A forest from another age

My journey began on Praslin Island at the UNESCO-listed Vallée de Mai forest. It felt magical, with the afternoon light filtering through giant fronds in dusty, golden shafts and the scent of damp earth filling the air. The only sounds were visitor footsteps and the occasional whistle of the native black parrots.

All six of the Seychelles’ indigenous palms grow here, including the huge coco-de-mer. These ‘coconuts of the sea’ were once a maritime mystery; sailors found the massive seeds floating at sea and imagined they grew in underwater forests. In reality, they are the heaviest seeds on Earth, endemic to just two islands.

Because the trees are dioecious, the species has separate plants that are either male or female and so rely on a tiny cast of characters for pollination. Alongside bees, bright-green geckos skitter along trunks carrying pollen from male catkins to heavy female fruits. It was fascinating seeing them hard at work.

Island of giants

The following day, I traded forest for water. After snorkelling in reefs teeming with tropical fish, I waded onto Curieuse Island. This uninhabited national park is the domain of the Aldabra giant tortoise. Roaming freely through the scrub, there is something grounding about crouching next to a giant that might have been alive since the 19th century.

I spent the rest of the morning wandering boardwalks through mangroves, spotting baby sicklefin lemon sharks in the shallow waters below, before retreating to the shade for a barbecue.

Life on two wheels

If Praslin Island’s defining characteristic is the forest and Curieuse the wildlife, then La Digue is all about tranquillity. The island is blissfully car-free – you simply grab a bicycle and go. I pedalled through L’Union Estate, an old coconut and vanilla plantation, until the path spilled out onto one of the Seychelles’ most recognisable beaches, Anse Source d’Argent. Here, iconic granite boulders, worn smooth by millennia, frame the turquoise water beautifully.

Protecting paradise

I finished my trip on the largest island of Mahé, where I tasted sushi made from fresh island fruit at the organic Vallée des Fruits farm, before learning about the conservation efforts at the Biodiversity Centre, which runs education programmes that teach schoolchildren about the importance of the Seychelles’ unique plant life and encourage islanders to grow endemic species in their own gardens. They have a plant nursery on site where local people can come and buy native plants.

Gardens and markets

In the capital, Victoria, I retreated to the grand botanical gardens – vast but peaceful, with giant palms lining the avenue. Towards the back is a tropical forest area mimicking the one where I started my trip. Here, I became fixated on hundreds of giant fruit bats hanging from branches, fighting over jackfruit.

The garden also dedicates a section to endemic plants, giving me a final, concentrated examination of the archipelago’s biodiversity. Make sure to go for a wander around the city centre, with it's quaint streets and bustling markets before you leave.

Seychelles provides a wonderful escape from everyday life in Britain, but don’t spend all your time at the beach or you’ll miss out on the islands’ incredible nature inland. That’s something you can’t find anywhere else.

What do you need to know to go to the Seychelles?

Seychelles enjoys a tropical climate all year round and there are rarely extremes of weather. Between October and May the seas are calmer and better for water sports and diving.

Most flights from London take 10-14 hours and include a layover.

Where did I stay?

Island hopping is the name of the game here. Thanks to the following hotels on each island, where I stayed:

• Praslin island: the quiet Villa de Mer hotel, with only 12 rooms, which means the staff know every guest.
• La Digue island: the Casa de Leela, with it's homely self-catering style apartments set in a charming garden setting.
• Mahé island: the tranquil Laïla Resort on the south of the island. The ideal place to relax after a day out exploring.
• Mahé island: the Savoy Seychelles Resort & Spa, where I didn't have a chance to get a massage, but did make use of the sauna and steam room facilities.

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The city itself is surprisingly green for a capital with a wide, open skyline and sweeping lawns, trees and gardens defining the landscape. I stayed in Georgetown, a historic neighbourhood just a short bus or subway ride from the main attractions with homely, cobbled streets, grand residential architecture and designer shops. It felt a world away from the boulevards of the National Mall and as I walked it’s charming streets I noticed it has its own Georgetown Garden Club. In May they hold garden tours around local private gardens with all proceeds going back to Georgetown’s parks and recreation facilities. It was a shame to miss it but there were plenty of other horticultural delights to occupy me.

The National Cherry Blossom Festival

In 1912 as a symbol of friendship, the Mayor of Tokyo gifted over 3,000 cherry trees to the city of Washington, DC. Trees were planted along the Tidal basin, this became an annual tradition, and in 1934 the National Cherry Blossom Festival was born.

Spanning four weeks in March and April when the blossom bursts, the festival is a celebration of the cherries and the joys of spring, and it resonates across the city. The most popular place to see the blossom is the Tidal basin but you can also walk among the cherries along the National Mall and Potomac Park, at the National Arboretum and even in neighbouring Maryland and Virginia. A grand opening ceremony kicks it all off with artists from both Japan and the US and is followed by other events such as a Blossom Kite Festival and the National Parade, and shops, galleries and restaurants join in with this festival of the season. There’s even a real-time ‘Bloomwatch’ camera fixed on the tidal basin so you can keep watch and track peak bloom time!

The original cherries gifted from Japan represented 12 different varieties, but now Yoshino (P. x yedoensis) and Kwanzan (P. serrulata ‘Kanzan’) are the most common trees you’ll see in the city. Yoshino cherries, with their single white blooms, circle the Tidal basin while double pink flowering ‘Kanzan’ bloom mainly in East Potomac Park.

Big Bus Tour

Whatever time of year you visit a great way to get your bearings and see as many of the cities highlights as you can is to travel on one of the bus tours that loop its iconic landmarks. Headphones are provided so you can listen into their audio commentary, and I spent my first day in Washington hopping on and off buses. As well as the familiar Capitol building, Monument and Lincoln Memorial, I stopped to wander around the Floral Library, with its 93 flower beds. Tulips were just poking their way out of the ground when I was there but they continue to bloom throughout the summer with an array of annual bedding plants. Another stop, Constitution Gardens is a good spot for a picnic and a quiet little park with a pond that has a small island and platform honouring the signatories of the Declaration of independence.

