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7 Best Summer Pink Rose Walking Gardens

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Summer pink rose gardens are one of life’s greatest beauties. Pink means “like” 💕 and appreciation… so deeper pink roses (…yes, please!) can be a part of everyday life for greater intensity.

In case you’re into signs, red roses are special love… yellow roses are friendship… and white roses are purity. So now you know your rose sender’s intent we learned from teen magazines 😉

And likable summer pink rose varieties are common. Shades of pink are attractive to males, females, and bees. Some are fragrant. Rose water 💐 is naturally clear but often with a pink tint as a spritz.

For food flavoring, you could add a little that goes a long way. And some like light rose. 🥂 All good for mind, body, and spirit on travel to reduce stress.

And if you want to fulfill your summer pink rose list, these gardens are dazzlers 🤩 to add to your bucket list in Washington DC, Miami, Florence, and Sweden:

Two are free to visit.

1.Meadowlark Gardens (Vienna, VA)

This is a whimsical bring pink rose garden with many walking surprises and a great meetup place

Meadowlark Gardens has a swervy gameboard path garden wonderland where you get to have fun with the big bell (look out Liberty Bell!) off the beaten path… and on the main path, there’s also an imaginary Alice In Wonderland tea party setup with tree-built beams (nothing faux there!).

You never know what you’ll find each season… from natural stump stools to ever changing foliage, and of course a beautiful rose garden. Fee to visit .

Located closer to Tysons Corner that’s a corporate area surrounded by the mega mall, you might want to try racking up your Hilton Honors point at this Doubletree 🍪 🍪up the street (that’s now related to my catering hotel but that’s another story). And then the other story is my first now-Hilton hotel close to Dulles Airport in case you’re flying there.

summer pink rose is one of the many features of Meadowlark Gardens and DC area summers — Meadowlark Gardens

2. Gothenburg Gardens (Gothenburg, Sweden)

The scent of this summer pink rose garden in September is worth returning

Gothenburg or Goteborg Gardens is the first garden that you’ll take notice of is a beautiful rose garden. It’s a photographer’s haven and unless someone (me) points this out, you could miss this FREE garden that has an arched entrance if you’re in Gothenburg.

And then you’ll be kicking yourself that you missed it and spent your time in the shopping mall. Or riding around on the local tram that runs on a metal track. Bring your nice running shoes as everyone seems to have them. 👟.

And I recommend staying at one of many boutique-feel hotels close to the Central Station convenient to walking everywhere (you don’t have to run 👣).

fragrant summer pink rose garden — classic summer pink rose in Sweden 🇸🇪 at the Gothenburg FREE public garden

3. Vizcaya Museum & Garden (Miami, FL)

Go pre-hurricane season in spring and summer

Vizcaya is surrounded by statues and steps to the Casino, you’ll find beautiful backdrops and oh, yeah… the Villa where many large events took place including meetings with Kings and Presidents. Fee to visit.

Since this is on the Biscayne Bay side, I would recommend staying up the street so you can appreciate the special side of the breezy palms and boat tours. If you want the romantic upscale red rose vibes, mosquito net (good for summer!) and humidity-friendly tile, then this luxury hotel resort (formerly Grove Isle Resort) is one-of-a-kind.

Roses are red, violets are blue, and there are yellow roses too!

4. Miami Botanical Garden

Miami Botanical Garden is a gem find that has a heavenly vibe and the where butterflies live. And all I can say is you may have the rose garden and koi pond all-to-yourself with the fluttering creatures if you go during the week.

And this is where you can find a beautifully fully grown eucalyptus rainbow tree that’ll keep you in awe with its color striped bark that looks like paint, but its natural. Free to visit.

5. Franciscan Monastery Summer Pink Rose Garden

Best place to see a summer pink rose garden in America and get your rosewater peace

The only Franciscan Monastery in America is in the northeast part of Washington DC. And trekking up to the Franciscan monastery is a special trip you can take. As soon as you enter the monastery you’ll see the rose garden in the front. You can walk around the paved path. Inside you’ll be stunned with the massive church where free tours are given. If you’re on a sabbatical, the rose garden is a must-to-see that’ll remind you of the Holy See. Free to visit and park.

Washington DC Franciscan Monastery summer rose garden

6.Boboli Gardens (Florence, Italy)

Boboli Gardens is behind the Pitti Palace that it’s related to. Late spring and early summer is the time you want to visit to see roses in full bloom. You’ll find the beautiful garden arches and Roman structures. And maybe a ‘lil wisteria to keep you in wanderlust. Fee to visit.

You can tie this garden visitinto your grand Florence history tour with the Uffizi Gallery (Botticelli’s Birth of Venus) and Pitti Palace.

And if you want to see a more relaxed vibe and also a beautiful hillside garden in Florence, skip Boboli and visit the Bardini Gardens instead. Fee to visit.

Bardini Gardens from the top – Duomo and Florence views. Boboli Gardens is on another side of the Arno River and Ponte Vecchio by the Pitti Palace.

