8 eye-popping gardens from around the world

Museums aren't the only attraction that can amaze world travelers - for those of us who enjoy being outdoors, gardens are the way to go. Here's a visual tour of some of the world's most beautiful gardens to add to your bucket list.

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Gardens of Versailles

The Palace of Versailles hosts one of the most intricate and colorful gardens the world has ever seen. Louis XIV commissioned André Le Nôtre to design the gardens in 1661 and to this day they share the spotlight with the château's magnificent architecture.

Photos: Paul Macrae and John Lord/Flickr

Garden of Cosmic Speculation

The Garden of Cosmic Speculation in Dumfries, Scotland, "uses nature to celebrate nature, both intellectually and through the senses," writes the designer, Charles Jencks. Appearing as though they jumped out of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," these fascinating designs explore the creation of the universe, black holes, quarks and fractals.

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Bahá’í Gardens

Characterized by broad terraces and geometrical designs, the Bahá’í Gardens color the hillside of Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel. The gardens, which surround the Shrine of the Báb, offer a fantastic view of the Galilee Hills and Mediterranean Sea. Another, circular garden in Akko surrounds the mansion of the Bahá’í faith's founder.

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Butchart Gardens

The Butchart Gardens near Victoria on Vancouver Island in British Columbia are among the world's most renowned floral gems, enchanting visitors from the dew of the early morning until the garden's lights set dusk aglow. After her husband's limestone quarry was exhausted in the early 1900s, Jennie Butchart dedicated herself to beautifying the area, which was on their property. Today, it's visited by hundreds of thousands of people each year.

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Humble Administrator's Garden

The largest garden in Suzhou, China, the Humble Administrator's Garden dates back to the 16th century, during the Ming Dynasty. The garden is comprised of three sections, each connected by bridges and pavilions over a large pond that's home to Mandarin ducks and fish. Trees, hills and rocky formations surround the pond for a peaceful glimpse into China's diverse ecosystem.

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Villa d'Este

The gorgeous Villa d'Este's fountains, grottoes and amazing views of the surrounding landscape of Trivoli, Italy, make this one of the most scenic gardens on the list. Started in the late 16th century and perfected in the years since, Villa d'Este has endured abandonment in the 1700s and bombings during the Second World War. Today, it is an absolute masterpiece to behold.

Ryoan-ji

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Mysterious and beautiful, this rock garden in Kyoto, Japan belongs to a Zen Buddhist temple, and its carefully raked patterns are the result of careful meditation. From any angle, viewers can only see 14 boulders - and traditional lore says that whoever finds the 15th boulder has also found enlightenment.

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Keukenhof Gardens

One of the world's largest flower gardens and dubbed the "Garden of Europe," Keukenhof is located in Lisse, a town in the western Netherlands. Keukenhof is like several gardens in one, and each visit is different than the last: every spring, the garden is redesigned with 7 million bulbs donated by exhibitors.