Month: August 2025
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The Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens
If you should ask a native for directions to the Botanical Gardens, you are likely to stand corrected that you are looking for the Botanic Gardens. Walking from the diminutive replica of the London’ Hyde Park, you pass the Church of England cathedral to which years ago all but a few misguided Irishman belonged as…
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Thomas Coram and the Foundling Hospital
Elizabeth SteinhartJMS PearceHull, England Nineteen years after good Captain Coram’s heart has been so touched by the exposure of children, living, dying, and dead, in his daily walks, one wing of the existing building was completed and admission given to the first score of little blanks [foundling children].—Charles Dickens, “Received, a Blank Child” in Household…
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The botanic gardens of Singapore
The Singapore Botanic Gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is a living testament to Singapore’s rich history and a vibrant hub for botanical research and conservation. Founded in 1859, they played a significant role in shaping the region’s economy and continues to be an important center for scientific knowledge and education. Historically, the Singapore Botanic…
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Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden: A blend of history, horticulture, and health
The Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden lies in the midst of the bustling metropolis of Tokyo as an oasis of tranquility and natural beauty. Its history dates to the Edo Period (1603-1868), when it was the estate of a feudal lord. The land was originally bestowed upon Kiyonari Naitō by Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1590, and it…
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The Sanssouci Botanic Garden in Potsdam
The origins of the Sanssouci Park date back to 1744 when Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, envisioned a summer retreat that would embody his philosophy of “sans souci” — French for “without worry.” He personally designed the palace and its surrounding terraced vineyards, transforming the landscape into a Baroque pleasure garden. The park expanded…
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The Nymphenburg Garden of Munich
The Nymphenburg Garden in Munich, Germany, was established in the late 17th century as part of the Nymphenburg Palace complex. Commissioned by the Elector Ferdinand Maria and Henriette Adelaide of Savoy, it was initially designed in a strict Baroque style by Charles Carbonet and Dominique Girard. It evolved into a Romantic landscape park under Friedrich Ludwig von Sckell in the early 19th century, blending formal geometry with naturalistic elements such as winding paths, lakes,…
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The Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne
Situated on the banks of the Yarra River in the heart of Melbourne, the Gardens extends over 38 hectares and houses a collection of more than 8,500 species of plants from around the world, including diverse plant collections such as camellias, rainforest flora, cacti and succulents, roses, Californian species, herbs, perennials, cycads, plants from Southern…
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The Majorelle Garden of Marrakech
The Jardin Majorelle (Majorelle Garden) is the most famous garden in Marrakech, Morocco, a one-hectare botanical garden particularly famous for its “Majorelle blue” buildings and its extensive collection of cacti. The garden owes its name and early vision to Jacques Majorelle (1886–1962), a French Orientalist painter who fell in love with Morocco during the early…
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Longwood Gardens: A living pharmacy of history and healing
Nestled, Longwood Gardens, spanning over 1,100 acres of meticulously maintained gardens in the rolling hills of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, offers plantings, water fountains, and sunny spaces with forever-blooming flowers and walking paths through woodlands and beautiful sparkling lakes, equally beautiful and stunning. The land that now houses Longwood Gardens has a rich medicinal history dating…
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The royal botanic gardens at Kew
Located in southwest London along the banks of the Thames, Kew Gardens originated in the 18th century from the private botanical interests of Princess Augusta, the mother of King George III. In 1759, she established a nine-acre botanical garden on the grounds of Kew Palace. The gardens expanded under the direction of Sir Joseph Banks,…