Thread: anyone like Botanic gardens?

...
No?
Maybe its just me...

I think theyre wonderful. Such a calming, pleasant experience.

Share your opinions on gardens youve been to, whether or not you like them, etc.

Please dont use this thread to tell us where you have been unless it is to help other people make plans or to give suggestions. Make a different thread for that.

Yess! Finally a plant/garden thread!

I just love gardens and plants. Specially those japanese "rock gardens" are cool.
And one reason I´d love to visit Japan is to see the blooming of sakura trees.

Bonzai trees are also cool. But they are hard to keep alive and expensive...

Mmm...I love walking through and looking at gardens. They're beautiful, but I don't have the patience to maintain one of my own. (Which is why I like visiting them.)

But I'm planning to go to Europe in a couple of months, so if anyone knows of any really nice gardens over there that they'd recommend, I'd be happy to hear about them.

And I agree with Tira, Japanese gardens are really nice. I've been to a couple in Japan, and I love the atmosphere. Especially moss gardens, they're my absolute favourite.

The only garden I've been to in Canada is the Butchart Gardens. They're actually quite nice, although they're a display garden. (Essentially botanical, but without the signs telling you what each plant is.)

Where in Europe will you be traveling? (Ive been all over, so name some countries and I'll let you know!)

Tira: speaking of Sakura Matsuri, I dont know if you live around NY, but I go here every year for the festival.
http://www.bbg.org/abo/pressroom/spe...006sakura.html

Try other side of the globe, Finland to be precise.
I´ve never even seen sakura trees before... If I happen to visit NY sometime I have to visit this festival. Seems very beautiful and fun. * a bit envious*

When you have only ~4 months of summer and plants/ greenish stuff you tend to appreciate it a LOT.

Aikido, that festival looks great! I'm kind of envious...

I was in Japan in March, a few years back, and they had the locations where the sakura trees were blooming listed in the newspaper daily. Looking at those trees, it's no wonder to me why they're so popular. They're beautiful.

As for travelling, I'm going for a month. I'm spending just over a week of that in Britain and Scotland. Other countries that I'm spending more than 24 hours in (it's my first time going, so I'm trying to see a lot) include: Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain, and France. I'll be spending the most time outside of the UK in France and Italy, since the friend I'm travelling with is obsessed with them. Our travel plans are still pretty loose right now, in terms of what we're actually seeing in each place we're visiting, so I'd love to hear any suggestions!

whaaa!!! so much fun!! I did the same thing with my best friend last summer! We got backpacks and just ran around Europe! You're going to love it. My suggestion is to make sure to be safe though ( I dont know how capable you and your friend are of defending yourselves). And...
Ill drop you a few links to some sights to see in Austria, Italy, Spain, and Germany. Of the four, I liked Austria the most. Or maybe i'll PM you them so as not to spam (but I'll post the garden links here).

@tira: ahh, thats a shame. I've never been to Finland (closest ive ever been is the Netherlands, which I absolutely adored). Seeing the sakura trees in person is a hundred times better than seeing them in pictures. Being at these festivals is an experience accompanied by this intangible thing/feeling/aura that completely escapes words and pictures. I hope you make it over here someday to see them (or better yet, Japan) ^ ^

(would you recommend traveling to Finland?)

I think I'm going to change the subject of this thread...

Originally Posted by Aikido

whaaa!!! so much fun!! I did the same thing with my best friend last summer! We got backpacks and just ran around Europe! You're going to love it. My suggestion is to make sure to be safe though ( I dont know how capable you and your friend are of defending yourselves). And...
Ill drop you a few links to some sights to see in Austria, Italy, Spain, and Germany. Of the four, I liked Austria the most. Or maybe i'll PM you them so as not to spam (but I'll post the garden links here).

That's exactly what we're doing! I'm looking forward to it so much! My friend is actually already over there, doing the GAP program at a placement in England. As for how capable we are of defending ourselves...pretty much, not at all. But I have another friend who has her bluebelt in karate, and frequently beats me up for fun, so I could potentially fend someone off long enough to run away. Maybe. I look stronger than I feel, so maybe that will do it. We're not that likely to be targeted, are we?

I'm glad to hear that you liked Austria...I'm half-Austrian, second-generation Canadian on my Dad's side (but his older brother was actually born in Austria...). Actually, the Austrian side of my family had a book written about them, since they've lived in the same area of Austria for so long. (Read: forever.) But I've never been before, so it's good to hear that it's nice.

I'd be happy to have you PM me the links. I don't want to hijack your thread.

And I really wish that festivals like the sakura-viewing were more widespread. Are there any others like that in other countries that anyone knows of?

I really haven't visited many gardens to speak of...I'm starting to wish that I had. I think a tropical-style garden in particular would be really nice (although probably humid.) - I love exotic plants.

http://www.arkive.org/species/GES/pl...Rafflesia_spp/
These ones are really cool. But endangered, which depresses me.

im planning to have a garden when my home is finally built.. its actually one of the most important part that im looking forward to.. but im still confused on what theme should i use.. i want a minimalist like japanese but warm, with lots of colorful flowers.. also, it's just a small space and i dont want it to be cluttered..

i think it will be beautiful.....