Nature lovers will find much to explore at America’s colorful and diverse gardens and arboretums.
1. Denver Botanic Gardens and its two satellite locations offer a range of experiences for plant lovers, from alpine tundra at Mount Goliath to plants from around the globe at the York Street gardens.
2. The 446-acre U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, D.C., is run by the government as a research facility, but it’s open to the public and boasts and impressive collection.
3. Rose lovers shouldn’t miss the Rose Gardens in Portland, Ore., including the International Rose Test Garden, the oldest such garden in the U.S. and a testing ground for new rose breeds.
4. Boston’s Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University is one of the world’s leading facilities for the study of plants. It hosts a daylong festival each year for the lilac.
5. Enjoy native Midwestern plants and many others at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Ill. The arboretum features an extensive interactive Children’s Garden.
6. Explore rare tropical plants at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Coral Gables, Fla. The garden is dedicated to conserving rare plants.
7. Founded in 1859, the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis is the country’s oldest continuously operating garden. It boasts a 14-acre Japanese strolling garden and a large collection of rare orchids.
8. Rare and exotic rhododendrons are the centerpiece of Meerkerk Rhododendron Gardens in Greenbank, Washington. The gardens feature 53 acres of woodlands and more than 5 miles of trails.