GREENTHUMB GOES GLOBETROTTING
by Sarah Mundy
Gardening may be one of the most domestic hobbies going, but nobody has ever said it doesn't get a person out of the house. Since the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were declared the second wonder of the world in ancient times, tourists have been drawn to explore gardens in exotic locations. These days even the common folk can sightsee in the spectacular gardens of the rich, famous and royal, as more and more travel agents have package tours available for garden fanatics.
But world travel has more to offer than gardens to stare at. There are gardens to study in, taste in, work in, and get lost in. Following are a very few vacation hotspots for the horticulturally inclined.
1. The Alhambra (Granada, Spain)
Formal palace gardens the world over are popular destinations for horticulturally minded tourists, but the Alhambra is a little different than the usual European castle grounds experience. The fortress city of Alhambra was built by a series of Muslim rulers in Moorish Spain beginning in the 11th century. As in other Muslim occupied territories, existing local gardening and architecture traditions were transformed through Islam's abstract, mathematical layout concepts. The Alhambra is a famous example of an Islamic paradise or oasis garden: a peaceful, private place with running water (a river was diverted centuries ago to supply the canals and fountains). Open courtrooms are barely separated from the outdoor patios, so that the entire grounds give the impression of being a continuous garden with both covered and open spaces.
Other formal gardens to try:
- Lake District Renaissance Gardens (Northern Italy)
- Sisodia Rani Ka Bagh (Jaipur, India):
2. WWOOFing the world over
Willing Workers On Organic Farms (WWOOF) is an organization that provides lists of possible hosts to people who want to volunteer on organic farms in exchange for room and board. With a little planning, a traveller with an interest in growing food and organic farming techniques can embark on a learning-packed and very economical working vacation through all kinds of farms, from aging Italian olive groves to remote wilderness gardens in the Canadian mountains.
Other eco-farming related destinations:
- Visit a working ecovillage
- ...Or an organic demonstration farm
- Selva Negra Shade-Grown Sustainable Coffee Plantation (Selva Negra, Nicaragua)
- Eden Project Conservation Biodomes (Cornwall, UK)
3. Omiya Bonsai Village (Omiya, Japan)
Established in 1925, when the great bonsai growers of Japan moved out of Tokyo, Omiya is regarded as the center of Japanese bonsai culture. Many major bonsai nurseries are established here, where visitors can see older trees and respected modern creations by leading bonsai growers.
Other specialty plant collections:
- Desert Botanical Gardens (Phoenix, USA)
- Singapore National Orchid Garden (Singapore)
- Botanical Collections Directory at Google
4. Monet's Impressionist Water Garden (Giverny, France)
Claude Monet didn't just paint his famous water lilies; he dug a pond and planted nympheas that would be pleasing to paint. The artfully planted views of symmetry, colour, and perspective in both his water garden and his enclosed orchard and flower garden are carefully maintained and open to visitors seven months of the year.
More gardens for art and literature buffs:
- The Kröller-Müller Museum and Sculpture Garden (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
- Les Jardins Artistique de Drulon (Near Paris, France)
5. The Lost Gardens of Heligan (Cornwall, England)
In 1990, a few explorers discovered an abandoned estate in an uninhabited subtropical valley outside of Cornwall. The restoration of this family estate, its model farm, greenhouses, exotic plants, and sculpture is a captivating story of secret gardens and forgotten riches that is very like a fairy tale. The gardens are now ripe for exploration by anyone with sturdy shoes and the price of admission.
Other lost, enchanted, and woodland gardens:
- Great Maythem Hall, the inspiration for Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Secret Garden (Kent, England)
- Theatrum Botanicum, medieval woodland herb art garden (Fondation Cartier Pour l'Art Contemporain, Paris, France)
6. Cape Tribulation Exotic Fruit Farm (Far North Queensland, Australia)
This organic permaculture farm grows tropical and exotic fruits on the edge of a rainforest in Northern Australia. In any season, their tasting tours offer samples of and information about at least 10 species of exotic fruits. Any food tastes best when eaten straight from the source at its peak, but rare fruits are an extra special treat as many are too fragile to ship and cannot ever be found in cities.
Other tasty trips:
- Orchard tastings, for example apples in BC, Canada:
- Wine tasting, practically anywhere.
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