Gardens on America's Byways

You might dream of one day planting your own secret garden, but it's no secret that America's Byways will lead you to some of the most resplendent gardens in the nation. Discover thousand-acre gardens, walk along gravel pathways lined with camellias, or marvel at the mystery of cactus blossoms.

Autumn Walk in the Longwood Gardens (DE) [1]

For a whiff of classic New England gardens, take a drive down the Brandywine Valley Scenic Byway. A walk up Nemours Mansion and Garden's manicured steps leads to French-style gardens filled with fountains and sparkling ponds. Wander through the maze garden made of Canadian hemlock and Helleri holly, culminating with a long colonnade. While in the area, make room to visit Longwood Gardens. Dedicate the entire day to exploring the grounds, which span twenty outdoor gardens and twenty indoor gardens. As you walk the brick and stone paths, note the flawless orchestration of 11,000 different plants, each of which adds its own flavor to the 1,050-acre gardens. See evergreens sculpted into more than twenty topiary shapes. Fountains burst 130 feet into the air, and at night, they illuminate with color. Rows of red blossoms contrast explosive yellow blossoms near the greenhouses. Wide water lilies sprawl across still ponds in the water gardens. Unlike other gardens, Longwood's beauty is not restricted by season, so you can expect acres of aesthetic arrangements year-round.

Petal-Peppered Statues at Middleton Place (SC) [2]

Whether or not you have a green thumb, you'll appreciate the camellia-lined pathways of Magnolia Plantation and Gardens and colorful bundles of roses and magnolias at Middleton Place on the Ashley River Road in South Carolina. Both gardens cover extensive grounds, so bring your walking shoes because you'll want to see every inch. The gardens at Middleton Place were designed over two centuries ago, based on ideas of rational order and geometry. See the symmetry in the undulating hillsides leading down to twin lakes, shaped like butterfly wings. It took one hundred slaves over a decade to create the beautiful pathways of Middleton Place. While rosy camellia petals line the walks in spring, the gardens have been planned so that you'll find something in bloom whichever season you visit. Catch your breath and stroll through the Biblical Garden at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, where you'll find plants mentioned in the Old and New Testaments. Explore the Barbados Garden for a tropical landscape experience. Kids won't want to miss the wildlife – including alligators – in the Audubon Swamp Garden. Just a few miles outside of Charleston, the gardens along the Ashley River Road will give respite to the city-weary with a taste of leisure living.

Lady Slippers at the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden (MN) [3]

For a less polished garden experience, stop by the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary on the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway in Minnesota. Traipse through woodlands in search of Jack-in-the-Pulpit or Turk's-Cap lilies. These ephemerals brighten the springtime woods, but if you're looking for color throughout the summer, meander over to the wetlands area for glimpses of ladyslippers, irises, and turtleheads. Participate in programs such as the New Moon Walk to take advantage of the expertise of local naturalists who will guide you throughout the gardens. Walking under the full moon, keep a lookout for nighthawks, owls, and other nocturnal birds. Located on fifteen acres in the heart of Minneapolis, the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden offers a balance between the thrills of the big city and the smells and sounds of the country.

Brilliant Bloom on a Prickly Pear (CA) [4]

Though you may picture gardens with flowering bushes and greenery, a trip to the Southwest will broaden your notion of beautiful gardens. Stop by the Rio Grande Botanical Gardens in Albuquerque, New Mexico (a hot spot for several for America's Byways, including El Camino Real and Historic Route 66) for a look at giant saguaro cacti. These giants of the desert, with their branching arms and intriguing shapes, have come to represent desert landscapes for most people. However, there are more than 2,000 kinds of cacti, and the Rio Grande Botanical Gardens exhibit a variety wide enough to impress both the novice to desertscapes and the longtime inhabitant of the Southwest.

If you can't make up your mind which type of garden to visit, just head to the Huntington Library, Art Collection, and Botanical Gardens on the Arroyo Seco Parkway in California for over 150 acres of various types of gardens. Bring the toddlers to the Children's Garden, where they can walk under a rainbow in a circle of mist, look at a globe that shows which areas of the world are in daylight or darkness, or see and feel the effects of sound waves in the sonic pool. Leave the California landscape and experience the English countryside in the Shakespeare Garden, where a boggy dell and gently rolling berms show visitors the relationship between Shakespeare's art and his environment. Or visit the Jungle Garden for a taste of the climate south of the equator. Under a canopy of trees, you'll spot ferns, lianas, and epiphytes for a tropical feel. Save time for the Rose Garden, Japanese Garden, Herb Garden, Australian Garden...in fact, you might just want to come back several times because you won't want to miss the Palm Garden, Lily Ponds, or Desert Garden, all found within the Huntington Botanical Gardens.

Leave your "garden-variety" vacations, and let America's Byways take you into a variety of gardens across the country. Each garden displays botanical wonders that carry a resonating visual grandeur reminiscent of a firework show finale.