5 Beautiful Destinations For Plant Lovers

Immersing yourself in nature is a great way to relieve stress and boost your mood. From fruit orchards to fields of bluebells, there are many beautiful destinations to pick from. In no particular order, here are several places that will bring joy to any plant lover.

First up, at #1, we have the Oak Spring Garden Foundation. Located in Upperville, Virginia, its mission is to perpetuate and share the gifts of horticulturalist Rachel Lambert Mellon, including her residence, estate, and the Oak Spring Garden Library. The property is maintained in memory of Mellon, with the Library housing her collection of 19,000 objects, including rare books, manuscripts, and works of art.

The Foundation is dedicated to inspiring and facilitating scholarship and public dialogue on plants, focusing on the importance of flora for human well-being. In addition to being a beautiful, historic natural habitat, the Garden provides fresh food to under-resourced communities from Washington D.C. to the Blue Ridge.

At #2, we get the Arlington Bluebell Walk and Farm Trails, where one can take a tour through flower groves and local farms. The trails are situated in the countryside of East Sussex, England, among the white wood anemones and bluebells.

Multiple local charities help manage the trails and supply refreshments, a tradition since the first bluebell walk event in 1972. The Arlington Bluebell Walk has been honored with a number of awards, including the TripAdvisor certificate of excellence in 2019.

Next up at #3 is Quarry Hill Orchards, a family-owned fruit farm near the shores of Lake Erie in northeastern Ohio. Visitors can pick their own fruit during a harvest season and visit the winery for a drink made from the farm's vineyards. One can also take wagon rides through the orchards.

The heart of Quarry Hill is its bustling market barn, where patrons can purchase local produce and sample farm-made goods from the community. The Gammie family aims to provide children with an authentic experience of a working farm.

Coming in at #4, we find the Prairie Spirit Trail, a Kansas State Park. The trail runs through small towns, shaded woodland canopy, and scenic prairies running beside streams, rivers, and family farms.

The Prairie Spirit Rail Bike Trail is maintained by a group of volunteers. Built on the bed of an old railroad, the trail offers easy grades for hikers and bikers alike. It connects Iola in the south to Ottawa in the north, across over fifty miles.

Finally, at #5 is Lakewold Gardens. As a historic garden estate, it aims to preserve a period in history when classic European design came face to face with American landscape sensibilities. Although the estate opened to the public in 1989, the landscaping here began over 100 years ago.

With help from Thomas D. Church, a leading landscape architect of the 20th century, philanthropist Eulalie Wagner made this garden her personal life project and left it for all to enjoy. The estate strives to be a resource for the educational and environmental interests of the community within an ecologically sound environment.