US Botanic Garden

This historic garden is a welcome stop on a busy day seeing the sights. Opened in 1820 it’s the oldest public garden in the US and entry is free. When I visited in March, its outdoor gated gardens were closed but the domed Conservatory, with its collections of plants from across the US, the Tropics, the Mediterranean and beyond was holding an Orchid festival and the place was buzzing with visitors enjoying the thousands of orchids on display. I also took a short walk across Independence Avenue to the Bartholdi Fountain and garden, which has been part of the US Botanic garden campus since 1932. A two-acre garden it showcases sustainable landscaping and includes raised bed plantings, a rain garden and its dramatic centrepiece, a cast-iron fountain that’s well worth seeing at night, when it’s illuminated to become a fountain of light and water.

Dumbarton Oaks

A twenty-minute walk up the hill from Georgetown is the historic 10-acre estate of Dumbarton Oaks. Once a private home, then research institute, it’s now a museum, library and garden and a large public park. The gardens are well worth a quiet afternoon stroll, with cherry trees lining the pathways, herbaceous borders, a kitchen garden, rose garden, fountains and orangery. I had the gardens to myself and was lucky to spot a red cardinal hopping about its beautiful mosaic garden.

Washington National Cathedral and Gardens

The cathedral is the second-largest church building in the US and sits in 59 acres of grounds. I opted to take the 45 minute walk there from Georgetown past the amazing homes of Cathedral Heights, but it’s also just a short bus ride up the hill. As well as an oak and beech forest, Olmstead Woods, there’s the pretty Bishop’s Garden, which was inspired by mediaeval walled gardens and was bright with flowering shrubs and bulbs when I visited in Spring. Its Open City café also had delicious cake and smoothies.

Hillwood Estate Museum and Gardens

Another historic estate worth a short taxi ride is Hillwood Estate Museum and Gardens. Rebuilt in the 50s by wealthy businesswoman Marjorie Post (of Post cereal Company) its 13 acre gardens are set out as a series of rooms, at their peak in spring and autumn when Marjorie was in residence. As well as rose and Japanese gardens, a parterre and cutting garden there are greenhouses brimming with over 2000 orchids. The house, now a museum, is also well worth a look around. I watched an introductory film which set the scene perfectly and then wondered at the collections of decorative arts from the House of Romanov and 18th century France. My favourites though were the huge 1950s state-of-the-art kitchen, and her breakfast room, which with its indoor ‘garden of orchids’, must have been a beautiful way to start the day!

US National Arboretum

My last day in the capital was spent in northeast DC, just a couple of miles from the Capitol building at the US National Arboretum. A government research facility and free public garden, it was opened in 1959 and is almost 450 acres of tree filled parkland. As well as a number of impressive plant collections, including azalea, dogwood and magnolia, there’s a pretty National Herb Garden and the National Bonsai and Penjing museum, a mind-blowing collection of Japanese and Chinese horticultural art. It’s not a horticultural skill I think I’ll ever have the patience for but the trees were awe inspiring. One, a Japanese white pine survived the Hiroshima bombing and has been ‘in training’ since 1625.

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Why you should visit
Kew Gardens has something to inspire every type of gardener, from tough tiny alpines to the famous rose garden and tropical glasshouses. The Great Broad Walk Borders are among the longest in the country at 320m, and feature eight themed circular beds - more planting ideas than anyone could wish for. At the end of this walkway is the Palm House which houses many rare and threatened tropical species.

Garden highlights
Don’t miss the record-breaking giant waterlily in the Waterlily House, a view of the gardens from the Great Pagoda and the collection of rare plants in the Temperate House, the world’s largest Victorian glasshouse.

Best time to visit
There’s something to see year-round.

Expert tip
Follow one of Kew’s tailored trails to make sure you don’t miss anything, because the grounds are huge and with 326 acres to explore, it’s best to be selective.

2. Sissinghurst Castle Garden, Kent

Why you should visit
One of the most famous gardens in England, Sissinghurst is the creation of Vita Sackville-West and her husband Harold Nicolson. Combining her flair for planting and his interest in formal design, each style complements the other in this garden. The garden is arranged in rooms, with themes that include roses, cottage style planting and herbs. Sissinghurst is most famous for its White Garden, featuring only white, grey, green and silver plants. Within the boundaries of yew and box hedges Vita planted tall white flowers that include a mass of foxgloves, pom pom dahlias, Japanese anemones and delphiniums.

Garden highlights
The variety and colours within the Rose Garden and the serenity of the White Garden.

Best time to visit
June to July when the roses are out

Expert tip
Visit Great Dixter while you’re in Kent. Christopher Lloyd’s renowned garden is only half an hour from Sissinghurst by car.

3. Keukenhof, Nisse, The Netherlands

Why you should visit
Keukenhof has a spectacular collection of spring bulbs including crocuses, daffodils, hyacinths and tulips. This world famous attraction is set within 79 acres, planted with around 7 million bulbs. The gardens were designed around Keukenhof Castle in 1857 and have been a focal point for bulb enthusiasts ever since 1949, when twenty prominent bulb growers came up with a plan to use the gardens to exhibit spring flowering bulbs. Explore the gardens along winding pathways past flowerbeds packed in intricate designs with every type of tulip as well as water features and feature gardens.

Garden highlights
People come primarily for the tulips at their peak, but look out also for the exhibitions in the pavilions, or admire the bulbs on a boat ride down the waterways.

Best time to visit
The garden is only open between March and May – visit from mid April to see the tulips.

Expert tip
Head 40 miles north to Kop Van Noord-Holland, the largest tulip area in The Netherlands and spend a few days cycling through the bulb fields. There are also tulip fields to explore outside Keukenhof.

