Anonymous wrote:Bar Harbor Maine has some beautiful gardens.

https://www.visit-maine.com/state/maine-gardens/

As do other places in Maine:
https://www.mainetravelmaven.com/maine-garden-tours/

Besides the fact that Maine, anywhere in Maine in the summer really, is a bucket list destination.

This. I’d avoid areas that are hot in summer, unless you know that heat would not bother you or your mom. So much more pleasant enjoying a garden at 75 than at 90+ or even 105 and humidity.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree with Maine; Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens are lovely.

Another option would be Grand Rapids, MI for Meijer Gardens and over to Holland for the windmill gardens (you'll be there too late for tulips but they plant other things in the summer). Leila Arboretum in Battle Creek is about an hour away, too.

+1 Highly recommend the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
https://www.mainegardens.org/

Me too, and I’m not a garden person. Though I’d flag that it involves a fair bit of walking and can still get quite hot in summer.

Denver Botanic Garden is really pretty, plus some light hiking? I would aim for the end of June if possible to avoid wildfire season (really anywhere in the west these days it could be an issue)

How about Butchart Gardens in Victoria? You can stay at the Fairmont in Victoria. It’s a lovely hotel. There’s a fast ferry from Seattle.

Anonymous wrote:Agree with Maine; Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens are lovely.

Another option would be Grand Rapids, MI for Meijer Gardens and over to Holland for the windmill gardens (you'll be there too late for tulips but they plant other things in the summer). Leila Arboretum in Battle Creek is about an hour away, too.

+1 Highly recommend the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
https://www.mainegardens.org/

Agree with Maine; Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens are lovely.

Another option would be Grand Rapids, MI for Meijer Gardens and over to Holland for the windmill gardens (you'll be there too late for tulips but they plant other things in the summer). Leila Arboretum in Battle Creek is about an hour away, too.

Thanks for the ideas.

Overseas is out of the budget for this summer, but I will check out Missouri and Maine. Yes, summer does seem to rule out the Southern States.

Anonymous wrote:I thought the Fort Worth Botanical Garden was quite lovely.

Sorry, just read you’ll go in summer. Texas summers are just horrendous. We went in early November and I was still scorching.

I thought the Fort Worth Botanical Garden was quite lovely.

Winterthur?

Anonymous wrote:Would you consider overseas? England has beautiful gardens...

Yes. Paris has some beautiful gardens also.

And, I mean, the Dutch tulips. Bucket list for me for sure.

Bar Harbor Maine has some beautiful gardens.

https://www.visit-maine.com/state/maine-gardens/

As do other places in Maine:
https://www.mainetravelmaven.com/maine-garden-tours/

Besides the fact that Maine, anywhere in Maine in the summer really, is a bucket list destination.

The Missouri Botanical Garden is great, and there's lots to do in St. Louis. I'd recommend that one.

Would you consider overseas? England has beautiful gardens...

My mother has a milestone birthday coming up mid-summer. She loves gardens so I was thinking of taking her somewhere beautiful for her birthday. We're in the DMV and she's on the West Coast.

A quick Google search shows that we've been to many of the gardens recommended - Longwood (PA), Huntington (CA), Butchart (BC), Washington Park (OR), Biltmore (NC), Chicago (IL), New York Botanic Garden (NY - I actually don't love this one, prefer more flowers).

Has anyone been to the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden (FL) or Gibbs Gardens (GA)? Bad idea to visit in the summer? Others listed that we haven't seen include the Missouri Botanical Garden, Atlanta Botanical Garden, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (TX) and Bellagio (NV). Any of these you would recommend? As I mentioned above, this would be smack in the middle of summer so I do worry about heat.