Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico - Since its opening in 2005, Vallarta Botanical Garden (VBG) has won numerous international awards, and now it has been named the fourth best garden in North America on USA Today's '10 Best' list for 2018.

Competing against 20 of the best gardens and arboretums on the continent, VBG was the only botanical garden in Mexico that was nominated for this prestigious award in 2018. Historically, the list has been dominated by gardens in the U.S., and this achievement by Vallarta Botanical Garden marks only the second time an international garden has placed on the list.

A panel of experts, chosen based on their knowledge and experience of America's botanical gardens, partnered with 10Best.com editors to picked the initial 20 nominees, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote.

Vallarta Botanical Garden, in fourth place, was topped only by the Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, in third; second-place garden Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, in Chaska, Minnesota; and top vote getter Longwood Gardens, in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.

"It is truly an honor and privilege to be part of this distinction that could have only been possible with the support of our community," said Bob Price, founder and curator of VBG. "Vallarta Botanical Garden is young and small, but it has a great and growing impact that will not go unnoticed. The number of votes we received in this contest show people near and far that Puerto Vallarta is a world-class botanical and horticultural destination, and is worthy of your visit."

A not-for-profit organization started in 2004 with the mission to propagate, study, discover, conserve and display native plants from Mexico and from around the world, the Vallarta Botanical Garden sits on 64 acres of land and is home to a vast diversity of Mexican plant species, including the most visited public collection of orchids in Mexico.

As the Banderas Bay region's most popular living museum, the VBG also boasts four conservatories showcasing local and exotic flowers from all over the world, plus vanilla, chocolate and coffee plantations; a museum; a rock collection; and a large population of hummingbirds, Military Macaws, and many other species of wild birds. The Los Horcones River, offering breathtaking views, runs alongside the property, which is also home to award-winning restaurant Hacienda de Oro.

"We are proud of the unique offering the Vallarta Botanical Garden has brought to Puerto Vallarta and its flora and fauna offerings," said Javier Aranda Pedrero, director of the Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board. "We congratulate them on being recognized as one of the best gardens in the Americas."

"We invite our visitors to experience the many ecological wonders offered in Puerto Vallarta, including the Estero el Salado and Los Arcos National Marine Park," Aranda Pedrero added.

For the complete list of the 2018 10 Best Botanical Garden winners, visit 10best.com.