4. Butchart Gardens, Vancouver Island, BC, Canada

Why you should visit 

In 2004, to mark its 100th anniversary, Butchart Gardens were made a National Historic Site of Canada. From its beginnings as a garden created on a limestone quarry, it has expanded to 55 acres, with five main areas that cover planting styles from Mediterranean to Japanese. This is a spectacular setting that will inspire every type of gardener. For plant enthusiasts there is a huge variety on show throughout the year, including 265,000 annuals, 100 varieties of dahlia and 2000 shrubs.

Garden highlights
Look out over the Sunken Garden from a limestone mound, created on the site of the original quarry. There are 151 flowerbeds and an impressive fountain. In the Rose Garden there are 2,500 roses, from floribundas to rambling roses and climbers in a spectrum of colours.

Best time to visit
There’s something to see year round, but spring is a highlight for thousands of spring flowering bulbs, and summer is the best time if you want to see the Rose Garden.

Expert tip 

If you’re staying longer than a day on Vancouver Island, explore some of its other gardens including the the Gardens at HCP, which are in a conservation park and the Kitty Coleman Woodland Gardens, which has one of the largest rhododendron collections in Western Canada.

5. Jardin Majorelle, Marrakesh, Morocco

Why you should visit
Created by the French artist, Jacques Majorelle, in the 1920s, Jardin Majorelle reflects his passion for colour. The bold art deco buildings and hard landscaping are painted in a cobalt blue the artist trademarked as ‘bleu Majorelle’. For the planting, he sourced exotic species from five continents, including an impressive collection of cacti and succulents. Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Berge saved the garden from destruction in 1980.

Garden highlights
The use of colour in the garden is not the only highlight. The plants are spectacular too. Marvel at the enormous cacti growing outdoors in the cacti and succulent garden.

Best time to visit
The best time to visit Morocco is between March and May or September to November when the weather isn’t too hot or cold.

Expert tip
Visit the Pierre Berge Museum of Berber Arts and Yves Saint Laurent Museum while you’re there.

6. Kirstenbosch Botanic Garden, Cape Town

Why you should visit
Kirstenbosch Botanic Garden is set on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain. It has many plants that are endemic to South Africa. In spring the gardens are full of colour with Namaqualand daisies in shades from red and orange to yellow and purple, exotic looking strelizia as well as a garden of protea, a plant that is native to South Africa, with dramatic flowers. Explore the erica garden, the Dell with its collection of shade-loving plants, or take one of the trails.

Garden highlights
Walk along the Centenary Tree Canopy Walkway, known as the Boomslang, for views of the surrounding mountains. It’s 130m long and climbs up from the forest floor to wind through the trees of the arboretum.

Best time to visit
To see the maximum amount of plants in flower and the fynbos (natural shrubland) at its best, visit at the end of winter, in spring or early summer. This is between August and November.

Expert tip
Take a free 90-minute tour with a guide to see the highlights of the season and different areas of the garden. There are free tours every week day apart from on public holidays.

7. Nong Nooch Tropical Garden, Thailand

Why should you visit 

This is not only a garden but a tourist attraction – a botanical garden for plant lovers, with features such as Dinosaur Valley for family days out. Set out over 600 acres, Nang Nooch includes themed gardens – a French garden, Orchid garden and a Cycad garden holding one of the world’s largest collections. The French garden is inspired by the Gardens of Versailles, with a geometric design. As well impressive plant displays, visitors can experience cultural shows, life size dinosaurs and a car museum.

Garden highlights
Don’t miss the Gardens in the Sky, an experience that feels like being in a jungle, with two floors of plants. There are ferns hanging from the ceiling, plant towers and green walls.

Best time to visit
During the dry season between November and February. Go early in the morning to avoid the midday heat and the crowds.

Expert tip
If you are limited on time or energy, book a ticket that includes the hop on, hop off sightseeing bus.

8. Kenrokuen, Kanazawa, Japan

Why should you visit
Kenrokuen is famously described as one of Japan’s three greatest gardens along with Kairakuen in Mito, and Korakuen in Okayama, which were created in the Edo period, between 1603 and 1868. These three gardens are often described as  'strolling style' gardens with a pond as their focal point. Kenrokuen Garden can be found opposite Kanazawa Castle. Wander around the garden at your leisure on one of the paths that winds around the pond, over bridges and past tea houses and blossom trees.

Garden highlights
This garden is renowned for its spring blossom as well as its water features.

Best time to visit
Visit in February to March for the plum blossom season or mid-April to see the cherry blossom.

Expert tip
It’s still worth visiting if you are in Japan during the winter. Look out for the pine trees, like upside down umbrellas, with their branches strung up to protect them against heavy snowfall.

9. Gardens of Versailles, France

Why you should visit
Built under the instruction of Louis XIV in the 17th century the magnitude of the Gardens of Versailles is breathtaking. These gardens are laid out around the chateau in a French formal style, with water parterres, alleys lined with hundreds of statues and grand fountains and pools as focal points. While exploring the gardens, follow the paths into the groves, small gardens in the woodlands, each with their individual style.

Garden highlights
Walk along the Royal Way in the direction of the grand canal to see Apollo's fountain, one of the most impressive in the gardens, with Apollo and his chariot at its centre. Admire the design of the Grand Perspective from the Hall of Mirrors. From here it's possible to see the symmetry of the design below – the water parterre, two rectangular ponds and grand canal in the distance.

Best time to visit
The gardens will look impressive year round, due to their structure and layout. There will be fewer crowds in autumn and winter, but more colour to see during the summer.

Expert tip
On the first Sunday of every month between November and March, the whole estate is open free to all (but you do need to book a time slot for the Palace).

