1. Home
2. 
3. Travel
4. 
5. Destinations
6. 
7. NATURE’S CONCERT

Calm colorful gardens across the United States of America form peaceful sanctuaries for nature to nourish your senses. Surrender to this green call in these soul-stirring natural surroundings.

Exotic flowers, native herbs and ferns, and fall foliage mark the beautifully landscaped gardens in the US. Pouring natural energy into our souls, these living museums nurture our well-being and health in quiet and gentle ways. Come, harmonise with yourself amidst acres and acres of unending greenery as your senses come alive to the sights and sounds of nature.

COURTING CHARLESTON

It is the natural rhythm in South Carolina’s rambling Charleston Gardens that woos visitors. Patterned flowers and leaves, gurgling fountains, and stunning sculptures set the mood for a soothing walk in these historic estates. The Preservation Society of Charleston holds an annual tour of the Homes and Gardens during fall, when camellia and gingko fill the air with delicate scents.

The Nathaniel Russell House Museum is one of the country’s famous neoclassical homes, mirroring the lives led by the Charleston elite during the early 1800s. Lazy carpets of magnolias nod in greeting northwest of Charleston at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. Lining the Middleton Place, a 26-hectare plantation and mansion, it is home to one of the country’s oldest landscaped gardens. Spot wild swans in the pool, by the dancing camellias in winter, azaleas in spring, and magnolias and crepe myrtles in summer.

ALLURE OF AUSTIN

Summer in Texas is fragrant, thanks to the biggest nationally renowned nature centres and community gardens in Austin. In a calm paradise of 12.5 hectares lies the Zilker Botanical Garden located in the heart of Austin downtown, with its themed gardens and unusual Texan cacti. You can also take a trip down to the Lady Bird Lake to hike and bike along a trail to arrive and discover eight superstar gardens, filled with butterfly trails, flowers and cacti. Make your way to Hill Country Lavender – a gorgeous lavender farm a couple of hours drive away from Austin. Roam around leisurely in the magical lilac, and snip fresh lavender to purchase and take away.

Named after artist Charles Umlauf, the famous Umlauf Sculpture Garden is an oasis of nature, botany and art with sculptures and walking trails lining the area, along the lines of the French museum Musee Rodin in Paris. If you are a naturalist, you will love The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Centre at The University of Texas at Austin. The 113-hectare state botanical garden and arboretum of Texas is a natural celebration of over 700 species of native plants.

BORN IN BOSTON

The most beautiful all-season parks in Boston allow you to bond with your inner self via leisurely walks down forested areas. Make time for the Hidden Gardens Tour to discover the city’s best kept green secrets, and go for a picnic and tea party on the plush lawns of the Boston Common, the oldest public park in the country. Tucked away from the incessant city hum, it was reclaimed by the natives from the British in 1776. The delightfully manicured garden formed the backdrop to trailblazing speeches by Martin Luther King Jr. and Pope John Paul II. Remember to tread along Freedom Trail, a four-kilometer route to 16 key historic sites.

It’s a re birth every spring for the popular Boston Public Garden set up in 1837, as it bursts into color with tulips and roses in the Victorian-inspired flowerbeds, lined by oaks, maples, beech and gingko clusters. A scenic ride along the famous Swan Boats (inspired by Richard Wagner's opera "Lohengrin") spells sheer magic especially in early April and late September.

A visit to Arnold Arboretum is also a must. Part of the prized Harvard University, it showcases specimens dating back to 1872. Walk along, discovering more than 15,000 trees, shrubs and vines knitting together 114 hectares. The fresh fragrance, trickling fountains, birdsong and sunshine make for an unforgettable experience. A free guided tour, offered mid-April to November covers the best sights. The Margaret C. Ferguson Greenhouses at Wellesley College Botanic Gardens bring in 16 epic greenhouses across 670 square meters. Nature lovers gather here to admire the 130-year-old Durant camellia, while exploring the aerated pools in the unusual Hydrophyte House filled with mangroves and papyrus. Green getaways are the best tonic for the soul, and this brilliant collection of plant life, all in one place, is equally calming and rejuvenating.