Gardens are typically seen as places of quiet contemplation—but they are also very vibrant when the flowers are in full bloom with a riot of colors. For instance, wandering through tulip displays this time of year is a highlight. A study by Premier Inn looked at the stunning displays from gardens around the world, and created a ranked list of the top 50. The U.S. didn’t do too shabbily; we have three on the list, while the U.K. definitely slayed, with 11 entries. Interestingly, the study applied AI-powered color analysis to images of some of the world’s most famous gardens to decide which ones had the most saturated, bold colors.
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Coral Gables, Florida, is the first U.S. garden on the list, at No. 41. Designed in the late 1930s by landscape architect William Lyman Phillips, an associate of Frederick Law Olmsted, the gardens are laid out with variety between the beds. “No two openings between planting masses or plots are alike; they differ in length, width, shape, orientation, and character,” reads the garden’s website. That means the profusion of flowers appears free rather than with a regimented layout, exciting the eye with their randomness.
At the Biltmore Estate Gardens in Asheville, North Carolina, No. 46 on the list, six formal—including a walled garden—and informal gardens charm visitors to the mansion established for the Vanderbilt family. Designed by Olmsted, the 8,000-acre grounds include nature trails and woodlands. He planned the gardens to be vibrant in all four seasons, and the conservatory helps make that happen in a city that experiences light snow in winter.
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden in New York City lands at No. 50 on the list. It’s a 52-acre urban garden in the heart of the city with areas like the Cranford Rose Garden, Japanese Garden, and Woodland Garden. Right now in April, the star magnolias are in bloom along with daffodils: perfect for spring.
Here’s the list of the top 50 most vibrant gardens in the world:
1. Kensington Palace Garden, U.K.
2. Kew Gardens, U.K.
3. Inveraray Castle and Gardens, U.K.
4. Rosedal de Palermo, Argentina
5. Kyoto Garden, U.K.
6. Nymphenburg Palace Gardens, Germany
7. Powerscourt Gardens, Ireland
8. Oxford Botanic Garden, U.K.
9. Herrenhausen Gardens, Germany
10. Dubai Miracle Garden, Dubai
11. Auckland Botanic Gardens, New Zealand
12. Fitzroy Gardens, Australia
13. Versailles Gardens, France
14. Generalife Gardens, Spain
15. Adelaide Botanic Garden, Australia
16. Cambridge University Botanic Garden, U.K.
17. Dunrobin Castle and Gardens, U.K.
18. Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, South Africa
19. Koishikawa Korakuen Garden, Japan
20. Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mt Coot-tha, Australia
21. Sanssouci Park and Gardens, Germany
22. Glasgow Botanic Gardens, U.K.
23. Kenroku-en Garden, Japan
24. Stourhead, U.K.
25. Alhambra Gardens, Spain
26. The Garden Society of Gothenburg, Sweden
27. Mirabell Gardens, Austria
28. Abu Dhabi Presidential Palace Gardens, Abu Dhabi
29. Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, Australia
30. Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, Australia
31. Geografisk Have, Denmark
32. KZN National Botanical Garden (PMB), South Africa
33. Mainau Island (Flower Island), Germany
34. Kaisaniemi Botanic Garden, Finland
35. Fredriksdal Museum & Gardens, Sweden
36. Hunter Valley Gardens, Australia
37. Santiago Metropolitan Park Gardens, Chile
38. Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanic Garden, Mauritius
39. Quinta da Boa Vista Gardens, Portugal
40. RHS Garden Harlow Carr, U.K.
41. Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, U.S.
42. Giardino di Ninfa, Italy
43. Boboli Gardens, Italy
44. Nan Lian Garden, Hong Kong
45. Gothenburg Botanical Garden, Sweden
46. Biltmore Estate Gardens, U.S.
47. Alnarpsparken Arboretum, Sweden
48. Trentham Gardens, U.K.
49. Royal Botanic Garden, Scotland
50. Brooklyn Botanic Garden, U.S.