10. Longwood Gardens, Pennsylvania

Why you should visit
There are 200 acres of gardens to explore at Longwood, from flower filled borders and water gardens to Italian and topiary gardens, open meadows and forest trails. The first garden to be created in the early 20th century was the Flower Garden Walk, 182 metres of borders that look spectacular from April through to October. In addition there is a Fountain Garden and a historic conservatory with waterfalls, pools and fountains.

Garden highlights
Take the time to explore beyond the Flower Garden Walk and main gardens, to visit the Waterlily Court, which has aquatic plants from around the world – 100 varieties of waterlilies. Then lose yourself for a few hours in the glasshouses, where planting ranges from rainforest to Mediterranean.

Best time to visit
This is an enormous garden and there will be something to see at any time of year, but there will be more plants to see at their peak between April and October.

Expert tip
Visit on a weekend or evening when the Fountain Festivals or Illuminated Festival performances are on, to see fountain displays set to music, which includes 1719 jets of water.

Discover Monty Don's favourite gardens from around the world:

• Unmissable gardens around the world

1. Real Jardin Botanico

As you enter the garden, you are greeted by their seasonal display. When I visited in spring, I was met with rows of brightly coloured tulips set between lines of immaculate box hedges. This display is rotated with the seasons changing to dahlias and peonies to attract visitors into these historic gardens. The entrance of the garden can become crowded as people flock to the amazing colours, but once you pass through, the gardens are incredibly peaceful. The garden is split into many terraces over 20 acres, and you could spend all day here exploring the botanical collections. They have a vast collection of bonsais and over 1,500 specimens of trees. I ended up visiting the gardens twice, and on my second visit, time ran away from me as I was admiring the amazing pond life and listening to the low rumbling croaking of frogs. Real Jardín Botánico is a must-see if you are interested in expanding your botanical knowledge or if you are a lover of large trees.

2. El Retiro Park

El Retiro Park, home to an incredible 15,000 trees. The parks of Madrid are like nowhere else; they are so well maintained and vast. From what I experienced, they are not overcrowded as some parks can be in the UK, because there many of them and each covers such a large area. Like many of Madrid’s parks, El Retiro was created for royalty, and from its opening in the 17th century until the end of the 19th century, this is what it was used for. Now it is open for the public to enjoy the rose garden, incredible lake, and crystal palace, as well as many other beautiful buildings, many of which host temporary art exhibitions and museum collections.

3. Campo del Moro

Campo del Moro is a Royal Park to the west of the city, and a garden of the Royal Palace of Madrid. When you enter the grounds, you quickly escape the busyness of the palace. The park is very well manicured, but it somehow feels wild. As you walk around the parks vast sloping paths, flanked with tall deodar cedars, you feel enclosed in the greenery and can stumble upon small dwellings used by previous generations of Spanish royality. If you visit Campo del Moro in the summer months, you will see the beautiful Magnolia grandiflora in bloom across the grounds.

4. Jardines de Sabatini

When you have finished at Campo del Moro, you could visit the Jardines de Sabatini, which sit just to the side of the park, the gardens are part of the Royal Palace. Split into three terraces, the gardens are neoclassical in style and feature immaculate box hedges and beautiful water features. It's also one of the best spots to view the palace from.

5. Huerto de las Monjas

There are many smaller hidden gardens across the city, such as Huerto de las Monjas, the ‘Nun’s Orchard’ which was once a vegetable garden for the Cistercian Nuns. This garden is tucked away in the heart of the city and is a great spot to find some calm.

6. Humbraculo - Atocha station

If you arrive in Madrid by train, you may come into Madrid Atocha station, a cast iron and glass structure full of towering plants from the Americas, Asia, and Australia. It is a great welcome to the city. If you aren’t travelling by train, you can still visit and enjoy this unexpected tropical garden.

7. Parque de la Quinta de los Molinos

If you are planning to visit Madrid in February or March, this is a must visit. Sitting to the east of the city, Parque de la Quinta de los Molinos is home to many Almond trees which come into their white and pink blossom at the end of winter.

8. Jardines de la Rosaleda

This magnificent rose garden sits in Oeste Park, a large green space open to all. Although slightly hidden, this garden is home to an amazing 650 different varieties of rose bushes, and totals over 20,000 specimens. It is the perfect place to submerge yourself in the scent of roses, learn some new varieties, and why not set yourself the impossible task of choosing a favourite?

9. Parque de El Capricho

In the 18th century, this 17-acre park to the northeast of the city was popular with the artists, writers and bullfighters of the day. Including Francisco Goya, who painted ‘The Spell’ to hang in El Capricho Palace. This park is full of treasures, as well as many gorgeous plants, it is home to a mansion, a bandstand, a lake and even a labyrinth to get lost in. This is a great place to visit to learn about the Spanish Civil War, as hidden 15 metres under the surface of the park, lies a 2000 square-metre bunker built in 1937. You can even attend a free guided tour, which take place every Saturday and Sunday.

More info:

Madrid can get very hot in summer, so bear this in mind when planning your trip. El Retiro Park and Campo del Moro are free to visit, the Real Jardín Botánico is €4 – more info at esmadrid.com and spain.info. I stayed at Hotel Avani Alonso Martínez Madrid, which is very central and close to many of the gardens and museums – see avanihotels.com.

More travel inspiration:

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Watch the video, above, to hear about Monty's favourite gardens.

Discover more unmissable gardens to visit around the world.

