8 Botanical Gardens in the US Worth Visiting in Every Season

6. Huntington Botanical Gardens: Southern California's Year-Round Paradise

The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, California, encompasses 120 acres of themed gardens that take advantage of Southern California's Mediterranean climate to showcase plants from similar climates around the world, creating a botanical paradise that offers spectacular displays throughout the entire year. The garden's collection includes over 15,000 different plant species arranged in more than a dozen specialized gardens, each representing different geographic regions or plant families. The Desert Garden, one of the world's largest and oldest collections of cacti and other succulents, features over 5,000 species that create dramatic sculptural landscapes particularly stunning when many species bloom simultaneously in spring. The Japanese Garden, considered one of the most authentic outside of Japan, provides serene beauty throughout the year with its carefully maintained bonsai collection, traditional tea house, and seasonal displays that reflect the Japanese aesthetic of finding beauty in every season. The Chinese Garden, Liu Fang Yuan or the Garden of Flowing Fragrance, represents the largest Chinese garden in the United States and showcases traditional Chinese garden design principles while featuring plants significant in Chinese culture. Spring brings spectacular displays of camellias, azaleas, and roses, while summer showcases the herb garden and the Shakespeare Garden. The Rose Garden, featuring over 1,200 varieties, provides color and fragrance throughout much of the year thanks to the mild climate. Even winter offers its own rewards, with many plants continuing to bloom and the garden's structure remaining visible and beautiful throughout the year.