Spend an afternoon in a botanical garden

An afternoon in a botanical garden is a slow walk through the world's plants: a palm house steaming in winter, a rose garden in June, an orchid with no common name. Nearly every big city has one, many are free or cheap, and they're quiet in a way ordinary parks rarely are.

Where to do it

Kew Gardens, United Kingdom

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in west London, are a World Heritage Site, famous for the Victorian Palm House and the Temperate House. Give it a full afternoon; it's one of the great days out in the United Kingdom.

Padua Botanical Garden, Italy

Founded in 1545, the Orto Botanico di Padova is the world's oldest university botanical garden still in its original place, and a World Heritage Site. It's small and easy to pair with a day in Venice, a short train ride away in Italy.

Singapore Botanic Gardens, Singapore

A tropical garden on UNESCO's World Heritage List, free to enter except for the National Orchid Garden. Across town, Gardens by the Bay adds the ticketed Flower Dome and Cloud Forest, so Singapore can fill a garden weekend.

Jardin des Plantes, France

Paris's old royal garden of medicinal plants, now part of the National Museum of Natural History, with glasshouses and a small zoo. The garden itself is free, a calm afternoon in the center of France's capital.

Missouri Botanical Garden, United States

Opened in St. Louis in 1859, it is the oldest botanical garden in continuous operation in the United States. The Climatron, a geodesic-dome rainforest, and a large Japanese garden are the highlights.

Kirstenbosch, South Africa

On the eastern slopes of Table Mountain since 1913, Kirstenbosch grows the plants of southern Africa, with a treetop walkway and summer sunset concerts. It's a cornerstone of any Cape Town visit in South Africa.

Jardim Botânico, Brazil

Rio de Janeiro's garden was founded in 1808, and its avenue of tall imperial palms is the famous view. Morning is cooler and quieter in Brazil's heat.

Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, Australia

Founded in 1816 on the harbor beside the Opera House, it's free to enter and an easy walk from the city center. Mrs Macquarie's Chair, at its edge, gives one of the classic views in Australia.

When to go

Spring brings blossom and bulbs; summer, roses and long evenings; autumn, colored leaves. In winter, head for the glasshouses. Weekday mornings are the quietest, and most gardens publish a "what's in flower" page each month.

How to make it happen

• Check what's in bloom on the garden's website before you choose a day.
• Plan glasshouses for rain or cold; they're warm, humid and often the highlight.
• Join a free guided walk if one runs; gardeners know the stories behind the plants.
• Photograph the labels of plants you like, so you can find them later.
• Bring a picnic where it's allowed, and leave every flower where it grows.
• For the photo, take one outside as well as in the glasshouses, so your phone records where you were.

A zoo or aquarium is often next door, and picking your own is the hands-on version. More ideas: the Close to home chapter.