Royal Botanical Gardens in Madrid, Spain

The Botanical Gardens, were any of you out there aware that there is actually more than one botanical garden? This gal will be the first to admit just that, but as it turns out, Montreal is not the only place that boasts a beautiful botanical garden which houses many exotic flowers. The garden we are talking about is referred to as the Royal Botanical Garden and it is located in Madrid, Spain.

The garden boasts 20 acres of land and houses approximately 30,000 different types of flowers and plants, not to mention approximately 1,500 different species of trees. It is a garden lover's dream! The Royal Botanical Garden, referred to in Madrid as Real Jardin Botanico was commissioned (or paid for) by Carlos (Charles) the Third in the later part of the 18th Century. Surely this was the best investment Carlos ever made.

The Garden is located in the heart of Paseo Del Parado and tourists can stroll through the garden for a nice break from the noisy hustle and bustle of everyday life. After a person has gotten his bearings in this beautiful piece of heaven, he can step over into the Prado Museum where he can learn a little about Spain's history. Whether you enjoy the museum first or the Garden, rest assured that they are both worth spending time on and you and your loved ones will no doubt never forget them!

The Real Jardin is not the biggest of the many botanical gardens that are in this world but it is by far one of the most extensive in its collection of flowers, trees and plants. With the many different species of each, the average tourist would most likely feel that there are not enough hours to take in all that the Jardin has to offer. On the plus side, the Jardin never has an off season.

As mentioned, the plant life as well as the trees that are thriving in the Real Jardin come from all over the world; there are Iris which are from South Africa to the Peonies which come from Japan, Korea or even China.

The climate in Madrid makes for favourable growth conditions for the plant life that is housed there. As you can expect, this is a plus for the tourists as well as for the economy in Madrid. Tourists all year round makes for excellent money making.

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Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

Edinburgh is one of the international tourist attractions of the world but most visitors tend to stay in the centre, especially walking through the Old Town and visiting the magnificent Castle.

There are however many equally fascinating places that should not be overlooked and premier among them is the Royal Botanic Garden in Inverleith Row, on the north side of the city, within a one mile bus ride of perpetually thronged Princes Street. Numbers 8, 17, 23, and 27 buses all stop at the gate as do the buses of City Tours. "The Botanics", as Edinburgh folk call the gardens, cover a spread of 78 acres and are visited by over 660,000 visitors a year who go there to enjoy the peace and tranquillity of a magnificent oasis in the heart of a teeming city.

One of the major advantages for families of a trip to the Botanics is the fact that entry is free, though a charge of £3.50 a head for adults is levied for visitors to the awe inspiring glasshouses where Britain's tallest palm tree grows in the world famous tropical rainforest, as well as banana and rubber trees and a huge range of beautiful orchids. A large collection of rare rhododendrons from New Guinea and Borneo can also be seen in the Tropics House.

A recently opened - and free - Chinese Hillside rising above a beautiful pool is also very popular with visitors. Growing there are unusual specimens which were brought back to Edinburgh from China by plant collectors in the early 20th century. There is also an internationally renowned rock garden with rare Alpine plants, a Scottish heath garden and an arboretum that dazzles the eye during autumn. Altogether the Botanics is home to over 6 per cent of all known plants in the world and is a centre of scholarly research as well as a sojourn of delight for visitors.

The origin of Edinburgh's famous garden goes back to 1670 when two doctors, Andrew Balfour and Robert Sibbald, opened a physic garden beside Holyrood House and five years later established a second garden on the site of what is today Waverley Station. In 1763 the two combined gardens were re-located on Leith Walk where they stayed till 1820 when a horticulturist called Robert Graham moved them to the present site at Inverleith.

The two Palm Houses were built in 1834 and 1858 and have been maintained in their original form since then. Another range of exhibition plant houses was started in 1967 and today they provide a range of environments from tropical forests to arid deserts. There is a well stocked shop at the main gate and also a terrace café. A team of guides take visitors on garden walks at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. every day. The informative walks last an hour and tickets, costing £3, can be bought at the shop or at the Palm House reception desk. No pre booking is necessary.

The Botanics are open every day of the year except January 1st and December 25th.

In summer, closing time is 7 p.m. From November till February the Garden closes at 4 p.m.

Article courtesy of Ecosse Unique - Holiday Cottages in Scotland

Visiting the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington Ontario

The Royal Botanical Gardens, or RBG for short, is located in Burlington Ontario, Canada. It is one of the biggest attractions for tourist between Toronto and the Niagara Falls area. It is one of the most popular things to do in Burlington. It is a headquarters for the area horticultural education, conservation and scientific study. It has been recognized by Environment Canada as a National Focal Point for the Global Strategy for Plant Conversation, or GSPC, in July of 2006. The RBG is a 2,422 acres of sanctuary for nature and is considered the leading hot spot for plant biodiversity that Canada has to offer.

RBG contains the largest population of Canadian wild plants to be brought together in one spot.There are more than 1,100 distinct kinds of plants that grow with in the RBG boundaries including some species, such as the Bashful Bulrush, which can not be found anywhere else in Canada. It is also the the home to the largest population Canada's most endangered tree, the Red Mulberry. Other attractions that are things to do in Burlington at RBG included the Nature Interpretive Center, an outdoor education center. Also there is a vast network of trails that stretch for over 20 km and are lined with magnificent flowers. The trails lead to the RBG Arboretum, Raspberry house which is the home of the Bruce Trail Conservancy headquarters.

The Royal Botanical Gardens' natural lands and nature sanctuaries feature some very important wildlife and native Canadian plant life. The largest of these areas is home to Cootes Paradise, also known as Dundas Marsh, which is a large wetland. The wetland is a vital spawning place for Canadian fish species for Lake Ontario. It is also one of the best places for bird watch in all of Canada. It is the target of Project Paradise, one of Canada's major ecological rehabilitation efforts. One of the most interesting things to do in Burlington is the RBG's yearly garden show, The Ontario Garden Show, which is the second largest in Canada.

The RBG offers a contemporary education program in is main buildings located in Burlington as well as in the Nature Interpretive Center that is located north of the Cootes Paradise int eh Arboretum. It host over 18,000 school kids a year through programs organized with the school center. Also its 200 public education opportunities are some of the many things to do in Burlington. These activities include a wide range of subjects including organic cooking, botanical illustrations and basic botany. You can save on admission fees and special attraction tickets by finding Royal Botanical Gardens coupons online.

Chris is an avid outdoor enthusiast who likes to write about The RBG and everything related to plants and the outdoors. You can find other great ideas for things to do in Ontario at his blog where he also does reviews on places to visit, hotels, tourist attractions, cultural activities and just having fun in Ontario.