The Classical Gardens of Suzhou

Suzhou's gardens were private retreats built by officials and merchants inside the city walls, and they work by compression: a hectare or two of ground made to feel much larger through water, rockeries, covered walkways and windows that frame one view at a time. Several are inscribed together as World Heritage. The Humble Administrator's Garden is the largest, laid out around ponds and island pavilions; the Lingering Garden is known for its halls and a much prized standing rock; the Master of the Nets Garden is small and tightly composed, and is the one people tend to remember. The pierced limestone from Lake Tai matters as much here as any plant.

What you actually see

• The Humble Administrator's Garden - the largest of them, with water, causeways and island pavilions.
• The Master of the Nets Garden - a compact garden where every window frames a deliberate view.
• The Lingering Garden - halls, covered walkways and a celebrated standing Lake Tai rock.
• The lattice windows - carved openings that cut the garden into framed pictures as you walk.

When to go

March to May and September to November. Gardens open early and that is the only quiet hour; by ten the Humble Administrator's Garden is a slow procession. Rain suits them, since the rocks darken and the ponds look livelier than under flat sun. Two gardens in a day is enough before the compositions blur together.

Honest expectations

Each garden charges separately and the main ones are expensive, with peak pricing in spring. Crowds are the real problem: narrow walkways and small pavilions were never built for coach groups, and photographs without people are close to impossible after mid-morning. The smaller gardens are better value and usually overlooked.

Nearby

The canal lane of Pingjiang Road and the Suzhou Museum are in the same quarter.