7.Bardini Gardens (Florence, Italy)

Bardini Gardens is another beautiful garden with a summer rose garden, but not-so busy. It’s a nice slightly hilly walk through a neighborhood to get there, and you’ll enjoy the panoramic views and hillside gardens from the top. Enjoy the pergola (lavender wisteria in spring) and a summer popsicle 🍨at the top if you want, so it’s season-proof!

And if this year’s summer bucket list is already planned, something fun you can always do is appreciate the neighborhood summer pink rose scene 💕💐 Put on your walking shoes and cruise around to sniff out roses.

Unless you’re a butterfly, most residential gardens are private but you can still appreciate and sniff out the local community gardens. 🦋 These are always free (as is the Franciscan Monastery and Goteborg Sweden’s garden), so get your nature garden bucket list out.

National Cathedral Lights (An Unconventional Church)

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national cathedral lights that are unconventional features for the church

The National Cathedral lights up as one of the unconventional features, considering it’s the nation’s national cathedral and church. And it’s one I call home so I know it intimately.

During the year you can find it lit up with all kinds of surprises during the holidays and local impromptu events like the Washington Nationals taking home the win. ⚾️

You can still see the traditional Ex Nihilo tympanium scene lit up, where God breathed in earth (and light) out of nothing…

And in the day it’s all lit up through the stained glass windows. And to kids, the National Cathedral is known for its stain glassed space window that’s easy to find inside and the obscure Darth Vader grotesque that’s hard to find on the exterior. In case you’re wondering, that was a sculpture winner from a kid’s compettion that the National Geographic World magazine put out in the 1980’s.

And throughout the week, you can take a tour of the cathedral, that’s the nation’s symbol of peace and unity on your visit. And sometimes even a Tour & Tea where you sit seeing above the roof and looking out the window. 🫖

And learn all about the church that’s also home to so many special national events that the Presidents past and present attend.

It’s a modern cathedral built in the 19th century, so you’ll find all kinds of light up surprises. Downstairs isn’t your typical catacomb crypt you’ll find in many large churches. It’s much happier. You’ll find…

A large gift bookstore that’s an extension from the small one upstairs. And down the “secret passageway” stairs, you don’t want to miss seeing the celebration of life remembrance chapels.

On certain days of the month, you can find a labyrinth maze that’s meant to be a self-discovery moment…

The National Cathedral Lights also represents an opportunity for personal growth as it’s also known as the Center for Prayer and Pilgrimage. And in this maze you’ll go on your own inner journey, traveling on feet as fast or slow as you want.

This could be a wellness or sacred retreat. You’ll see others doing the same and sometimes there are classes you can attend online or in person. Just remember, you’re never alone!

And if you’re visiting from out of town and need best DC restaurant for groups and DC hotel recommendations that are a short drive or Uber ride from the Cathedral, these are my insider picks for you. 😊

Health and Wellness Travel

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My last day on the health and wellness restore and detox experience

health and wellness travel to the Chopra Center — My last day on the health and wellness restore and detox experience

Health and wellness travel is one of the newest travel trends. The effects can last a life time. I got my first real experience actually 3,000 miles within the States, where I’m from.

I was living a stressful work life (as many of us Americans do), and needed some rest and peace. I’d never tried yoga before. What better place to try than at the Deepak Chopra Center in Carlsbad, California (in San Diego). I stayed at this great Omni La Costa Resort where the Chopra Center is located, that’s just perfect for R&R. You go back to your room and it has a spa-like waterfall shower.

Omni La Costa Resort & SPA (Deepak Chopra Center for Health & Wellness)

For health and wellness travel, I took this Perfect Health program at the Chopra Center that’s based on Deepak’s book called “Perfect Health.” I researched and chose the health program because it included the entire mind-body-spirit connection.

The best thing about it was that there were classes to teach about areas of specific doshas (you learn this in the book) and what types of foods, music, and exercises are great when you have an imbalance.

Now I know which scented candles to buy when I’m feeling worried or irritated! I attempted meditation for the first time and practiced yoga for the first time. They should be done separately. We also got these life balance marma massages (ayurvedic term), that are different than Swedish massages.

Over a decade later, I am still “over the moon” with that weeklong trip. I use all that I learned and I share a lot with my friends.

They laugh when I break out the three types of spices that I bought in the store (Kapha, Pitta, Vata), and blind them to tell me which one they like the most, based on smell. Then I “magically” tell them what their imbalance is. Because the body tells you what you need. It craves what it doesn’t have and wants. It’s a fun thing to do and helpful when you are feeling a certain way or moody and don’t know why.

9 Hotel Travel Things To Calm and Center Yourself

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Hotel Travel Things to calm and center when you're away

In your hotel room, you want to have hotel travel things to calm and center yourself by sitting on a chair or on the floor. And that’s why doing a ‘lil research about the hotel is a good idea (…and that’s what I do and share my finds!).

I like the hotel carpeted floor personally as there is more space. Nicer hotels make me feel less self-conscious… I don’t wonder about how often the floor has been vacuumed or cleaned, and if tired furniture is replaced more often. It’s hard to relax when you’re worrying about cleanliness. Nice hotels are usually less noisy also because they don’t have guests throwing parties and they have staff that have been trained to whisper in the hallways.

