American Cruise Lines has taken the classic garden tour to a new level. With 4 cruises that showcase regional blooms and natural splendor throughout the United States, gardeners and garden lovers alike will be enchanted by the delicate flowers and manicured grounds of the many featured destinations.
Renowned for their small ship design, American Cruise Lines brings guests to the hidden gems and treasures along the country’s greatest rivers and coastal waterways. Over the course of the 8- to 22-day cruises, guests will experience amazing scenery and form long-lasting friendships with others who share their passion for beautiful landscapes.
Tulips on Puget Sound
Puget Sound bursts with vibrant colors from the magnificent display of spring flowers. With hundreds of acres of tulips, cherry blossoms and daffodils blooming in perfect harmony, American Cruise Lines takes guests to experience one of the most spectacular floral celebrations in the country. Garden lovers will swoon over the many varieties seen on guided tours of the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival and the famous Butchart Gardens on the Puget Sound and San Juan Islands Tulip Festival Cruise.
Mississippi River’s Antebellum Oaks
Visit the meticulous grounds of famous plantations along the Great River Road, where brilliant crepe myrtles and grand canopies of live oaks usher you to the picturesque estates of a time long past. These Mississippi River plantations are home to remarkably preserved landscapes inspired by some of the most sought after formal gardens of Europe.
Botanical Gardens of Coastal Maine
Maine Coast and Harbors guests get to experience the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens that span 250 acres of tidal shoreland in Boothbay Harbor. Gardeners are welcomed by rich blue and purple spikes of delphinium, cheery campanula bellflowers, and eye-catching water lilies sprinkled among the many ponds and water features. Explore the Lerner Garden of Five Senses, where plants, sculptures and water work in harmony to ignite your five senses as tour guides educate you on the history and horticulture of the local gardens.
Mid Atlantic Inland Passage’s Floral Jewels
Guests aboard the Mid-Atlantic Inland Passage Cruise will travel from Baltimore to Charleston docking in vibrant cities and barrier islands to view the brilliant coastline gardens along the way. Bookgreen Gardens is just one of the main highlights that garden enthusiasts will love as florals combine with art and history across 9,100 acres. The featured butterfly shaped gardens tout whimsical sculptures, impressive perennials and flowering shrubs. Century old live oaks and cascading yellow blooms of Carolina jessamine cover the Floral Jewel of South Carolina’s Coast.
By Laura Root
Photos courtesy of Jackson & Perkins
Gardeners are always thinking ahead to the next season or the next year. And, fall is the ideal time to think about spring. Flowering shrubs, perennials and spring bulbs are great choices.
Click here for an interesting article about spring bulbs.
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