Whether you have a green thumb, or just want the experience of enjoying nature in full bloom, here are some ideas for planning a vacation around a flower show or botanical garden.
Established in 1891, the 250-acre New York Botanical Garden is the largest in any U.S. city. Themed spaces include a Victorian-style greenhouse, a garden with plants native to the Northeast, a Home Gardening Center and the Conifer Arboretum, a majestic collection of more than 250 pine, spruce and fir trees. The Garden’s annual Orchid Show takes place through April 21. The 2024 theme is Florals in Fashion, with creations inspired by this diverse and colorful flowering plant.
At Disney World, EPCOT’s International Flower & Garden Festival runs through May 27, and features topiary sculptures of characters from movies like “The Lion King,” “Frozen” and “Toy Story.” You can stroll through more than a dozen gardens that feature everything from Japanese bonsai to the flowers that influenced Shakespeare to a Tuscan kitchen garden with the ingredients for an Italian feast.
The Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden is home to some of the unique and beautiful plants that thrive in some of the world’s hottest and driest climates. The Sonoran Desert Trail leads to sweeping mountain views and a forest of organ pipe cactus that can grow up to 23 feet tall. On the Desert Wildflower Trail, you’ll encounter brightly colored blooms, as well as bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Events include Friday evening Music in the Garden concerts in April and May.
An oasis in the middle of the city for nearly a century, the Montreal Botanical Garden is home to a collection of more than 20,000 plant species in greenhouses and outdoor spaces. Themed areas include medicinal plants, a rose garden representing more than 900 species, a garden highlighting the traditions of Canada’s First Nations and a greenhouse featuring tropical rainforest plants.
If you’re a gardener or flower fan, London’s Chelsea Flower Show should be on your travel bucket list. Dating from 1913, Chelsea is the world’s most prestigious horticultural event, renowned for its stunning garden designs, gorgeous floral displays and innovative use of materials. For smaller spaces, the Balcony and Container Gardens offer inspiration for renters and urban gardeners. The show takes place May 23-25 on the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, a retirement home for British Army veterans.
From the end of March to the middle of May, large parts of the Netherlands are transformed into a patchwork quilt of colorful tulips. One of the best places to see them is at the Keukenhof Tulip Gardens, about 30 minutes from Amsterdam and open from March 21 to May 12. You’ll find millions of tulips, orchids, roses and other flowers along miles of trails, as well as in covered pavilions. The Keukenhof Flower Parade, on April 20, features floats decorated with spring flowers like tulips, hyacinths and daffodils.
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