With lush gardens, jungle retreats, and beautiful coastlines, Sri Lanka truly is a special place. This remarkable island nation is a treasure trove of UNESCO World Heritage sites, where ancient monuments and historical wonders abound.

Although it might not get the same attention as Japan or the United Kingdom, the gardens of Sri Lanka are as vibrant and beautiful as anywhere else in the entire world. Throughout this article, we’re going to take you on an exploration and show you why!

Let’s get started.

Negombo

Our journey begins in Negombo at Jetwing Lagoon Hotel, which is designed by the renowned architect Geoffrey Bawa. Once known as “The Blue Lagoon”, the hotel has spaces bathed in natural light and lush gardens that transcend the calm of the gentle waters. It’s a great place to rest, reset, and spot coastal birds like herons and kingfishers in the nearby wetlands.

Bawa designed the property to blend into the tropical landscape, using open-air structures and reflective water to bring the outside in. Native trees like tamarind and neem dot the property, while white-throated kingfishers and little cormorants often circle the lagoon.

This is a great way to begin your exploration of Sri Lanka’s deep connection to land and water.

Namal Uyana

Next, we venture into the largest ironwood forest in Asia, packed with Mesua ferrea trees and endemic orchids. The pink quartz mountain glows under the sun and has been a sacred site for centuries and centuries. In fact, monks have meditated here for over a thousand years.

Known locally as “na trees,” Ceylon ironwood trees are protected, culturally significant, and recognised as the national tree of Sri Lanka. The contrast of their dark leaves against the pale pink quartz is striking.

Sigiriya Rock Fortress

Just outside the town of Dambulla lies Sigiriya or ‘Sinhagiri: The Lion Rock’, an ancient rock fortress that’s truly a sight to behold. Built approximately 1,500 years ago, this UNESCO heritage-listed fortress reaches nearly 200m high, including a massive column of granite that itself is almost 180m.

The fortress isn’t the only sight to see here. We’ll also visit the Sigiriya Gardens; the Miniature Gardens, Pavilion Gardens, Fountain Gardens, Moated Palace Gardens, Octagon Pond Gardens, Boulder and Terraced Gardens.

Throughout your time here, you’ll see flowering plants like blue water lilies and fragrant jasmine scattered throughout the space. Look up and you might catch a glimpse of crested serpent eagles circling the rock face!

Popham’s Arboretum

Take a stroll through Sri Lanka’s premier dry zone arboretum, a restored forest that is now home to over 100 native tree species. In this environment that resembles a typical Dry Monsoon Forest, you’ll find an array of different species that include Ceylon Iron Wood, Ebony, Palu, Margosa, Milla, Weera, Tamarind, Velan, and more.

This place is also a bird lover’s paradise. You might spot Sri Lanka Junglefowls, Brown-capped Babblers, Indian Paradise Flycatchers, Black-hooded Orioles, White-rumped Shamas, Common Ioras, or even a Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher.

The story behind the Arboretum is just as fascinating as its flora and fauna. Sam Popham planted with patience, creating a sanctuary for dry-zone flora like satinwood, ebony, and palu. Unlike manicured botanical gardens, this space was designed to grow wild; a deliberate choice to let nature reassert itself.

Polonnaruwa

Step into the ancient city of Polonnaruwa, once a royal capital and one of Sri Lanka’s best-preserved archaeological sites. The ruins here date back to the 12th century and include temples, statues, tombs and stupas, all set within a sprawling parkland.

Towering stone Buddhas sit in meditation, bathing ponds glisten with lotus flowers, and frangipani trees cast shade across crumbling royal halls. It’s not just a place of ruins but a glimpse into a former civilisation that shaped much of Sri Lanka’s culture. Keep an eye out for toque macaques, green bee-eaters and land monitors as you wander through this historic landscape.

Polonnaruwa is where history, architecture and natural beauty come together in one of the country’s most fascinating outdoor spaces.

From Negombo to Colombo, Matale, and everywhere in between, our garden tours of Sri Lanka are the perfect way to discover this incredibly vibrant ancient land. Follow the link to learn more!

Minneriya National Park

Next, we’ll visit Minneriya National Park for a safari through one of Sri Lanka’s most wildlife-rich regions. This park is famous for its elephant gatherings, especially around the Minneriya Tank where large herds come to drink, bathe and feed.

You might also see sambar deer, toque macaques, crocodiles basking on muddy banks, and a wide range of birdlife, including painted storks and crested hawk-eagles. The mix of grassland, forest and wetland creates a diverse habitat and offers a completely different kind of garden — one shaped by natural cycles and wild movement.

Golden Temple of Dambulla

This stop offers something unique. The Golden Temple of Dambulla is made up of five cave sanctuaries filled with ancient murals and statues. The largest cave houses a 15-metre reclining Buddha, with the walls and ceilings painted in rich ochres and golds. These temples date back over 2,000 years and remain an active place of worship.

Outside, the rocky outcrops are dotted with trees like fig and jackfruit. Monkeys swing between the branches, and small flowering plants line the walking paths. It’s a setting where spirituality and nature exist side by side, quiet and atmospheric.

Matale Spice Gardens

In Matale, we stop at one of the area’s working spice gardens. Here you can walk among rows of pepper, nutmeg, cardamom and vanilla, while guides explain how each plant is grown and used. These gardens focus on traditional Ayurvedic practices, showing how common spices double as medicine.

