The treasure-trove of tropical plants, steamy hot houses, and exotic palm trees planted in these soothing, tranquil gardens have their origins in former Dutch colonies across the world. Established in 1682, the gardens are packed with 115,000 rare plants and trees; in summer the landscape explodes with the colors and scents of more than 250,000 flowers. The three-climate greenhouse gets progressively warmer as you walk through it—most of the plants in there come from Australia and South Africa. There’s also an herb garden, a desert greenhouse, a tree-spotting route through the gardens, and a butterfly house with free-flying giant butterflies that kids love.