Lonely Planet The Joy of Exploring Gardens

For Anyone Happiest in a Garden.

Some gardens are worth travelling halfway around the world for.

Lonely Planet's The Joy of Exploring Gardens takes you inside 60 of the world's most spectacular gardens , with another 120 extraordinary garden destinations to add to your someday list.

Beautifully photographed and wonderfully inspiring, this is part travel guide, part garden book and part love letter to the restorative power of spending time amongst plants.

Wander the stone paths of Kenroku-en Garden in Japan , explore the extraordinary landscape of the Desert Botanical Garden in Arizona , or escape to a subtropical garden just off the coast of Glengarriff in Ireland .

Consider the gardening bucket list officially started.

60 Extraordinary Gardens

Each of the 60 featured gardens is explored in depth, combining beautiful photography with its history, expert insight and first-hand accounts from writers who have experienced it for themselves.

You'll discover what makes each garden special, why it's worth visiting and the experiences not to miss when you get there.

And if 60 gardens aren't quite enough, there are another 120 must-visit gardens from around the world waiting in the wings.

Inside the Book

• 60 spectacular gardens explored in depth

• 120 additional garden destinations to discover

• Beautiful garden and travel photography

• Fascinating histories behind each botanical destination

• Q&As with experts connected to the gardens

• First-hand accounts from garden visitors and writers

• Practical advice on when to visit and how to get there

• Accessibility information for visitors

• Destinations across Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, the Americas and Oceania

• Foreword by author and naturalist Lyanda Lynn Haupt

Where Will You Wander Next?

Whether you're planning an entire holiday around a garden or simply enjoy disappearing into beautiful places from the comfort of your armchair, there's plenty here to inspire the next adventure.

It's also a wonderful reminder of something gardeners have known all along — spending time surrounded by plants simply makes us feel better .

A Beautiful Gift for Garden Lovers

The Joy of Exploring Gardens makes a particularly lovely gift for gardeners, horticulturists, travellers, plant lovers and anyone who plans holidays according to which gardens happen to be nearby .

Beautiful enough for the coffee table and useful enough to inspire an actual plane ticket.

So many gardens. So little annual leave.