Black Book

INTERNATIONAL FAIRE

IN THE SPRING, NOTHING IS MORE RELAXING THAN WALKING THROUGH A BEAUTIFUL GARDEN. THE COLORS AND SCENTS SOOTHE THE MIND. IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE IN ONE OF THESE LOCALES, MAKE SURE TO VISIT ONE OF THESE GORGEOUS PLACES.

THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA These beautiful Gardens extends over nearly 100 acres of park lands that include a children’s garden, aboriginal heritage walk, herbarium discovery walk and observatory. Plus, enjoy special events like Philosophy in the Garden, Harp in the Garden, and Yoga for Kids in the children’s garden. The park is one of the most popular destinations in Victoria, with over 1.5 million visitors each year, according to That’s Melbourne.

KENROKU-EN GARDEN, ISHIKAWA, JAPAN One of Japan’s Three Great Gardens, the Kenroku-en (“garden combining six”) Garden is a haven of peace and tranquility in Ishikawa. With an area of 11.4 hectares, it is located on the heights of the central part of Kanazawa and next to Kanazawa Castle. The Maeda family, who ruled the Kaga Clan in feudal times, maintained the garden from generation to generation.

MAJORELLE GARDEN, MARRAKECH, MOROCCO The Majorelle Garden is a twelve-acre botanical garden and artist’s landscape garden in Marrakech, Morocco. Its stunning cobalt blue accents make it easy to distinguish from any other botanical garden. Owner Yves Saint Laurent, the legendary fashion designer, even named a shade of nail polish from his luxury cosmetics line after it.

CLAUDE MONET’S GARDEN AT GIVERNY, FRANCE This garden was the property of Oscar-Claude Monet, a founder of French Impressionist painting. Monet’s gardens are like his paintings — brightly colored patches that are messy but balanced. The painter lived at his house in the French countryside for 43 years, carefully cultivating his flower gardens and water garden.

KIRSTENBOSCH, CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA Kirstenbosch is South Africa’s world-famous national botanical garden, set against the backdrop of Table Mountain and Devil’s Peak, and home to more than 22 000 indigenous plants. It was the first botanical garden in the world to be founded to preserve the country’s unique flora.