Gardens

Adkins Arboretum, 12610 Eveland Road, Ridgely, (410) 634-2847, adkinsarboretum.org. This arboretum is unusual for its dedication to native plants and land stewardship. In the summer season, take yourself on a walk through its four miles of paths or join a weekly walk led by a naturalist. Either way, you’ll view more than 600 species of greenery native to the Mid-Atlantic.

Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton, (301) 962-1400, montgomeryparks.org/brookside. Located in the lovely Wheaton Regional Park, Brookside Gardens features an aquatic garden, a children’s garden, a rose garden, and a formal garden area, plus two conservatories and a horticultural reference library. Brookside hosts various talks and events throughout the summer.

Chanticleer, 786 Church Road, Wayne, Pa., (610) 687-4163, chanticleergarden.org. Chanticleer’s sprawling land in Pennsylvania is designed primarily to be pleasing to the eye: sculptural drinking fountains, plants from tropical to Japanese, and no visible plant labels (guests are encouraged to speak with the gardeners instead). Plus, the owners practice recycling and composting, use solar panels and rainwater irrigation, and make furniture from reused wood.

Cylburn Arboretum, 4915 Greenspring Ave., (410) 367-2217, cylburnassociation.org. Baltimore’s very own green space, with 207 acres of park, lawns, and gardens, plus a plethora of programs and events to last the summer.

Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, 3100 Swan Drive in Druid Hill Park, (410) 396-0008, baltimoreconservatory.org. With five themed garden houses—the 1888 Palm House, the Orchid Room, Mediterranean House, Tropical House, and Desert House—plus 35 flowerbeds, this gorgeous facility offers a quiet place to refresh in the noisy city summer months.

Dumbarton Oaks, 1703 32nd Street N.W., Washington, D.C., (202) 339-6401, doaks.org. A library-meets-research-center-meets-public-gardens, the epitome of peace and a space to ponder. And founded by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Woods Bliss, no less.

Ladew Topiary Gardens, 3535 Jarrettsville Pike, Monkton, (410) 557-9466, ladewgardens.com. Flowers are beautiful and all, but there’s something wonderfully quirky about topiary gardens, sprawling land amassed with bushes and shrubbery trimmed into weirdly beautiful shapes and figures. Plus, the Ladew Manor House is open for tours, with antique English furniture and fox-hunting memorabilia to view.

Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, Pa., (610) 388-1000, ext. 100, longwoodgardens.org. Take a deep breath: 1,077 acres of indoor and outdoor gardens, a conservatory with 5,500 types of plants, and multiple extravagant fountain gardens, you’ll find no cleaner air around.