Beyond garden variety: Must-visit gardens for nature therapy

Nature therapy, also known as ecotherapy or forest bathing (shinrin-yoku), offers a powerful antidote to modern stresses, promoting well-being, minimising anxiety, and improving mood through immersive experiences in natural environments. And what better place to find this profound connection than within the meticulously curated beauty of the world’s finest botanical gardens? Bookmark these gardens for your next international trip.

Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens

Located in San Marino, the Los Angeles region of Southern California, the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens is a one-of-a-kind cultural institution offering a distinctive blend of art, nature, and knowledge. The Huntington’s botanical gardens, spanning over 130 acres, are not to be missed. Each garden has a unique theme, transporting guests to different parts of the world. The Japanese Garden with its tranquil koi ponds and moon bridge, and the Chinese Garden (Liu Fang Yuan), one of the biggest classical Chinese gardens outside of China, are particularly noteworthy. 

The Desert Garden is another highlight, featuring one of the world’s most extensive collections of cacti and succulents. Moreover, don’t miss the beautiful Rose Garden and the elegant high tea service at the Rose Garden Tea Room, which includes a selection of teas, seasonal house-made scones, and a range of delectable savoury and sweet treats.

Australian National Botanic Gardens

Situated at the foot of Black Mountain, just minutes from Canberra’s city centre, the Australian National Botanic Gardens offers a serene escape into the heart of the country’s natural ecosystem. Housing more than 4,300 native plant species across 35 hectares, the botanic gardens provides visitors a chance to experience the rich diversity of Australian flora. Guests can stroll through beautifully curated landscapes, join free guided walks, or hop aboard the Flora Explorer, an open-air electric bus tour to hear stories about Australia’s indigenous plants. Visitors can also visit the Jindii EcoSpa, situated within botanical gardens, which offers a range of soothing treatments, using locally sourced ingredients to help guests reconnect with nature and themselves.

New Orleans Botanical Garden 

Home to over 2,000 varieties of plants from around the world, the New Orleans Botanical Garden is a 10-acre sanctuary within City Park. Featuring several themed sections, it houses an inviting bamboo-forested Japanese Garden, a historic Rose Garden, and even a conservatory with tropical plants and living fossils. The Helis Foundation Enrique Alférez Sculpture Garden exhibits the work of the artist who helped shape the garden’s original vision. The historic New Orleans Train Garden, with its delicate model trains weaving through miniature depictions of the city, provides a fun glimpse of the city’s history. 

Also located within the botanical garden is the New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA), which is the city’s oldest fine arts institution that contains a diverse collection of contemporary art, age-old artefacts, and travelling exhibitions. Visitors can explore the botanical garden by biking on the cycling trails or go horseback riding at the 27-acre Equest Farm. They can also take disc golf courses or enjoy the garden’s waterways with pedal boats, kayaks, canoes, or swan boats.

Schynige Platte Alpine Garden

Encompassed by the majestic peaks of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau mountains, the Schynige Platte Alpine Garden provides a unique peek into Switzerland’s high-altitude flora. The garden features more than 600 plant species that thrive above the treeline, representing nearly two-thirds of the country’s Alpine flora. Guests can take an easy, picturesque stroll along a one-kilometre trail with gentle ascents and descents, uncovering rare and vibrant plants in their natural habitat. The garden’s labels and signs are informative and educational, perfect for nature lovers wanting to learn about the region’s rich natural beauty.

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden

Founded in 1926, the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden was the first botanic garden in the United States to focus exclusively on native plants. Spread across 78 acres of sloping foothills in the Mission Canyon neighborhood above Santa Barbara, the garden offers not only stunning beds of native plants but 5.5 miles of trails where more than a thousand California plant species are showcased. Native plants are exhibited in different growing zones, including desert, island, and chaparral habitats, as well as a serene redwood forest. 

Next year, the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden will celebrate its centennial. To mark the milestone, the garden will be incorporating centennial celebrations, its programming, including the annual Beer Garden event in March timed with the anniversary, a spring planting weekend in April to coincide with Native Plant Month, and special centennial editions of the garden’s magazine—Ironwood, which will showcase the garden’s history and look ahead to the next 100 years. 

The Green Planet 

Located within a glass biodome in City Walk, the Green Planet is home to over 3,000 species of plants, birds, and animals. The biodome is a carefully controlled ecosystem that mirrors the temperature, humidity, and density of a real rainforest. Green Planet Dubai has been conceptualized across four ecological levels—the Canopy, Midstory, Forest Floor, and Flooded Rainforest. The botanical garden aims to educate guests of all ages about the layered structure of tropical forests and their important role in the Earth’s ecosystem. 

The Green Planet also houses a diverse collection of animals, including sloths, flying foxes, toucans, anacondas, and insects. Additionally, guests can book immersive experiences such as playing zookeeper for a day, picnicking in the rainforest, or swimming with piranhas.