Monty's five favourite global gardens

1. Rousham: He begins with Rousham in Oxfordshire, designed by William Kent in the 1730s. Monty highlights its simplicity, its close relationship with the surrounding landscape and its importance in the early development of the English landscape style. Little has changed since its creation, it offers a clear insight into 18th-century ideas of beauty and design.
2. Ninfa: In Italy, Monty turns to Ninfa, a garden created among the ruins of a deserted medieval town between Rome and Naples. Developed in the early 20th century, it combines planting with churches, streets and walls, creating a distinctive landscape shaped as much by history as by horticulture.
3. Kyoto Gardens: For Japan, Monty avoids selecting a single garden, instead recommending time spent visiting Kyoto’s temple gardens. He describes them as an opportunity to understand how cultural and spiritual ideas are expressed through space, materials and restraint, offering a different way of seeing gardens.
4. Vaux-le-Vicomte: France’s Vaux-le-Vicomte represents the formal tradition. Designed by André Le Nôtre in the 17th century, it predates Versailles and demonstrates the use of symmetry, long views and water to impose order on the landscape.
5. The High Line: Monty concludes with the High Line in New York, citing it as a contemporary example of how disused urban infrastructure can be transformed into accessible public garden space.

Find more nature-inspired travel inspiration:

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We were travelling to South Tyrol a province of northern Italy that was part of Austria until the first world war. And that’s nestled in the Dolomite mountain range. As we drove zig-zagging up into the mountains, with dramatic valleys falling away to the side and cable cars zipping over us, I was grateful that I’d given everyone a travel sickness tablet before we set off. When I told an Italian friend we were going on holiday to the Dolomites, she told me it’s her favourite place in the whole world. And yet word of its delights doesn’t seem to have reached the UK – we didn’t meet any other British tourists the whole time we were there – people assumed we were Austrian and would launch into conversations in German with us.

We stayed at the AKI Family Resort in Plose, where we were the only Brits. In the winter, the hotel caters to skiers, but in spring and summer it’s a dream destination for families that love walking and nature. The hotel offers panoramic mountain views from every window. There are three pools, including an indoor-outdoor pool, which is heated to a luxurious 34°C to allow outdoor swimming even in winter. My kids spent a lot of time swimming back and forth through the sliding doors, fascinated by the novelty of swimming between indoors and outside. There's also a toddler splash pool with fountains and water buckets, which my three-year-old adored, and some impressive slides for older children. There's also a petting farm, an indoor play barn and a giant two-storey climbing frame in the reception, plus a collection of stylish model Vespas, which my kids loved scooting around on. Because it's a family resort, everything is set up with families in mind. All of the suites are family suites, incorporating a cleverly designed children's bedroom. And mealtimes manage to be both elegant and family-friendly, in that way that Italians do so well!

The Dolomites are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and their geology not only provides stunning views but also creates the perfect conditions for a vast array of plant species. The varied elevation creates microclimates which means you can find Mediterranean and Arctic species growing surprisingly close together. Over 2,400 species of plants have been recorded in the Dolomites – some of which can only be found there. Despite being Italy’s smallest wine-producing region, there are vineyards aplenty, many of which offer tours, where you can sample the local wines.

Gardens to visit in the Dolomites

1. Trauttmansdorff Castle Gardens

The stand-out garden to visit in the region has to be the incredible Trauttmansdorff Castle Gardens. Located just outside the pretty spa town of Merano and just over an hour’s drive from our hotel, this 12-hectare wonderland is wrapped around a castle that looks like it’s straight out of a fairytale.

The gardens are set in a natural amphitheatre, that means the gardens span a 100metre difference in altitude. It’s divided into more than eighty garden landscapes, including water gardens, an Italian renaissance style garden, a lemon terrace, a Japanese garden, a tropical glasshouse, an olive grove that’s home to a 700 year old olive tree, and an English- cottage-style garden packed with perennials. These landscapes are grouped into four Garden Worlds that reflect different climates and continents. There are tropical plants, Mediterranean herbs, alpine flowers, waterfalls and even cacti, all with the mountains as your backdrop.

And luckily for us there’s also a surprising amount for kids to do. There’s a yew hedge maze to get lost in, with a pomegranate tree at its centre. And a host of interactive experience stations, including a multimedia grotto delving into the origins of life on earth, a swinging adventure rope bridge, echo stones, a barefoot sensory path, and even a little house that you can sit inside and listen to fairytales. To take advantage of the incredible scenery there are two vertigo-inducing viewing platforms that float above the gardens.

Trauttmansdorff Castle Gardens are open April to early November, and then again in late November to early January for their light show.

2 Alpe di Siusi

Another must-see for nature lovers in South Tyrol is the Alpe di Siusi meadow. It’s the largest high alpine pasture in Europe and in spring and summer it’s bursting with wildflowers, butterflies and birds. Depending on when you visit, you can see carpets of deep purple alpine snowbells and bellflowers, delicate little yellow alpine poppies, cyclamen, pasqueflowers, gentians and alpine orchids, as well as the famous edelweiss.

It covers around 56 square kilometres, it’s almost car-free and has 450km of hiking trails, many of which are gentle enough for buggies. With cows grazing, and the sun shining it’s an idyllic place to explore, ride bikes, have picnics and let the kids run around. Dotted around there are traditional wooden hut restaurants – ideal if, like me, you need the incentive of cake and ice cream to bribe your children to undertake any kind of walk.

3. University of Innsbruck Botanic Gardens

If you have time at the start or end of your trip, then stop in at the Botanic Gardens at the University of Innsbruck. This 2 hectare garden is an important teaching resource and it’s also open to the public. Here you can brush up your knowledge of alpine plants in the alpinum, there are also tropical and subtropical greenhouses, and a sensory garden, where you’re encouraged to touch, smell and even taste the plants.

Listen to our Travel Tales podcast about my trip to the Dolomite Mountains

• Watch as Monty Don reveals his favourite global gardens

The native flora is fascinating due to centuries of visitors who have brought in plants from all over the world, leading to Madeira being nicknamed the Garden Isle. Much of my visit revolved around trekking, meaning I was only able to visit the first two gardens on my list personally. I’m happy to report these two were spectacular and I’m reliably informed the last three on my list are well worth seeing too. Perhaps I need a return visit!

