Concrete jungle gridlock and grind getting you down? Seek respite on the sylvan slopes and ferntastic fields of these urban oases.
Kew Gardens
The Brits are renowned for giving good garden, so for an unrivalled arboreal experience look no further than London’s most regal patch of green at Kew. Meticulously manicured into both precise and experimental plantings, this lush swathe of parkland is also home to galleries, a towering pagoda, temples, Tree-Top Walkway and the Victorian iron and glass Palm House – in short, it’s British horticulture at its bloomin’ best.
Summertime events abound, including late-night openings, movie screenings and theatre performances. Standout is artist Wolfgang Buttress’ ‘The Hive’, a giant, open-air reconstruction of an apiary complete with a 1,000 of LED lights and a humming soundtrack that recreates the life of bees.
To continue the botanical buzz, charming Petersham Nurseries is but a zippy Uber skip away. Stock up on seeds and stoneware before flopping in the gorgeous, shade-dappled teahouse for a cuppa and a slice of something naughty.
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. +44 20 8332 5655. kew.org|
Petersham Nurseries, Church Lane, Petersham Rd (road closed for August but access still available).
+44 20 8940 5230 petershamnurseries.com
Sydney Royal Botanical Gardens
Behind the shimmering white sails of the Opera House and replete with triff harbour aspects, the RBG is the most flourishing facet of Australia’s Emerald City. This verdant, 64-hectare vale is home to no less than 9,000 species of plants and 4,000 trees teeming with bats, butterflies and cockatoos – plus, it being Oz and all, the odd resident creepy-crawly.
Celebrating 200 years in bushy bloom this year, the gardens received a glorious birthday gift in the form of an architectural, stainless steel n’ glass pavilion, The Calyx. Dominated by a vast living green wall, the space is host to ever-changing theatrical exhibitions of the fleur-bulous kind. The first, Sweet Addiction: The Botanic Story of Chocolate, recreates an Amazon rainforest with cacao trees and vanilla orchids. Cocoa-a-go-go!
Royal Botanical Gardens, Mrs Macquaries Rd. +61 2 9231 8111. rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au
Singapore Botanic Gardens
Planted a mere ten minute amble from the mall-mania of Orchard Road, Singapore’s botanics are as abundant and tranquil as the city is slick and cosmopolitan. The only tropical parcel to be listed by UNESCO, this genteel flower bed’s highlights include jungly flora alongside grassy slopes, lily ponds and an open-air, lake-gazing stage for concert performances.Hands-down horti-highlights are the Orchid and Ginger Gardens, best visited in the cooler mornings or late afternoon to avoid the swelling crowds and sweltering heat. Better yet, go after dark and dine on mod-Singa fare at Halia before taking before taking a starlit stroll.
Singapore Botanic Gardens, 1 Cluny Rd. +65 6471 7138. sbg.org.sg
Hakone Open-Air Museum
The hills are alive in Hakone, not with the sound of music, but with the visual feast of the Open-Air Museum’s mountainside art park, not to mention uninterrupted views of awesome neighbour Mt. Fuji. Occupying just seven hectares, HOAM is positively petite compared to our other botanic beauties, but this pretty koi pond-dotted lawn punches above its weight thanks to its stunning, seamless marriage of art and nature.
Simply put, this is art at its most accessible, with sculptures by the likes of Rodin, Moore and Miro there to be touched, climbed onto or into. And when you weary of the outdoor exploration, the indoor galleries beckon with an impressive stash including around 300 pieces by Senor Picasso himself. It’s well worth the 90-min schlep from Tokyo, but be sure to pack a few picnic supplies as lunch options are limited. Hakone Open-Air Museum, Ninotaira 1121, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun. +81 0460 82 1161. Hakone-oam.or.jp
