Gardens of earthy delight from around the world to indulge in

Architect Frank Lloyd Wright found inspiration in the natural world. Essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson saw laughter in flowers, while the Japanese have embraced shinrin-yoku, a concept simply translated as “forest bathing”. Whatever you choose to call it, we’re betting you’re in need of a long embrace from Mother Nature right now. Why not combine a little greenery with a dose of wanderlust for a stroll through these off-the-radar botanical escapes?

1. ITALY: Giardini La Mortella

The volcanic outcrop of Ischia has never touted its attractions too loudly, one of which is the remarkable Giardini La Mortella (http://lamortella.org). Laid out by acclaimed landscape architect Russell Page, this mesmerising garden is the life’s work of Susanna Walton, wife of English composer William Walton, who spent 50 years transforming the steep 2ha site into a splash of green above the bright-blue bay of Forio. Walkways and dry walls divide the terraced garden into a lower section, The Valley, and an upper garden, The Hill. Wandering between them you’ll discover avenues of aloes, fountains and ferneries, hothouses, and Asian temples. ..