Anyone who has visited Suzhou's famous gardens is all too aware that their beauty is often marred by mobs of parading tour groups. However, it's a well-kept secret that our very own Shanghai is actually home to five classical gardens (planned and built during the Ming and Qing Dynasties), many of which equal the splendor on display in Jiangsu. Spread out over the vastness of the city, visits to the five gardens not only provide a tempting taste of Suzhou close to home, but also reveal the varied faces and personalities Shanghai itself has to offer.

Yu Yuan
Nearly every tourist to Shanghai follows their guidebook to Yu Yuan (豫园) and braves the surrounding onslaught of postcard and antique vendors. It is, without a doubt, the most well-known, easily accessible and expensive of the city's classically designed gardens. For this reason, it is also the most impressive. Built in 1559 by wealthy Ming officials, the garden today stands as testament to the poetic extravagance of China's dynastic heritage. Lakeside pagodas, enchanting halls and a mazelike rockery all inhabit this welcome oasis in the heart of modern Shanghai, and it becomes a perfect place to relax and feel the speed of life slow to a crawl.

Pond of the Drunken Bai
Ranking second and winning points for its overwhelming feeling of peace, seclusion, and serenity is the Pond of the Drunken Bai (Zuibai Chi, 醉白池) in Songjiang County. Designed and constructed during the Ming era in honor of Tang poet Bai Juyi, the garden harbors the many splendors of both Suzhou and Yu Yuan without the crowds. Odds are you'll be sharing the considerable expanse of green with only a handful of local gossipy seniors. The winding corridors, shaded pagodas, and still waters will strongly suggest that a scroll painting has come to life for your sole pleasure.

The Garden of Ancient Splendor and the Garden of Autumn Clouds
With only a brief distance separating them, Jiading District's two entries on the list merit praise for their seemingly perfect marriage of landscaped flora and lazy waterways. The Garden of Ancient Splendor (Guyi Yuan, 古猗园) and the Garden of Autumn Clouds (Qiuxia Pu, 秋霞圃) were both private gardens during the Ming Dynasty. The rustling bamboo forests, elaborate architecture and tranquil lotus ponds provide a perfect respite for city-weary souls.

The Garden of Meandering Streams
This garden is the smallest and most remote member of the five: Qingpu District's Garden of Meandering Streams (Qushui Yuan, 曲水园). Though it provides beautifully shaded pathways bordered by fragrant blooming wisteria, it nevertheless pales in comparison to its four cousins. The introduction entices visitors with promises of "irresistible entertainment for classicality and concinnity" but my advice is if you're going to haul all the way out to Qingpu, fork over the extra yuan and pay a visit to Shanghai's Grand View Garden. It's money well spent.

Each of Shanghai's gardens was extensively damaged during the succession of wars beginning from the Qing Dynasty, but the 20th century also saw substantial reconstruction and renovation efforts restore much of their original glory; today's nominal admission fees are contributions to this ongoing endeavor.

Now is a perfect time to get out and explore these relatively undiscovered gems of Shanghai. Summer is upon us and the incomparable rainbow of flowers accenting the gardens' canvases is a guaranteed recipe for dramatic sighs of wonder and disbelief. Each garden displays distinct characteristics and can safely claim to possess those rare magical settings able to steal your imagination and whisk you away to a calmer, quieter world than the daily Shanghai with which we live.