A botanical garden is a place where a variety of plants are grown for purposes of study and research. It is a formal type of garden where plants are grown, maintained and analyzed. The oldest modern botanical garden is located in Padua, Italy.

There are several botanical gardens in different countries around the world. Each of them has a specific purpose. In the U.S. alone, there are hundreds of botanical gardens situated across the country.

Here are some of the US cities with famous botanical gardens available for public viewing.

  1. The Denver Botanic Gardens in Denver, Colorado is known for its polished grounds. Created in 1954, this 23-acre garden is home to a lot of park attractions. This botanical garden includes a Japanese garden, a conservatory and an amphitheater. Today, this horticultural haven is home to a lot of native, tropical and subtropical plants.
  2. Brooklyn, NY is home to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Its first director, Dr. Charles Stuart, established it in 1910. This 52-acre garden houses thousands of plant species, including its own famous Magnolia X “Elizabeth”. This plant is the first yellow magnolia flower ever developed. Other attractions of this botanical garden are the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden, Palm House Hotel and Cherry Esplanade.
  3. The Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is located in Coral Gables, Florida. Founded by Robert Montgomery in 1938, this 83-acre garden was named after his friend David Fairchild. This majestic garden contains a wide array of tropical plants. This includes ornamental plants and exotic fruit trees like palms and cycads. Today, the botanical garden has become one of the most important sources of tropical flora for home and commercial gardeners.
  4. The Chicago Botanic Garden in Chicago, Illinois is home to a 385-acre lot filled with plants and woodlands. The garden was opened in 1972 and is maintained by Chicago Horticultural Society. It has 23 different gardens and parks located across nine islands. The garden also houses the Joseph Regenstein Jr. School of the Chicago Botanic Garden. This school has classes for studying Botany, Garden Landscaping and other gardening arts. Today, the garden has more than 9,000 different plant varieties.
  5. Boston, Massachusetts is home to Arnold Arboretum. Arboretum means a collection of trees. It is a plant research institution located inside Harvard University. It was named after James Arnold, when he transferred this part of his estate to Harvard University. The garden houses more than 7,000 plant species all over its 265-acre land area.
  6. The Davis Arboretum in Davis, California is a 100-acre garden located inside the University of California. It has more than 4,000 plant species which grow in all seasons. This garden was established in 1936 to facilitate the university’s plant research. Some of its famous landmarks are the Carolee Shields White Flower Garden and the Redwood Memorial Grove.
  7. The Atlanta Botanical Garden is located in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 1976, this 30-acre garden contains a variety of plant collections. It has several small themed gardens. One of its most famous attractions is the Dorothy Chapman Fuqua Conservatory, which houses plants from tropical forests and deserts. It also contains a mini-zoo for tropical wildlife such as birds.

These botanical gardens are truly great works of art. Aside from their scientific and research benefits, botanical gardens also add a sense of character and beauty to their surroundings. Truly, creating a botanical garden is a perfect gift to nature.

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