7 Beautiful Urban Gardens in the USA

Portland, Oregon, has a unique gem only minutes from downtown. Tucked within the vast 162 hectares of Washington Park is a modest 2.2-hectare garden with breathtaking allure. The Portland Japanese Garden seemingly transports you to Japan. The Japanese ambassador to the USA described it as “the most beautiful and authentic Japanese garden in the world outside Japan.” Each of the five gardens – flat, strolling pond, tea, natural, and sand and stone – is designed to impart peace, harmony and tranquility. Stone, water and plants are the three essential elements used to create authentic Japanese gardens. Be sure to visit in the spring when the delicate flowers burst forth in a kaleidoscope of color.

No one ever really needs a season – or reason – to visit the iconic New York Botanical Garden in New York City, New York, but the fall and spring are particularly special times when the garden’s riot of color provides a welcome contrast to the city’s skyline. Located north of Manhattan in the Bronx, this 101-hectare historic garden draws over 300,000 annual visitors looking to soak up the aroma of roses, lilies and herbs. Visit the Azalea Garden, a 4.5-hectare garden featuring thousands of azaleas and rhododendrons – designed to provide colorful blooms nearly every day of the year – amid dramatic rock outcrops.

When visitors arrive in Dallas, Texas, they usually hit a Cowboys American football game, J.R. Ewing’s Southfork Ranch or maybe the nearby Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District. For a change of pace, spend an afternoon exploring the scenic 27-hectare Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden. Here, you’ll find areas devoted to specific types of flora. Of particular note is the Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden, a certified wildlife habitat complete with educational activities. Visit in the fall to see more than 65,000 pumpkins, gourds and squash that make up the Pumpkin Village.

Miami, Florida, lures about 14 million visitors each year with its beautiful beaches, but tucked away from the shore about 14 kilometers south of downtown is the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, a seamless blend of tropical plants and statuesque modern art fixtures. These 33.5 hectares in Coral Gables welcome more than 350,000 visitors each year, and there are plenty of opportunities to visit since it is open every day except for Christmas Day. Be sure to stop by and see the famous cigar orchid, a spectacular burst of orange and yellow.

One of the most popular gardens in the USA, the Boston Public Garden is a veritable Eden of relaxation. A stroll around this nearly 10-hectare garden in downtown Boston, Massachusetts, will lead you past many different types of plants. For a closer look, tag along on a public tour of the garden or take a ride in one of the iconic swan boats. Consider a visit in the fall, when the colorful changes in foliage transform the landscape.

The Desert Botanical Garden of Phoenix, Arizona, features more than 56 hectares of resilient flora, including the Southwest’s famous saguaro cactus. With so much to see and a variety of walking paths to choose from, come to the garden prepared with the Garden App, which can help you customize your experience. For those who are unaccustomed to the desert heat, visit in the winter, or embark upon the fun summer flashlight tour after sundown when the temperature cools. Visit in the spring to catch the Spring Concert Series.

This picturesque garden in the heart of Richmond, Virginia’s capital, is one of the state’s most popular attractions. Formerly a Powhatan Native American hunting ground, the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is now a beautiful 20-hectare bouquet of tulips, daffodils, roses and more. There are nine gardens, two woodland walks and a conservatory. Visit around the winter holidays when twinkling lights, handcrafted botanical decorations, model trains, holiday dinners, fire pits and hot chocolate create a holiday extravaganza.