The world's finest gardens are more than a collection of beautiful plants and flowers together in place. Rather, they are places that feel like a living work of art with thoughtful design, photogenic corners and a cheerful personality. These five gardens are among the most beautiful you need to see this summer.
Gardens are rarely what motivate people to plan vacations. Travellers usually chase grand monuments, famous skylines, dreamy castles, or postcard-perfect coastlines. Yet some of the world's extraordinary places are gardens. With a slower pace of life, a winding path and the willingness to stop and admire nature at its best. The finest gardens in the world aren't just a collection of plants; they are art.
From an artist's vision and a horticulturist's experiment to an architect's obsession with form and symmetry, these five gardens tell stories far more interesting than those of museums and offer views that could bring coastlines to shame. And this summer, these gardens are putting on their best displays and here's why you should visit each of them.
5 beautiful gardens in the world to see this summer
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, United Kingdom
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, was founded in 1759. Most people think of it as a beautiful or prestigious garden. It is that, of course, but it is also one of the most important botanical institutions on Earth. According to UNESCO, Kew has continuously contributed to the study of plant diversity and economic botany. Hence, it is also known as one of the most biodiverse places on Earth. It is home to over 50,000 plants.
Beyond the plants, the Palm Glasshouse is one of its greatest landmarks, with the Temperate House close behind. There's also the Great Broad Walk Borders, one of the most-loved displays in the garden, and the Treetop Walkway, which offers a different view of the garden. The Princess of Wales Conservatory adds to the charm. Summer is the perfect time to visit Kew, as days are longer, flowers are blooming, and beauty meets science in the best way possible.
Claude Monet's Garden, Giverny, France
Few gardens have changed art history, and this one sure did. One of the most romantic gardens on this list, Monet lived here from 1883 to 1926. He shaped the garden in his own way, making it one of the most recognisable landscapes in Europe. Monet's home was restored in the 1970s, and the garden was built around his private sanctuary.
The garden is divided into two key parts: the flower garden, also known as the Clos Normand, and the water garden. The flower garden has its flower beds and rich planting, while the water garden boasts lily ponds (yes, the ones you see in Monet’s paintings) and the Japanese bridge. Wisteria hangs from arches and walls, while weeping willow trees bend gently towards the pond. The entire garden feels like a scene straight out of one of Monet's paintings.
Gardens of Villandry, France
One of the most structured and design-led gardens, Villandry doesn't focus on flowers. The garden, instead, turns vegetables into a masterpiece. Set within a Renaissance château in the Loire Valley, Villandry is famous for its ornamental kitchen garden, where cabbages, lettuces and other edible plants are arranged with the care of a jewel box. The garden unfolds across four terraces, each with its distinct identity and aesthetic principle.
There's the Love Garden, the Water Garden, the Herb garden, and the Sun Garden, all of which carry the same grace and elegance. What stands out is how Villandry turns vegetables into patterns, symmetry, and colour. The garden's colour changes with every season and reaches its peak in September.
Gardens by the Bay, Singapore
Gardens by the Bay is the classic example of horticulture meets science fiction. Opened in 2012, it is part of Singapore's broader vision to become a city of nature. With over 1.5 million plants from every continent except Antarctica, it is one of Asia's premier horticultural destinations. The main draw here is the combination of landscape and engineered spectacle.
For instance, the Supertree Grove has 12 of the gardens' 18 Supertrees and the tallest reached over 50 metres. Meanwhile, the Cloud Forest has a misty mountain atmosphere, and the Flower Dome feels like a world of controlled climate and precise planting. All of this comes alive at night with the Garden Rhapsody light-and-music show.
The Butchart Gardens, British Columbia, Canada
Butchart Gardens is special because it began as an industrial scar on the landscape. Created by Jennie Butchart, the garden site was a former limestone quarry. It was transformed into the beautiful garden that it is today over time. It is still privately owned and operated by the Butchart family, and was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 2004.
The family's old limestone quarry became the Sunken Garden. Then later came the Japanese Garden, Italian Garden, and Rose Garden. The Rose Garden has over 2,500 roses that bloom from summer to early autumn, making it one of the best places to visit this summer.
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