• Watch as Monty Don reveals his favourite global gardens
• Unmissable gardens around the world

1. Madeira Botanical Garden

The Madeira Botanical Garden is a treasure-trove for gardeners and is renowned for its stunning carpet bedding display but also home to a carefully curated plant collection, including an outdoor propagation bed of succulents and fascinating display of economically important plants. Located high in the hills above Funchal it also boasts spectacular views, which make it a great destination if your travelling companion is less of a plantaholic than you. They can sit in the sun admiring Madeira’s topography while you marvel over the bougainvillea, hibiscus and bird of paradise flowers.

• Open daily, 9:00-17:30, price €7.50 per person

2. Monte Palace

Monte Palace is home to exotic plants from every continent except Antarctica, including cycads, proteas, azaleas, orchids, hydrangeas and olives, housed in a dramatic landscape including a pagoda, lake, palace and wishing well. The setting is fairytale - round a corner to see a wall of flowering begonias topped off by a Chinese Pagoda or purple tibouchina petals carpeting the cobbles. After a long morning walk my energy was restored by this colourful garden to the point that I tried to cover all of its winding paths. And just when I thought I’d seen everything a bevy of flamingoes provided a spectacular finale.

• Open daily, 9:30-18:00, €15 per person

3. Palheiro Gardens

First on my list of gardens to visit on my next trip to Madeira is the Palheiro Gardens, also known as the Blandy Gardens, after the family who bought them in the late 19th Century. Although there is plenty to see here all year round, the plants for which these gardens are famous are Camellias, which flower in Madeira from October (C. sanaqua and C. granthamiana) to April (C. japonica and C. reticulata). The collection was started by Count de Carvalhal, who established the gardens, but lovingly built up by Mildred Blandy.

• Open daily, 9:00-17:00, €11 per person

4. Quinta da Boa Vista

This is the destination for fans of tropical orchids and run by the Garton family, including descendants of one of the early pioneers of orchid breeding, Sir William Cooke. The levada irrigation system is one of the fascinating aspects of Madeira and this garden continues to draw water from it, for its important collection of orchids, which contains species of global importance for conservation. Patrick Garton, who studied plants at Oxford University and on the Kew Diploma, continues this vital work in the gardens.

• Open Monday to Friday, 9:00-18:00, €5 per person

5. Quinta Vigia

For a calming rest, with minimal outlay, visit the gardens of the presidential palace in Fulchal, Quinta Vigia. Situated in a prime position, with a beautiful view of the bay of Funchal, these gardens also offer inspiring landscaping, ambitious bedding and examples of native Madeiran flora. Kings and Queens from all over Europe have enjoyed the view out to sea here, with many staying at the quinta for respite while under treatment for ill health.

• Open Monday to Friday, 8:00-18.00, €1 per person

From the plane window, the island unfurled below me - a lush patchwork of emerald forests, hidden coves and the twin spires of the famous Pitons (two spectacular UNESCO-listed mountains and St Lucia’s most recognisable landmarks) rising steep and proud from the sea.

• Watch as Monty Don reveals his favourite global gardens
• Unmissable gardens around the world

1. Visit Diamond Falls Botanical Gardens

My first stop was the Diamond Falls Botanical Gardens, just a short ride from the charming town of Soufrière. The gardens are part of the estate gifted by King Louis XIV in the 1700s and feel wonderfully curated without being overly manicured. Paths wind through towering ferns, fiery heliconias, ginger lilies, bromeliads and giant bamboo, with banana leaves spreading overhead like umbrellas and elephant’s ears and caladiums jostling for space below.

Shafts of light pierce the canopy, revealing hidden blooms and butterflies. It was here I saw my first hummingbird - a flash of purple and green darting between hibiscus blooms, so fast it felt like a trick of the light. At the trail’s end is the famous waterfall - streaked in yellows and oranges from mineral-rich water - a spectacular focal point with tumbling tradescantia covering the surrounding rocks and echoing the movement of the water.

2. Climb the Tet Paul Nature Trail

I wanted to visit the Tet Paul Nature Trail after hearing of the postcard-worthy views of the Pitons. It’s a short hiking trail (around 45 minutes) and is classed as an easy to moderate hike, which is less demanding than climbing the Pitons themselves. The trail offers more than just scenery. It gives a glimpse into the island’s sustainable traditions, with plants used for food, medicine and ritual. Just as we reached the high point, we barely had time for photos before a curtain of rain swept across the landscape - a tropical deluge that soaked us through in seconds. It felt like a baptism into St Lucia’s rainforest heart.

3. Brave the Soufrière ‘Drive-In’ Volcano

Nearby is the island’s famous “drive-in” volcano (I was relieved to learn it hadn’t erupted since 1766!) where steam vents hiss from cracks in the earth and the air is thick with sulphur. Just downhill are the mud baths, where locals and tourists slather themselves in grey clay before washing off in the naturally heated pools. It was messy, mindful and strangely meditative - not unlike a day spent pottering in the garden.

4. Enjoy Hotel Chocolat’s Rabot Estate

A different kind of immersion came at the Hotel Chocolat’s Rabot Estate, where I joined a cacao farm tour. We got hands-on grafting young cacao trees, learned about mulching and companion planting, and tasted the slippery, fruity pulp from fresh pods. Later producing our own souvenir chocolate bars from scratch. For someone who loves growing food and understanding where it comes from, it was both delicious and grounding.

5. Take a ride on the Rainforest Aerial Tram

The Rainforest Aerial Tram in St. Lucia offers a peaceful yet thrilling way to experience the island’s incredible natural beauty from above. As the gondola glides slowly over the canopy, expect sweeping views of lush green forest. Keep an eye out for flashes of tropical birds weaving between the trees, adding splashes of colour to the endless greenery. As the tram ascends, the panorama opens up to reveal rolling rainforest hills and, in the distance, the sparkling blue of the Caribbean Sea. It’s a mix of tranquility and adventure, but isn't for the faint-hearted.

