Make Way for the Boston Public Garden

The upside to this tumultuous year of 2020 is being able to explore close to home. There are so many wonderful places in Boston and the Public Garden is definitely one of my favorites!

Established in 1837, the Boston Public Garden was the first public botanical garden in America. It is definitely a must do for all ages when visiting Boston.

If you have young children who have read Robert McCloskey’s popular children’s book based in Boston, Make Way for Ducklings, your first stop in the Public Garden must be the Make Way for Ducklings statue! The statue featuring Mrs. Mallard and her eight ducklings is a great spot to take your kids photo sitting on the ducks. If you happen to be in town on Mother’s day, you can attend the annual Duckling Day parade.

The ducks celebrate the holidays, seasons and local sports teams in style!

Another great activity for kids in the Public Garden is the swan boats! These boats have been riding along the lagoon since 1877 and it’s relaxing activity for both kids and adults. It’s also a sure sign that spring is finally here in Boston when the swan boats open in mid April each spring

The Public Garden is not just enjoyed by children and families though. It’s a great place for adults, young and old to have a picnic, relax on a bench, read a book or go for a nice slow walk. In spring it comes alive with beautiful flowers which are such a welcome sight after a long, cold, snowy Boston winter.

Summer brings not only tourist to the garden but also palm trees, yes palm trees in the northeast US. It also brings the resident swans, Romeo and Juliet!

Just like the rest of New England, fall is a beautiful and colorful time of year in the Public Garden! There’s this one tree that the leaves seem to change earlier than most trees in the city each year, it’s beautiful watching it change then the rest in the park change afterwards. Nature at it’s finest, living it’s cycle.

Although it’s not my favorite season in Boston, winter does bring some beauty to the Public Garden and I walk thru it often on my way from work to my pilates class or when I go for a quick walk to escape cabin fever. It’s definitely a different view, the trees are without their leaves, there are no flowers, but the bushes are decorated with lights for the holidays, the lagoon freezes over and snow fills the park making for a magical winter scene. So throw on a heavy jacket and head over for a walk thru the garden.

Have you been to the Boston Public Garden, what time of year did you visit and what did you like most? If you’ve never been, I highly recommend it. I hope all readers can relax and take in the beauty here some day.