The Pacific Northwest's most beautiful public gardens

Dale Chihuly is one of the most famous glass artists ever, and the Tacoma native drew from his childhood in the Pacific Northwest for a lot of inspiration. It's fitting the Chihuly Garden and Glass is in Seattle, and it's one of the most incredible experiences in the city. The glasshouse, which houses many of his works, is inspired by his love for greenhouses and conservatories, and eight galleries (complete with drawing walls, which display light paintings made by the glass sculptures) offer some views of the breathtaking glasswork. The garden surrounds the glasshouse, and features glass pieces like Reeds on Logs, the Crystal and Icicle Towers and four massive sculptures in the corners to anchor it all... and, of course, there are scores of vines, flowers, trees, and shrubs tying it all together.

Bellevue Botanical Garden sees itself as an urban refuge, comprised of 53 acres of impeccably landscaped beauty. Fuschias, ferns, rhododendrons, and dahlias are all prominently featured in the horticulture here, but there's also the Lost Meadow Trail, a rock garden, ponds with aquatic plant life, and a Japanese garden. Plus, the garden is a very active community center with loads of talks, classes, and events. Stop by during a plant sale, a summer concert, the holiday lights display, or an art exhibition.

Washington's Skagit Valley is famed for its tulips, which bloom in a riot of color each spring. Roozengaarde is one of the largest purveyors of flower bulbs in the world, and the family comes from Dutch stock that has been in the bulb business since before they came to America. The 5-acre display garden, complete with Dutch windmill and thousands of bulbs, is open almost every day. They only charge admission during the tulip festival, which offers visitors the chance to get lost in a 25-acre tulip field and a 22-acre daffodil field. Tour the gift shop, pick up some bulbs, and enjoy the views!

The story of Ohme Gardens starts with Herman Ohme and his wife Ruth, who bought 40 acres of land for an orchard. The land also included a scrubby, rocky sun-beaten bluff that featured a jaw-dropping view of the Cascade Mountains and Columbia River Valley. They had a dream of turning it into a lush garden worthy of the view, and so they set to work moving evergreens from the mountains to their bluff, forming pools, and sculpting rock formations. They did it all by hand, even carrying 5-gallon water buckets from the river to keep the plants alive. For years, it was a lush private retreat for the family, but when Herman Died in the 1970s, his son sold it to Washington Parks and Recreation, and now the county keeps Herman's dream garden alive and open to the public.

Opened in 1967, the garden is 5.5 acres of pure, natural bliss. It's considered one of the most beautiful and authentic Japanese gardens in the entire world (counting Japan); it was named the second-best Japanese garden outside Japan in one magazine, and the Japanese ambassador to the United States also sang its praises. What makes a Japanese garden distinct from other gardens is the design and layout: special attention is paid to every detail, from the plants, flowers, pagodas, and bridges right down to the rocks and streams. They're meant to "reflect nature in idealized form".

Portland's Japanese Garden has 5 sub-gardens, all worth exploring. The Strolling Pond Garden is the largest, with pagodas, multiple whimsical bridges, and several paths circling the little pond. The Natural Garden features mosses, shrubs and ferns around streams and waterfalls. The Flat Garden is more of a traditional garden, with azalea bushes, evergreen trees, and a lush green lawn accented by white sand. The two most distinctive gardens are the Sand and Stone Garden, with its weathered stones and wave-like patterns raked into the sand and the Japanese Tea Garden, complete with tea house. It's easily the most zen place in the whole city!