Here are 9 Hotel Travel Things to Calm and Center Yourself:

Most hotels these days only provide two body towels per room to conserve on water, so bring your own yoga mat or towel. If you bring a towel you can always put it to multiple purpose/use as a wrap for delicate gifts you buy or bring 😉
Bring yoga or comfortable pants, and workout top or inspiring Tshirt. I find that when I’m stretching out, if I have a pedicure I can relax better, when I look at my toes.
I also recommend having a gadget along with you to set reminders as to when to set aside quiet moments to refresh and center yourself. Use it to set a timer as to how long you will be “centering.” Your smartphone works well for this. Also, the newer Apple watch has a breathing app to remind you to stop and breathe and appreciate the moment. It’s also useful if you get really relaxed and disoriented, to be able to ‘ping’ your phone if you can’t locate it. Use the “do not disturb” door hanger when you’re in “silent mode.” It will calm you to know you won’t be disturbed.
A journal and pen are also good. It’s nice to write the old-fashioned way. You end up editing yourself less as you just write authentically. When you have a keyboard, you can delete easily. It’s also nice to see your own handwriting, as it’s personal to you along with the thoughts you’re adding to paper.
Personal photo or photos. My photos I carry on my phone, but a printed photo will do the same. It’s nice to see familiar faces and places when you start to have travel “sense overload.” It allows you to appreciate the new place you’re exploring, by being calm that all is well “back home”. Photos can have that calming effect. Make them available in your hotel room.
Music. That can also set the mood for enjoyment and relaxation. When I’m in the States, I listen to Pandora or streaming internet music. When overseas, I have to go with my downloaded music. Many hotels still have Ipod hookups on their clock alarms. I know it seems like ancient technology, but I still bring my old iPods with me. They work.
A calming scent or lotion. Lavender is really good for calming. You can buy a small bottle of essential oil and pack it with you in your carry-on bag. Douse a little on your wrists. I also like peppermint as it is really good for headaches. I also use it for opening my nasal passages. It’s really good if you have sinus congestion. You never know when you can be entering a foreign place and experience allergies. Also, when you’re in the shower, try to take a hot steamy shower and add a few peppermint drops while standing. The peppermint fumes will steam up and you will get all the great benefits of opening your sinuses. I also bring Hall’s mentholyptus cough drops for that very reason. …What else?
Peppermint tea bags are also good to have. If you have any stomachaches, you can ask the hotel for some hot water or just rinse out and use the hotel room coffee machine to brew hot water and add your peppermint tea. Some hotels even have water kettles to heat the water. I’m not the only one who uses them. And besides headaches, peppermint works wonders on stomach ailments. And it’s all natural and caffeine-free so you don’t have to worry about it keeping you up all night. Just don’t drink too much so you don’t unnecessarily have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Peppermint is aromatherapy.
Apple cider vinegar (with the “mother”) in a small vial with an eyedropper is good to have. It can also clear up any congestion. It’s the new “apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Keep in mind, it’s very bad for your teeth so the eyedropper allows you to put a little behind your throat and just swallow. You can get this at any vitamin store in the States or check with the pharmacia overseas.

Every little bit helps… you want to have hotel travel things to calm and center every day on travel. You may even find that the new clear-minded mood you are in, really helps you to soak in the travel adventure you’re on. On another note, I find that Airbnb short-term rentals can be a little tricky for relaxing as they’re all so different from place to place.

They also have a lot of owners “personal touches” that can be distracting. You can make the space work for you, but I’m biased towards hotels where there’s service and consistency, and you know what you’re getting.

Want some Expedia travel ideas? These are some under ￡99 per night deals. And a thermal spa in Bath could be just whaaat you need.

Zen Garden Finds For Future Sustainability

If you’re feeling a bit wanderlust, you can re-energize with a reset by visiting a local zen garden. Maybe they’re low on your bucket list, but they’re an easy checklist item for this week.

And if you take a look at flora and fauna in your area, you realize that it takes more than a green thumb gardener to grow plants. There’s a level of expertise needed to have a community of diverse plants that get along and grow together. And well… patience and a ‘lil TLC. 🌱

We know that we breathe better when the oxygen in the room is fresh. One source is plants that take in our CO2. And from a global view, a reduced carbon footprint and emissions help our global warming effects that impact every part of the globe today. The hottest temperatures on record have been recorded in July 2023.

So preserving trees is one way to shade the unwanted weather effects for the livelihood of both the human and the animal kingdoms.

The Botanical Gardens Conservation International reports that 30% of the world’s trees today are at risk for extinction. The BGCI is an organization on a mission to make a positive impact in all-things plants. They have a green initiative that includes an accreditation program for plant diversity, conservation, and sustainability.

And in the garden domain, The Univerity of North Carolina makes noteworthy news besides sports and free tuition announcements. Their sister school in Charlotte has a shaded zen garden all are welcome to appreciate and to help keep summer cool.

NC State Zen Garden — Adding a waterfall and pond feature is not only visually zen appealing, it also adds to a soothing zen listening experience. This Asian zen garden is found at the University of North Carolina campus in Charlotte.

If you like rose gardens then these pink ones around the world are bucket list worthy.