Some of the finest botanical gardens in the world

Botanical gardens are some of the world’s most attractive and intriguing landmarks. Here are several of the best arboretums on Earth.

New York Botanical Garden

Founded in 1891, the New York Botanical Garden is recognised as a National Landmark and is one of the country’s most visited tourist attractions. It covers an area of 250 acres and is home to over one million living plants. It is managed by a staff of 200 experts and has one of the world’s largest and most important plant life research and conservation programs. It has several buildings on its premises the most noted of which are:

Haupt Conservatory which is the oldest structure in the gardens
Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden
Stone Mill
NYBG Library

Berlin-Dahlem Botanical Garden and Botanical Museum

This 43 hectare garden is considered to be one of the most important in the world. It was officially opened in 2010 and today houses approximately 22.000 different species of plant. It has a total of 16 glasshouses which display plant life from all over the planet. The Pavilion Victoria is perhaps the most interesting as it showcases a rich collection of orchids, white water lilies and carnivorous plants. The Botanical Museum has one of the largest herbariums and scientific libraries in Germany.

Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden

Located at the foot of the Corcovado Mountain which is topped by the world famous statue of Christ the Redeemer the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden spreads over an area of 140 hectares. It houses over 6.500 species of plant life and is perhaps the most important arboretum in South America. It was established in 1808 as a scientific facility and opened to the public in 1922. Today it is one of Brazil’s most visited landmarks and is home to several interesting building including one of the oldest gunpowder factories in the country.

Royal Botanic Gardens

Situated in the heart of Sydney, the Royal Botanic Gardens were opened in 1816 and are the oldest scientific institution in the country. Their location on the Sydney Harbour, the largest natural waterfront on the planet, has made them one of the world’s most important arboretums. They cover an area of 74 hectares and are shaped to form a natural amphitheatre. The site is divided into four different zones: Palace Gardens, Lower Gardens, Bennelong and Middle Gardens. It also provides astonishing views of the adjacent Sydney Opera House which is the most emblematic Australian edifice.

Missouri Botanical Garden

Also known as Shaw’s Garden, the Missouri Botanical Garden was founded by philanthropist Henry Shaw in 1859. It is the oldest botanical institution in the United States and covers an area of 79 acres. Seiwa-en is arguably the most famous section of the arboretum as it is the largest Japanese garden in the western hemisphere (14 acres). The Climatron Geodesic Dome Conservatory is another well-known facility of the site as it houses exotic tropical plants and has a children’s area which comprised of a tree house and limestone cave which has been fitted as a playground. The Missouri Botanical Garden is also often used as a venue for different events such as the Japanese Festival and the Chinese Culture Days.

Kew Gardens

Kew Gardens is home to the world’s largest collection of living plants. The site is located in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and covers an area of 300 acres. The gardens were established in 1840 but the site has been housing plant life since 1759 which is way historians claim that the botanical garden dates back to the mid-18th century. Presently it has an estimate of 30.000 species of plants and is visited by approximately 1.4 million people on an annual basis. Kew Gardens comprised of several plant houses including the well-known Davies Alpine House which is an environmentally friendly structure that is dedicated to the conservation of cool weather plants. Other renowned greenhouses are:

The Water Lily House
The Palm House
The Conservatory
The Temperate House

In 2003, Kew Gardens was granted the status of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Singapore Botanic Garden

Credited as the best arboretum on the planet, the Singapore Botanic Garden was founded in 1859. The Orchid Section is beyond any doubt the most attractive and interesting area of the site as it contains more than 20.000 orchids from different 3.000 species (including 2.000 hybrid species). The oldest part of the garden is a 6 hectares rainforest which is one of the two rainforest in the world which are situated within an urban settlement, the being in the aforementioned Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden. Other intriguing attractions are the Evolution Garden, the Ginger Garden, the Terrapins and the Wild Monkeys. The Singapore Botanic Garden has been a World Heritage Site since 2015.

Montreal Botanical Garden

As the name suggest this botanical garden lies in the Canadian city of Montreal in the province of Quebec. It was opened during the early 1930s and currently spreads over an area of 190 acres. It is one of the city’s most visited landmarks with almost 700.000 visitors per year. The garden is home to an estimate of 22.000 species of plant life and was recognised as a National Historic Site of Canada in 2008. It also has an insectarium which displays over 160.000 living and preserved bug specimens. The site is so famous and beautiful that it was used during the 1976 Summer Olympic Games to host the 20 kilometre athletic walk and a portion of the modern pentathlon event.

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden

This 89 acres arboretum is situated at the foot of Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa. It covers an area of 528 hectares and was founded in 1913 in order to preserve the country’s one of kind plant life. The garden managements emphasise on the cultivation and preservation of the local flora and at the time was the first in the world to hold such work ethics.