St Lucia is an island where people live with nature rather than just beside it. I returned home with a renewed appreciation for how plants, soil, wildlife and people are all beautifully connected.

More info: The best time to visit St Lucia is December to April – avoiding the wet season. I stayed at two beautiful hotels in the North of the island, the luxurious Windjammer Landing (windjammer-landing. com) for the first part of my trip, eating delicious food at a different one of the seven restaurants each evening, before moving just along the coast to East Winds resort (eastwinds.com). East Winds is a more intimate hotel, set in its own botanical gardens, and the head gardener gives a tour of the gardens once a week. 

Direct flights to St Lucia go once a day from London Gatwick Airport. For more information about visiting the island, head to stlucia.org. 

Find more nature-inspired travel inspiration:

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My partner and I took a short trip and found it an ideal getaway from the grey British weather with pleasant temperatures that were even warm enough for a (very brief!) dip in the sea. We flew into Catania, a city on the east side of the island, and took a couple of hours to visit The Botanical Garden of Catania. This free public garden is a quiet, charming spot with several themed sections including a Sicilian garden that acts as a mini assemblage of some of the island’s key native plants. Make sure to visit the Tepidarium too which houses over 160 plant species.

Most of our trip was spent further west on the Agrigento coast where we stayed at the ADLER Spa Resort SICILIA. The hotel is situated on the edge of a nature reserve, and we found it to be a great base to explore some of Sicily’s natural beauty, either via hikes or bike rides. The hotel has been beautifully landscaped, and the kitchen garden is full of vegetables and herbs: be sure to book a guided tour. Much of what you see will end up in that evening’s dinner, paired with one of the islands great wine options.

We loved using the top-notch spa facilities and, brilliantly, guests can easily whizz down to the beach in one of the hotel’s golf carts that regularly beetle up and down.

Our next stop was directly across the island to the capital, Palermo. Descending the winding mountain road down into the coastal city feels exciting and just a little unnerving as drivers seem to fly out from every direction. We were lucky enough to be staying in the beautifully restored Bella Palermo, a family-owned Palazzo right in the heart of the old city. You can book the entire property if you like but you may struggle to leave as it has been filled with antiques and feels like staying in a (comfortable) movie set. There are also many public Palazzos that operate as museums and art galleries to explore and the atmosphere throughout the winding streets is fantastic. It’s easy to spend hours getting lost down historic side streets, discovering unique shops and climbing up to rooftop vantage points to admire the city’s terracotta-roofed skyline.

Although we had left the countryside behind, nature was right outside our window in the form of an enormous fig tree standing proud in the courtyard. Palermo is well known for its impressive array of figs (Ficus carica) dotted throughout the city. The most impressive one of all is an enormous specimen located in The Botanical Garden of the University of Palermo, thought to be Europe’s largest tree. Make sure you set aside plenty of time to explore this huge botanic garden, it’s a wonderful place to spot even more native, tropical and subtropical species. There are glass houses, ponds and a great collection of succulents.

There are many more gardens and so much history, culture and beautiful scenery to explore in Sicily – not to mention the delicious food – that I’m sure I’ll be back soon.

Best gardens to visit

1. Orto Botanico di Catania

This free, charming garden in the heart of Catania is well worth a visit if you are flying in or out of the city. Founded in 1858 by botanist Francesco Tornabene, Orto Botanico di Catania spreads around neoclassical buildings which create a striking backdrop for the diverse plant collections.

What surprised me most was the variety packed into this little urban oasis. The garden features themed sections including a dedicated Sicilian garden where native species thrive. Don't miss the Tepidarium – a greenhouse housing over 160 natural species that transports you to different climates in just a few steps.

As I wandered through collections of succulents, palms, and endemic plants, I appreciated how the garden serves both as a research facility and a conservation site for rare species like the endangered Zelkova sicula.

It's open Monday to Friday until 19:00 and Saturday until 14:00. Guided tours are available.

2. Giardino di San Giuliano

This seven-acre paradise belongs to Marquis Giuseppe Paternò Castello di San Giuliano and was lovingly created over 25 years with his late wife Fiamma Ferragamo.

The Giardino di San Giuliano gardens unfolds like chapters in a book – a terrace fronting the house, ornamental trees creating natural rooms, and a striking cactus bed by the front gate featuring agaves, aloes, and prickly pears. The lower garden, affectionately called giardinetto, showcases Mediterranean plants interspersed with subtropical and tropical varieties.

It has been planted for year-round interest – from spring alliums, narcissi and Dutch iris to summer roses and autumn dahlias. Eight different species of palms create dramatic silhouettes against Mount Etna in the distance, while the water features host exotic specimens like Victoria cruziana and Nymphaea 'King of Siam'.

The garden is open by appointment only.

3. Orto Botanico di Palermo

I spent several hours exploring this 25-acre wonderland, home to Europe's largest ficus tree – a truly awe-inspiring sight. Established in 1789 by Léon Dufourny, this garden was once a major botanical research centre, and that scientific heritage remains evident today.

The garden is organised following both Linnaean and Engler classification systems, creating a living library of plant species. I particularly enjoyed the medicinal and aromatic plant section.

Entry costs €7, and an audio guide is available. Make sure you also visit the adjacent Villa Giulia park (free entry) with its marble sculptures and peaceful resting spots.

More garden travel inspiration:

• Watch as Monty Don reveals his favourite global gardens
• Five nature highlights in St Lucia
• Highlights of a garden tour across Morocco
• Best gardens to visit in Italy
• Gardens of the Côte d'Azur
• Gardens to visit in Madrid

Also inspiring, were the many ingenious ways in which gardeners, past and present, had harnessed limited water supplies and native, drought-tolerant plants to create a network of lush green oases in arid desert and on bare mountain – the baked red earth of tiles, pots and adobe walls, an ever-present echo of the otherwise harsh landscape. It was hard coming back to the cold, but exciting to start weaving some of those Moroccan garden design ideas and planting inspirations into my own backyard.

