All over the world, you can find gardens old and new. Gardens created by royals, heads of state, monks and ordinary people draw the masses or encourage visitors to strike out on trails where discoveries are made around every bend.

Central Park

Central park offers more than 800 acres of lush green grass, tree-lined paths, woodlands, water features and history. Designed by Frederick L. Olmsted and Calvert Vaux in the mid 1800s, construction of the park began in 1857 and was finished in 1873. There are attractions such as Central Park Zoo, Conservatory Garden and ice skating rinks. A visit to New York would not be complete without a day spent at Central Park.

Monticello Gardens

Gardens at Monticello offer a look into the United States history. Thomas Jefferson loved to design gardens and grow things from around the world. Monticello is a showcase for flowers, shrubs, trees, fruits and landscape design at its best. It was a labor of love by Jefferson experienced at every turn of the trail within each garden space.

Wentworth Castle Gardens

A trip to Wentworth Castle Gardens in South Yorkshire must be on the agenda of anyone visiting the north of England. Wentworth is living history situated in the small village of Stainborough near Barnsley, and celebrated its 300th anniversary in 2009. Included in a tour of these gardens is Azalea Gardens, Broad Avenue, Corinthian Temple, the Middle Garden, the Secret Garden, Union Jack Garden and other interesting sites.

Royal Botanic Garden at Edinburgh, Scotland

More than 700,000 thousand people per year visit the Royal Botanical Gardens at Edinburgh each year. The glasshouses, including the Tropical Palm House, Temperate Palm House and the Plants and People House are on the top of visitor's must-see lists. The Temperate Palm House is 72 feet high (21.9 meters) and holds full-grown palms, as well as other tropical plants. The Plants and People glasshouse holds the giant water lily (Victoria amazonica), which is a favorite with children and adults, alike. In 2006, the queen opened the Queen Mother's Memorial Garden, which was fashioned after the Eassie Cross by Lachlan Stewart.

Generalife Garden

In Andalucia, Spain, Granada is home to this garden built between 1302 and 1309, during the reign of Muhammad III. The summer palace and country estate of the Nasrid sultans of Granada was known as the Palacio de Generalife. Generalife boasts multilevel gardens consisting of old and new plantings, small ponds, fountains, waterfalls, porticos, 18 arches and, perhaps most well-known, the Patio de la Acequia, commonly known as the Long Pond. Many myrtles and oleanders surround the ponds giving testament to the history of one of the oldest Moorish gardens on the globe.

Tanghe River Park

Qinhuangdao, China, is home to the Tanghe River Park, a 50-acre park with a red ribbon bench winding along the river for 0.3 miles (1/2 kilometer.) The bench is made of steel that has lights within, which cast a soft glow in the darkness. Native plantings abound along the length of the red ribbon joining art with nature. The park is famous for its integration of art in the landscape and is one deserving of a visiting the area.