Botanic gardens for inspiration

[Anonymous]

I spent an enormous amount of time strolling through botanic gardens in the Metro DC area, nationwide, and overseas getting inspired and taking notes of ideas.
What’s your fave gardens? Is there a botanic garden that disappointed you?

[Anonymous]

The Corpus Christi Botanic Gardens are amazing. Locally, Brookside is beautiful year round.

[Anonymous]

Best I have been to is Lewis ginter in Richmond.

[Anonymous]

The National Botanic Garden in Chantilly, VA, had nothing about national and botanical. It inspired me to not go back to that place and waste $20.
I prefer to use my sources to visit Green Spring Gardens, Lewis Ginter BG, Norfolk BG, and Dumbarton Oaks. They are my local faves.

[Anonymous]

I like Blandy Experimental Farm, which isn't your average botanical garden, but lovely nonetheless. And not terribly crowded. A little further afield, Longwood Gardens is nice, as is NYBG. Jardin des plantes was an unexpected lovely surprise in Paris. There are several I loved in England, Hidden Valley, Carolside, etc.

[Anonymous]

One of my favorites that’s maybe not so well known is the “fern valley” section of the national arboretum - it’s a native woodland garden. Not showy, but beautiful and subtle. Lots of interesting shrubs and native shade plants.

[Anonymous]

Brooklyn BG was a lovely stroll, NYBG is amazing, Denver was a pleasant surprise, the rose garden in Santa Clara blew my mind because I've never seen so many varieties of roses in one place. The grounds of Killarney House were inspiring too. The new Pittsburgh botanic garden is well done too (also love the Phipps Conservatory).

[Anonymous]

I'm not a huge fan of tropical gardens, so I found Selby in Sarasota underwhelming

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not a huge fan of tropical gardens, so I found Selby in Sarasota underwhelming

M Selby BG needs more plants variety and a bit of manicure.

[Anonymous]

Botanical garden in Edinburgh is lovely

[Anonymous]

i think the narrow garden by the hirschhorn (mary livingston ripley garden i think) amazing. at every time of year, in every single bed, there are interesting things going on (flowers/fruit/showy leaves) at every level (ground, shrub/middle, eye level). it's just so perfectly planned, i'm in awe, and wish i could visit it more often to take notes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:i think the narrow garden by the hirschhorn (mary livingston ripley garden i think) amazing. at every time of year, in every single bed, there are interesting things going on (flowers/fruit/showy leaves) at every level (ground, shrub/middle, eye level). it's just so perfectly planned, i'm in awe, and wish i could visit it more often to take notes.

Yeah they do a really nice job with that space. I think it’s all volunteers.