Six botanical gardens for enthusiasts and those with inquisitive minds

LA BAMBOUSERAIE (THE BAMBOO CEVENNES)
Générargues, France

Rated as one of the most beautiful gardens in France, La Bambouseraie in Cévennes is a veritable slice of Asia in the Occitania region between Provence and Languedoc. The brainchild of botanist and spice trader, Eugene Mazel, in the mid-19th century, it can be visited daily from mid-February to mid-November.
With over a thousand varieties of bamboo and a selection of exceptional trees and plants, these botanical gardens transport its visitors into a unique experience in harmony with nature. From the forest of bamboos, up to 25 meters tall, to the alley of majestic redwoods at the park's entrance, to the so-called "Dragon Valley," designed by landscape architect Erik Borja under the influence of Japanese garden tradition and Zen, it's easy to become
lost in its stillness. Inside we also find water gardens, where large stone pools house fabulous varieties of water lilies; a plant labyrinth, a metaphor for the journey to knowledge; an aerial pathway on nets to admire the vegetation from above; and a reproduction of a traditional Laotian village and its flora, among banana trees,
taro plants and sugar cane.

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LONGWOOD GARDENS
Longwood, Pennsylvania, USA

In the heart of Chester County, Longwood Gardens Botanical Garden colors more than 1,000 acres with more than nine thousand varieties of plants of all kinds, native and exotic trees, and decorative horticulture. Founded in 1906 by Pierre du Pont, the institution has steadily increased its reputation through its care and dedication to botany, design, education and art. Its famous fountains, picturesque forests, greenhouses, and indoor conservatory attract visitors from all over the world at all times of the year. As you venture into this horticultural paradise, you can take part in the many events held regularly, including gardening demonstrations, educational programs, children's activities, cooking and floral design workshops, concerts and theater performances.

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LE JARDIN SECRET (THE SECRET GARDEN) OF MARRAKECH
Marrakesh, Morocco

An enchanted place, rich in history and beauty: the Secret Garden of Marrakech is a jewel charged with positive energy that is open all year round. The current layout of the structure includes a lush palace, passed down from hand to hand by sultans and courtiers, and two gardens within it. The exotic garden brings together plants from all over the world and is inspired by the great gardens of Marrakech, a place that, from the Middle Ages until the 20th century, was conceived precisely as a garden city. This is evidenced by its historical nicknames-"a rose among palm trees," "an oasis in the desert, or even "Al-Bahja", the city of peace and open air as evidenced by the Agdal and Menara gardens themselves. The Islamic Garden, on the other hand, has been restored while maintaining what is presumed to have been
the 19th-century planting scheme. Very similar to the concept of the riad, this type of garden was a true oasis of peace, where people devoted themselves to rest and contemplation under the shade of the trees and the intimacy of the enclosed space. The four-part layout typical of the Islamic Garden, designed to optimize irrigation of the soil, is reminiscent of the description of paradise in the Quran. And the garden is conceived as a metaphor for paradise: that is, a sacred place, laid out according to strict geometric rules, in which Muslim order asserts itself over the disorder of the wilderness.

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BROOKLYN BOTANIC GARDEN
New York, USA

A green gem set in the metropolitan fabric of New York City, more specifically in Brooklyn. It is a large botanical park populated by a myriad of plants and flowers, expertly arranged and presented to be an educational attraction, with research focused on understanding and preserving regional plants and plant communities, as well as enjoyable to visit for those who love greenery and nature in general. A treasure trove of biodiversity that is home to twelve thousand species, including plants and flowers and a wide array of freely roaming wild animals, including birds, rabbits, and squirrels. It is referred to as "the garden within a garden" because of its structure in themed pavilions with greenhouses mimicking the main microclimates of our planet, the most prominent of which include: the Lily Pool Terrace (with aquatic and carnivorous plants), Steinhardt Conservatory (a bonsai museum), Cranford Rose Garden, the Rock Garden (a rock garden of evergreen plants), the Pond Garden (a tropical pavilion), and Japanese Hill (the Japanese garden), which is very popular during the cherry blossom season, from about mid-March to late May, offering the typically Japanese natural spectacle in the heart of New York City. In fact, the panorama offered by the Brooklyn Botanic Garden varies to some extent according to the season, although in the pavilions, they are specially recreated and adapted to each species of plants and flowers to ensure that they have the right life cycle according to their characteristics of origin.

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CHELSEA PHYSIC GARDEN
London, United Kingdom

It lies hidden along the banks of the Thames and by the small wall that surrounds it and is the oldest botanical garden in England, a true celebration of the beauty of plants and their importance to humanity. It stands in the heart of Chelsea, just a short walk from the London Underground station of Sloane Square. The Chelsea Physic Garden was founded in 1673 by The Worshipful Society of Apothecaries of London for the purpose of creating a place of study to train apprentices, teach them to identify various plant species and study the medicinal qualities of some of them. Over time it became one of the most important centers of botany in the world and is now an independent charity maintained by the support of donors and visitors. The location was chosen because of its proximity to the Thames River, which creates a kind of warmer microclimate in this bend, allowing many non-native species to survive in the face of harsh British winters: for example, Britain's largest open-air fruiting olive tree grows there. Over time, various environments, including many greenhouses, have been built to support the growth and development of different types of plants; very well-known among them is the rock garden/pond, the oldest of its kind in England, consisting of different types of rock, including stones from the Tower of London, Icelandic lava, cast bricks, and volcanic stones. Chelsea Physic Garden has always played a leading role in public education, focusing on the renewed interest in natural medicine. And, in fact, it is home to the World Medicine Garden, the first ethnobotany garden in Britain, which studies the botany of different ethnic groups in different areas of the planet, and also a new Pharmaceutical Garden, for the study and production of medicinal plants.

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GIARDINI LA MORTELLA
Forio, Naples, Italy

Created in 1958 by Lady Susana Walton, the Argentine-born wife of English composer Sir William Walton. The gardens are located on the promontory of Zaro in the municipality of Forio, on the Island of Ischia. Lady Walton created two foundations at the same time, the William Walton Trust in England, and the William Walton Foundation in Italy, with the aim of publicizing her husband's music, fostering the love and knowledge of music, and preserving the garden. Today, La Mortella belongs to the Fondazione William Walton e La Mortella, which cares for it, administers it, opens it to the public and takes care of cultural activities, making it one of the most beautiful private gardens in Europe. During the winter shutdown period, staff are dedicated to plant care and organic maintenance plans, which make the garden increasingly sustainable. With spring comes the spirit of the most emblematic blooms, in a jubilation that emphasizes coexistence
of wild plants of the Mediterranean maquis, exotic species that arrive from distant worlds, and plants that are better known and more in keeping with the characteristics of our landscapes. Special features of the Gardens include the Tropical Greenhouse "Victoria House" where the giant water lily Victoria amazonica is grown. The pool in which it grows is dominated by "Bocca" ("Mouth"), a large sculpture created by Simon Verity that reproduces the mask featured in the set design of one of William Walton's best-known musical works, Façade. Three concert seasons are organized each year: two devoted to chamber music, in spring and fall, and another to symphonic music, between June and July.