The Secret Buddha Garden, also called Tarnim Magic Garden, is a sculpture park on Pom Mountain on the island of Koh Samui, Thailand. Numerous statues, including Buddhas, angels, and animals, are the highlights of the place. It also consists of a beautiful freshwater stream with sectioned waterfalls along with flowers and trees native to Koh Samui and Thailand.
The park was built by a local Samui fruit farmer, Nim Thongsuk, who started it in 1976 when he was 77 years old. Thongsuk spent a lifetime on the mountain looking after his crops and eventually decided to express his love for the land by creating this magical garden.
Getting to the Secret Buddha Garden isn’t simple - it usually requires a trip to the mountain in a car. However, the effort will be worth it as you will be greeted with breathtaking views on your journey.
2. Claude Monet's Garden, France
The famous French painter Claude Monet lived in Giverny, France, from 1883 to 1926. During his stay in the beautiful village, Monet added some water gardens to his house, which already included a flower garden on its front.
The flower gardens cover about a hectare and brim with thousands of flowers including masses of tulips, irises, oriental poppies, and peonies. However, the water gardens are the most famous part of the place, featuring a pond with water lilies surrounded by flowers and a replica of the Japanese bridge. Incidentally, this bridge has featured in Monet's famous paintings.
The edges of the ponds are planted with weeping willows, cherry trees, azaleas, rhododendrons, irises, ferns, and much more. Visitors can buy a ticket for entrance to the entire estate and enjoy the sublime scenery of the gardens.
3. Château du Rivau, France
Château du Rivau is a majestic 15th century-medieval castle in the Touraine region of France that’s famous for its fairy-tale gardens. Each of the 12 gardens on the property is inspired by a fairy tale or a legend – from Rapunzel's Garden and Fairies' Way to Alice's Maze.
Gardening enthusiasts will also love the conservatory of fragrant roses here as well as lavender, dahlias, iris, peonies, ornamental grasses, and vegetables. You can also admire the 20 gigantic sculptures placed throughout the grounds. They are all made by celebrated artists and give the surroundings a fantastical look.
4. Majorelle Garden, Morocco
The Jardin Majorelle in Morocco is one of the most iconic gardens in the world. The garden was created by French artist Jacques Majorelle during the 1920s and 1930s when he was living in the city. Extending over 9,000 square meters, the garden consists of crisscrossing alleyways, streams, fountains, foliage, and plenty of other exotic botanical specimens. Songbirds often fly around the lavish garden, adding to its charm.
A standout feature of the place is the cubist-style house of Jaques Majorelle painted in intense shades of blue. The colorful house lends plenty of glamour to the unique garden.
Majorelle Garden was saved from redevelopment by designer Yves Saint Laurent in 1980, who decided to buy it and restore it to its former glory. In fact, he went on to double the number of plants in the garden and gardeners to look after them.
5. Kenrokuen Garden, Japan
Kenrokuen is popularly considered one of Japan's "three most beautiful landscape gardens" alongside Mito's Kairakuen and Okayama's Korakuen. This landscape garden has been open to the public since the late 19th century and features an array of flowering trees along with streams and ponds. The streams can be crossed on classic bridges.
One of Kenrokuen's most stunning attractions is a fountain - the first one created in Japan. It’s powered by the drop in elevation from the pond, causing water to shoot out 3.5 meters (11.4 ft) high. There’s also a small waterfall nearby another pond.
Other gorgeous features to enjoy here include flowers and trees such as plum and cherry blossoms in spring, azaleas, and irises early in summer, and red and yellow leaves in autumn. In winter, you can feast your eyes on the snow-covered evergreens.
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