Entry to the gardens costs AED 50 and to Butterfly World AED 55. Sadly you need to enter one from the other or face a longish walk around the perimeter as once you leave the gardens you can't re enter on the same ticket.
I visit in term time when it's quiet, but avoid the end of the school day as the roads round there are chaotic at the end of the school day and make sure you have google maps handy and 3G switched on as the roads are changing on a monthly basis with new developments.
Each year the theme for Miracle gardens changes. This year it's cats and there's a full size replica of Emirates Airbus A340, festooned in flowers.
Creating a garden in the desert requires a lot of water and planning. You can see more of my efforts on the gardening tab.
If you look closely you'll see that not many types of flowers are used, just tried and tested ones, with built in irrigation systems and regular dead heading and replacing.
Designed inside a circle, paths lead you to new finds as you explore freely.
View from the pavilion. It's quite a skill getting photos without anyone in them, hence why it's better to visit during the school day.
There are tonnes of restaurants to choose from under a covered area of plants and umbrellas, but watch out for the over head irrigation section.
Every time I visit I have yet another idea for the garden, sadly I neither have the space or the skills required to do anything on this scale.
Next up is the Butterfly World.
It's easy to just walk round the first dome and go back outside. There are a further 4 chambers accessed through a string/rope netting/door. Make sure you walk round the whole place.
I'm not a big fan of the dead butterflies creating the art work in the entrance area by the cafe. I'd like to think they were made a long time before we wised up to the damage we were doing to the species, but sadly this doesn't appear to be the case.
Be careful as you walk round though, there are butterflies on the ground.
There are clear pictures on how to hold a butterfly in special areas, sadly too many parents weren't supervising their kids and wings were being grabbed. The adults were placing butterflies on their children's heads for photo opportunities and some of the kids were hysterical swatting the butterflies away while parents laughed and took more photos.
The rooms were large with high ceilings and there was lots of space for the butterflies to fly around and escape to.
And plenty of feeding stations where you could take close ups without disturbing the butterflies.
This is only my second visit to the butterfly world, both times with visitors, don't think I'll be going again though.
But Miracle Gardens has a big thumbs up from me and my next trip might involve a book and a spare hour or three.
Such a beautiful place to visit! Love the elephants.
ReplyDeletethey are fab aren't they?
DeleteWow - it must be really hard to have a beautiful garden in a desert. Love the giant topiaries. The elephants and cats are fabulous!
ReplyDeleteit takes a lot of water, effort, trial and error
Deletewow this place is beautiful. To have this in the dessert must be incredible. Those cats and elephants are fantastic xx
ReplyDeleteit is amazing and so relaxing also
DeleteThose gardens and butterfly world are amazing! So beautiful. Those elephants are incredible! We took our grandsons to a butterfly garden a few months ago. They loved it!
ReplyDeletei wasn't such a fan of the butterflies but I love the gardens
DeleteWhat spectacular gardens and butterflies. I love those cats! :)
ReplyDeletethey are wonderful aren't they?
DeleteOh my the topiary is amazing - and how bonkers is that plane?! Thanks for sharing with #PoCoLo
ReplyDeleteit's the planes 3rd year there, it's very stunning the whole place
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