• Watch as Monty Don reveals his favourite global gardens

Jardin des Douars

The botanical paradise of Jardin des Douars, open for stays or day visits, is just twenty minutes’ drive out into the desert from both Essaouira and its airport, the entrance via an avenue of multi-hued bougainvillea and palm trees. A tour of the stepped garden following a network of bejmat (handcrafted clay) tiled paths down from the pink-walled, fortress-like hotel leads to an impressive array of plants: sky-blue plumbago, crimson hibiscus, pink oleander, gigantic African milk trees (Euphorbia trigona), colonies of succulents and palms, pomegranate, lemon, orange and fig trees, red hot pokers, eglantine roses (Rosa rubiginosa) and swathes of silver and red-tinted fountain grass (Pennisetum). Back in Essaouira there are countless riads and rooftops to enjoy including the banana-leaved courtyard of L’Heure Bleue Palais hotel and a buttress-rooted secular Ficus tree (Ficus religiosa) within the craft centre.

Jnane Tamsna

A three-hour drive to Marrakech takes you past rows of olive and argan trees (Argania spinosa), and the goats that climb the branches to chew the fruits and spew out the oil-rich kernels. Buy certified argan oil from a cooperative along the way. The streets into the city are lined with nurseries of native and propagated plants that furnish gardens near and far, including the ochre-walled Jnane Tamsna hotel set within a centuries-old Palmeraie. With plant-inspired interiors by Meryanne Loum-Martin and grounds by her American ethnobotanist husband Gary Martin, there’s much to explore here including a rainwater-run off raised serpentine walkway lined with agaves, aloes, prickly pears, rose geraniums, and multi-layered trees and shrubs; an olive tree-lined courtyard; and areas for growing food and herbs, and conducting irrigation experiments. Book in for a retreat or a garden tour.

Jardin Majorelle

Jardin Majorelle with its cobalt blue and yellow Moorish-Art Deco aesthetic, is a must for lovers of succulents and cacti. The garden was first established in 1924 by the French artist Jaques Majorelle, who wove together hundreds of exotic plant species from around the world and introduced the captivating colour scheme. His former studio now houses the Musé Berbére, which is also well worth a visit for a greater insight into indigenous Moroccan culture including historic gardening practices and plants. Majorelle’s house and garden was bought by French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Bergé in 1980, the pair taking care to preserve the original aesthetic. Book a ticket to visit early in the morning when it’s less busy and you can get a clear view of the sculptural planting and brightly coloured focal points such as pots and ponds.

Jardin Secret

While Jardin Majorelle is located on the outskirts of Marrakech’s Medina, Jardin Secret is deep within its hustle and bustle, thus providing a welcome getaway for anyone who needs to take some time out, as well as multi-layered planting and design inspiration. A former Saadian dynasty garden then 19th-century palatial riad, the gardens were redesigned by Tom Stuart Smith and reopened to the public in 2016. Immediately inviting and relaxing thanks to its open and carefully ordered design, soft sensory arrangements of aromatic herbs and clumping grasses, gentle water features, and shade-creating rows of lemon and orange trees, there are multiple places to sit quietly, take lunch or hang out with friends. The four-part, geometric Islamic design complete with running water channels helps facilitate irrigation and the creation of a sacred space – a ‘metaphor of heaven’.

Jardin Bio Aromatique

Further afield, in the foothills of the High Atlas Mountains, about 35km drive from Marrakech, lies a charming herb garden that provides work for local women and grows plants that help create the oils and ointments that keep it running. For those with an interest in herbs, this is the first biological garden of aromatic and medicinal plants in Morocco, established in 1998 by two experts in the art of extracting essential oils. Visitors from near and far can wander the gardens of Jardin Bio Aromatique at their leisure, stopping to touch or smell over 50 different herbs and learn about their properties and uses. The garden also runs herbal workshops and provides restorative treatments via a massage area and a series of tiled footbaths – ideal if you’ve just been for a trek. This is also a good place to invest in some pure or herb-infused argan oil – or that of the prickly pear, said to do wonders for the skin.

Ourika Valley Tour

If you want to really explore the Ourika Valley, the local culture and its plant life, consider booking a driver and an expert guide. Our guide Hassan started our day trip with a visit to Poterie Amassine (Route de l’Ourika), a local terracotta co-operative where we were able to try throwing our own pots and marvel at the piled-high stacks of vessels and tiles and the snow-capped High Atlas Mountain views beyond. Higher up the mountain we witnessed gurgling glacial rivers, a source of water for local gardens and those further afield. Then back down into the valley, we took a 2-hour hike through the dusty, red-earth landscape, dotted with agaves and juniper, to reach an Amazigh/Berber homestead where we were served a traditional tagine and a refreshing 7-herb tea. Along the way, we witnessed an impressive network of irrigation channels designed to direct mountain water onto what are now lush green fields. More proof that where there’s water there’s a way.

Jardin Anima

Our final stop on our botanical tour was the Anima Garden, created by Austrian artist André Heller, combining snow-capped mountain views and colourful sculptures with exotic vegetation, flowers, grasses, a large pond, and immersive seating areas. Having grown up taking my art out in nature courtesy of the Yorkshire Sculpture Park near where I grew up, this felt like a home from home, with sculptures at every turn, three hectares of beautiful planting, and the wonders of the natural landscape beyond. Highlights included more swathes of fountain grass (an unexpected favourite plant of our trip alongside the plumbago), avenues of bulbous cacti and spiky aloes, and fantastical artworks by the by the likes of Pablo Picasso, Keith Haring, Andy Warhol, and Auguste Rodin. Perfect for all ages but beware the all-seeing eyes and steaming mouths in the hedges.