Magnolia Plantation and Gardens (Charleston, South Carolina)

Magnolia Plantation is one of America's oldest romantic gardens, established on the Ashley River near Charleston in the 1670s by the Drayton family, who have held it for more than three centuries and a dozen generations. Its informal, naturalistic gardens opened to the public in 1870 and are among the last large-scale examples of the picturesque style surviving in the country.

The gardens are the heart of the visit. Rather than the clipped formality of European design, Magnolia embraces a lush, wandering layout of camellias, azaleas, ponds, arched bridges and moss-draped cypress that peaks in a blaze of colour each spring. Winding paths and a famous white bridge over dark, mirror-still water create the dreamlike, painterly scenes that have drawn visitors and photographers for generations.

The site also confronts its full history. Beyond the gardens lie a cypress swamp nature trail and a boat tour through old flooded rice fields, a preserved plantation house, and an important interpretive programme centred on the restored cabins of enslaved people and their descendants, telling the story of the community whose forced labour built and sustained the estate. This blend of beauty and hard history gives a visit real depth and honesty. A petting zoo, conservatory and reptile house make it a rounded outing for families with younger children.

Practical notes: the plantation lies a short drive northwest of Charleston, and general admission covers the gardens, with separate tickets for the house tour, nature train, swamp boat and the enslaved-cabins tour. Allow half a day to do it justice. Spring, when the azaleas and camellias bloom together, is the most spectacular season, though the gardens hold interest year-round. Paths are gravel and grass, partly accessible, and comfortable shoes are strongly advised.