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The World’s 100 Best Botanical Gardens · 2026

The Best Botanical Gardens in North America

22 of the 100 venues in The World’s 100 Best Botanical Gardens 2026 are in North America, in 2 countries. The highest placed is The Butchart Gardens in Brentwood Bay, Canada, at number 2 in the world. Hawai‘i Tropical Botanical Garden in Papaikou, United States (number 4) and Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, United States (number 9) follow.

The Butchart Gardens
N° 2 · The Butchart Gardens, Brentwood Bay

Conservatories and seasonal shows

Many of the North American gardens pair outdoor grounds with a large glasshouse and a programme of shows. Longwood Gardens runs fountain shows with lights and music, and its Christmas display is the busiest time of the year. Missouri Botanical Garden has the Climatron, a dome with a tropical rainforest. Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh changes its themed rooms with each flower show, and the New York Botanical Garden holds an orchid show in its glass conservatory. Timed or advance tickets are common, and online tickets usually cost less than those sold at the gate.

Climates

The gardens cover very different climates. Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix has trails through cacti; in summer the early morning and evening are the cool hours. Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden and Naples Botanical Garden in Florida grow palms, orchids and water lilies. Hawai‘i Tropical Botanical Garden lies in a rainforest valley that runs down to the ocean near Hilo. Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens has woodland trails and harbour views near Boothbay.

Canada

The three Canadian entries are The Butchart Gardens, laid out in a former limestone quarry on Vancouver Island, VanDusen Botanical Garden in Vancouver, and the Jardin botanique de Montréal, with its greenhouses and a Chinese Garden that is lit on autumn evenings.

Venues

99. New York Botanical Garden 94. Desert Botanical Garden 93. Fort Worth Botanic Garden 83. Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden 82. Naples Botanical Garden 74. Ho‘omaluhia Botanical Garden 71. Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park 67. Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens 63. Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden 61. Gibbs Gardens 57. Chicago Botanic Garden 47. VanDusen Botanical Garden 46. Portland Japanese Garden 41. Atlanta Botanical Garden 35. Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens 30. Denver Botanic Gardens 25. The Huntington 14. Missouri Botanical Garden 11. Jardin botanique de Montréal 9. Longwood Gardens 4. Hawai‘i Tropical Botanical Garden 2. The Butchart Gardens 2
99. New York Botanical Garden 94. Desert Botanical Garden 93. Fort Worth Botanic Garden 83. Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden 82. Naples Botanical Garden 74. Ho‘omaluhia Botanical Garden 71. Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park 67. Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens 63. Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden 61. Gibbs Gardens 57. Chicago Botanic Garden 47. VanDusen Botanical Garden 46. Portland Japanese Garden 41. Atlanta Botanical Garden 35. Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens 30. Denver Botanic Gardens 25. The Huntington 14. Missouri Botanical Garden 11. Jardin botanique de Montréal 9. Longwood Gardens 4. Hawai‘i Tropical Botanical Garden 2. The Butchart Gardens 2
  1. The Butchart Gardens N° 2 The Butchart Gardens Brentwood Bay, Canada Garden
  2. Hawai‘i Tropical Botanical Garden N° 4 Hawai‘i Tropical Botanical Garden Papaikou, United States Botanical garden
  3. Longwood Gardens N° 9 Longwood Gardens Kennett Square, United States Garden
  4. Jardin botanique de Montréal N° 11 Jardin botanique de Montréal Montreal, Canada Botanical garden
  5. Missouri Botanical Garden N° 14 Missouri Botanical Garden St. Louis, United States Botanical garden
  6. The Huntington N° 25 The Huntington San Marino, United States Botanical garden
  7. Denver Botanic Gardens N° 30 Denver Botanic Gardens Denver, United States Botanical garden
  8. Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens N° 35 Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens Boothbay, United States Botanical garden
  9. Atlanta Botanical Garden N° 41 Atlanta Botanical Garden Atlanta, United States Botanical garden
  10. Portland Japanese Garden N° 46 Portland Japanese Garden Portland, United States Classical garden
  11. VanDusen Botanical Garden N° 47 VanDusen Botanical Garden Vancouver, Canada Botanical garden
  12. Chicago Botanic Garden N° 57 Chicago Botanic Garden Glencoe, United States Botanical garden
  13. Gibbs Gardens N° 61 Gibbs Gardens Ball Ground, United States Garden
  14. Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden N° 63 Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden Coral Gables, United States Botanical garden
  15. Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens N° 67 Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens Pittsburgh, United States Glasshouse
  16. Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park N° 71 Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park Grand Rapids, United States Botanical garden
  17. Ho‘omaluhia Botanical Garden N° 74 Ho‘omaluhia Botanical Garden Kaneohe, United States Botanical garden
  18. Naples Botanical Garden N° 82 Naples Botanical Garden Naples, United States Botanical garden
  19. Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden N° 83 Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden Dallas, United States Botanical garden
  20. Fort Worth Botanic Garden N° 93 Fort Worth Botanic Garden Fort Worth, United States Botanical garden
  21. Desert Botanical Garden N° 94 Desert Botanical Garden Phoenix, United States Botanical garden
  22. New York Botanical Garden N° 99 New York Botanical Garden New York, United States Botanical garden

Best by region

  1. The NordicsGothenburg Botanical GardenGothenburg, SwedenN° 8
  2. EuropeBodnant GardenTal-y-Cafn, United KingdomN° 5
  3. AsiaRoyal Botanic Gardens, PeradeniyaKandy, Sri LankaN° 6
  4. The Middle EastDubai Miracle GardenDubai, United Arab EmiratesN° 13
  5. North AmericaThe Butchart GardensBrentwood Bay, CanadaN° 2
  6. The CaribbeanHunte’s GardensSaint Joseph, BarbadosN° 17
  7. Latin AmericaJardim Botânico do Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro, BrazilN° 28
  8. AfricaJardin d’Essai du HammaAlgiers, AlgeriaN° 1
  9. OceaniaRoyal Botanic Gardens MelbourneMelbourne, AustraliaN° 15

Best by kind

  1. Display gardensThe Butchart GardensBrentwood Bay, CanadaN° 2
  2. Classical gardensKenroku-enKanazawa, JapanN° 12

Best by country

  1. United StatesHawai‘i Tropical Botanical GardenPapaikouN° 4
  2. JapanKenroku-enKanazawaN° 12
  3. ItalyThe Gardens of Trauttmansdorff CastleMeranoN° 19
  4. United KingdomBodnant GardenTal-y-CafnN° 5
  5. SpainJardín Botánico AtlánticoGijónN° 40
  6. FranceParc Floral d’ApremontApremont-sur-AllierN° 54