Expect to see lemongrass, ginger, turmeric and aloe vera, all planted under the shade of taller trees. Some gardens offer short massages using homemade balms and oils, turning the visit into a full sensory experience. This is a practical, hands-on garden where everything grown has a purpose, from cooking to healing.

Peradeniya Botanical Gardens

Near Kandy, this massive garden has more than 4,000 species. Look out for the double coconut palm, massive bamboo groves, and the 150-year-old giant Java fig tree. Fruit bats hang above while purple-faced leaf monkeys move through the canopies.

Originally a royal pleasure garden, Peradeniya became a botanical research centre under the British. Today, it’s a world-class collection of tropical and subtropical plants, from exotic orchids to towering cannonball trees. The orchid house is a standout, with rows of rare hybrids and endemic varieties like Vanda tessellata. If you’re into birds, keep your eyes peeled for Sri Lanka grey hornbills near the river bend

Nuwara Eliya

Arrive by train through misty hills. At The Grand Hotel, stroll through rose gardens and clipped hedges. The air is cooler, perfect for English vegetables, dahlias, and begonias. High-altitude birds like the Sri Lankan bush warbler are common here.

The formal gardens around The Grand are a clear nod to British colonial tastes; manicured lawns, lavender borders, and pathways lined with geraniums. But what makes them stand out is how well cool-climate species thrive here, thanks to the elevation.

There’s something surreal about sipping tea among roses while mist rolls in over the hills. The cooler weather also draws unique wildlife, like the dusky striped squirrel and highland skinks.

Hakgala Botanic Gardens

Set nearly 1,800 metres up, Hakgala is cool, misty, and green. Originally used to grow quinine, it’s now packed with tree ferns, orchids, and rare conifers. Purple-rumped sunbirds and squirrels zip through the canopy.

You’ll walk through themed areas, including a rose garden, fernery, and experimental plots for temperate species like apple and pear. The gardens were originally planted to support British medical needs, but today they’re a mix of beauty and biodiversity. Keep an eye out for rhododendrons, begonias, and Himalayan pines. And yes, monkeys love this place too; the toque macaques are usually around.

Galle

Finish your Nuwara Eliya leg at the Hill Club. The gardens are neat, traditional, and full of temperate flowers. It’s more about structure than wildness. Still, the view over tea country is worth it.

Established in 1876, the Hill Club was once a private retreat for British planters. Today it retains its colonial character, with croquet lawns, trimmed hedges, and camellia bushes. The formal garden beds pop with colour in spring and summer, showcasing petunias, pansies, and snapdragons. It’s more for lounging and leisure than exploring, but it’s a perfect end to your highland visit.

Lighthouse Hotel and Lunuganga Estate

Geoffrey Bawa’s Lighthouse Hotel in Galle fuses tropical planting with architectural lines. Sea almond trees and hibiscus add texture. Lunuganga, his private estate, is the big one. Built on an old rubber plantation, it has lakes, topiary, and framed jungle views. Monitor lizards laze in the sun, and peacocks call across the valley.

At Lunuganga, every line of sight is intentional. Bawa used trees, hedges, and water features to create perspective and flow. You’ll pass between frangipani courtyards, lily-covered ponds, and open pavilions with giant sculptural trees. Native species like jackfruit and margosa grow beside introduced plants, creating layered biodiversity. It’s not about wildness here; it’s about vision.

Bevis Bawa’s Brief Garden

Bevis Bawa’s creation is full of hidden corners and sculptures. Bamboo tunnels, heliconia beds, and native vines twist across garden walls. Frogs croak from the ponds, and dragonflies hover over stone paths.

More intimate than Lunuganga, Brief Garden is filled with artistic flourishes: cheeky statues, tiled steps, and vine-covered trellises. It feels like a space made by hand and heart. Bevis planted native and exotic species side by side; palms, gingers, and bromeliads thrive here. The overgrown look is intentional, a garden that resists order.

Bawa’s Colombo Townhouse

Last stop. Bawa’s city home is a masterclass in compact green design. Frangipani trees, ferns, and moss-filled pots turn this maze of rooms into a private oasis. You’ll find it quiet here, even with the traffic just outside the wall.

The space blends architecture and landscape without borders. Courtyards link seamlessly with living rooms, and vines crawl across exposed brick. Each corner offers a different microclimate, from sunlit verandas to shaded nooks. It’s a garden in spirit, not scale; a peaceful final moment before stepping back into the city.

Join Us on an Unforgettable Garden Tour of Sri Lanka

From ancient royal grounds to modern masterpieces, wild forests to structured botanical gardens, Sri Lanka’s garden heritage is as rich and layered as its history. Our tour is escorted by Paula Benneian, a Garden researcher for Better Homes and Gardens, and a designer for River Cottage Australia.

So, whether you’re an avid gardener, a nature lover, or someone who simply enjoys a good stroll through beautiful places, exploring the gardens of Sri Lanka is a journey like no other. It’s lush, it’s fragrant, it’s unexpected, and it’s waiting for you.

Ready to go? Come along and experience the unforgettable Gardens of Sri Lanka. Our tour runs from 24 February to 10 March 2026 and explores these living landscapes in full bloom.