounds of the Residence of the Governor-General - cool, and once a year they do the Bunny-Hop and open the greenhouses. Festival of Spring - 10,000's of thousands of tulips - donated by the Netherlands in thanks for sheltering their Queen during WWII - thank you, it was our pleasure, and continues to be!!
Butchart Gardens in Victoria - even the gardens in the city, and the side streets!!!
That's enough for now!!

Nancy.

Hmm - I'll have to copy this thread somewhere - there are a bunch I've never heard of!

Favorites I have visited:

France:
Villandry
Versailles

Spain:
Parc Guell - I visited as an architecture student, so wasn't thinking rom a garden perspective. Definitely a cool place.

US:
Illinois:
Chicago Botanic Gardens

WI: Olbrich Botanical Gardens, Madison - free, too! Was just there with dh for our 10 year anniversary trip, and I insisted on visiting even at the end of season. It has great bones...

CA: Huntington Gardens
The Getty

Cape Cod - I forget the name of the 2 gardens we visited there.

Ok, that's enough for now.