Guest Blog by Estelle Page You don’t have to be a keen gardener to appreciate a good garden. What’s more, I think there is something that conditions many a woman out there to find bunches of pretty, colourful flowers gorgeous to look at.
Few can deny the beauty of nature, so all the more excuse to drag your man along to some of these amazing gardens next time you’re in search for some new sights!
Gardens of Versailles – Hakone Gardens, California –
Keukenhof Gardens, Lisse, Netherlands –
The Garden of Cosmic Speculation, Scotland – Minneapolis Sculpture Garden
Gardens of Versailles
Louis XIV was renowned for his love of fine art and wonderfully intricate and luxurious decor.
It’s no wonder then that the Gardens of Versailles, originally built for him, represent a spectacular, over-the-top affair. All this makes a great day out.
Thousands of men pulled together to build these swirling loops of greenery and artfully-arranged flowerbeds.
Hakone Gardens, California, USA
The oldest Japanese garden in the Western world, this is a beautiful set of gardens featuring traditional Japanese tea houses, a bamboo garden, a peaceful Zen garden and much more.
I’d recommend visiting on a weekday when there aren’t any tourists around.
Designed by Isabel Stine after a trip to Japan, parts of the garden were even used to film Memoirs of a Geisha; if you loved that film as much as I did you can’t go wrong with a trip to this place!
Keukenhof Gardens, Lisse, Netherlands
This isn’t nicknamed ‘The Garden of Europe’ for nothing.
If what you’re after is a truly spectacular, awe-inspiring selection of floral varieties in every colour under the sun, this is the place for you.
It’s also home to the must-see Baba Yaga, a unique black tulip variety you’ll be hard pressed to spot anywhere else in the world. Grab the family, whip out your camera and prepare to take some of the most stunning family photos you can imagine.
A multi-coloured backdrop to your family photo album, beautiful!
The Garden of Cosmic Speculation, Scotland
If your partner really can’t be persuaded to spend a day browsing bunches of beautiful florals in the great outdoors, why not try this place.
This bizarre sculpted garden is less about nature and more about maths and science, with dizzy looking sculptures and unique landscaping, which altogether create a garden that’s truly breathtaking.
Trust me, you won’t have seen anything like this before!
Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, Minneapolis, USA
If trying to get the kids to put their games consoles down and take a breath of the fresh, outdoor air is proving difficult this is another great option. They’ll be amazed by such delights as a gigantic spoon and cherry sitting perched over the top of a lake and some beautiful geometrically planted hedgerows.
The inspiration? Louis XIV’s Gardens of Versailles of course, with a much more modern take on the ‘fine gardening’ trend.
The list goes on, but these are my favourites
The only thing to warn you about is that possible sense of deflation on arriving back to your own garden (or lack thereof). Hopefully, you’ll just feel motivated to make the most of what you’ve got – why not add a touch of designed luxury with some gorgeous Neptune garden furniture ?
You could create your own mini Versailles at home!
Estelle Page loves travelling, gardening, her precious Neptune furniture and most of all, discovering new and beautiful gardens around the globe.
