Boston Public Garden, Boston

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Boston Public Garden may seem like another extension of the Boston Common, but in fact they are a separate green area with a history of their own. In fact, I think that the Public Garden is actually much nicer than the Common, in part because of the well-kept flower beds and the ponds. The idea for the Garden came up first in the 1830s, when it was proposed that Boston should have a botanical garden, but actual construction of the green space and the necessary structures (fences, ponds, bridges etc.) was not conducted until the 1860s. Until that time, this site was a salt marsh. Most of the statues in the Garden were erected in the late 1860s, including the western George Washington statue that is prominent if you enter from Newbury Street. The Garden is a great stop if you’re in Boston on a sunny warm day. It fills up with all sorts of people, especially young people who feel a public garden is the ideal place to attempt a musical career. The picturesque flower beds and quaint bridges can sometimes be hard to get pictures of, if only because of the number of people visiting the Garden.

The Public Garden is a beautifully landscaped botanical garden established in 1837 and is home to the Swan Boats. While you are there also admire the worlds shortest spanning suspension bridge, the many varieties trees and plants and the famous sculpture "Make Way for Duckings". The Public garden is flanked by the Boston Commons and the Commonwealth Avenue mall, which all add up to a nice stroll.

The Boston Public Garden was established in 1837, it was the 1st public botanical garden in the United States.

On a hot summer day it was so relaxing to walk through the lawns & the flower beds in the shade of the many trees. The highlight though was sitting by the lagoon watching the famous Swan Boats.

No matter what season, this is a great place to walk or people watch. The oldest park in the Country and it is constantly changing due to the seasons.

as a kid, my mom would take us there for the swan boats, which are still a huge draw. Now, I just like to walk through and take in the sights. It's big, beautiful, and free :)

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A huge misconception about the Boston Public Garden is that it and the Boston Common are part of the same entity, when in fact they are not. The garden came about in 1837 as a result of the swampy area being filled in. The garden is oranmental in design with many different varieties of flowers, trees and other plants. One of the favorite attractions in the garden is the swan boats which have been cruising the garden's pond for more than 120 years.

When I was working as a nanny is Boston's historic district, I used to bring the children here just about every day. We would bring picnic lunches and play games, read stories and walk around the park checking out the plants for hours at a time. One of Stephanie's favorite things was to take a ride on the swan boats. We always made sure to bring extra bread and crackers to feed the ducks and the swans. Be careful when walking close the the pond, there's poop every where. I have two favorite times of year to visit the public garden, Fall because of the beautiful foliage and Spring because of the spring blooms. I used to also come here often on my days off to do some homework in peace. Afterwards I would take a stroll down Charles street and grab a bite to eat and do some shopping in one of its many ecletic shops.

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Most people have heard of Boston Common, comparing it to Central Park, etc. But, in my opinion, the jewel of the Boston Parks is located west of there...the Public Garden. It is a beautiful park with wandering paths and plenty of shade trees. The centerpiece of the Garden is a very pretty lake, with a wonderful bridge crossing it. And plying the lake is a Boston instutution since 1877, the Swan Boats. These graceful, peddle powered boats are admittedly for the tourists, but are still a perfect complement to the Garden. There is also a flock of live white swans that live in the Garden.

One of the things you will see as you walk around the gardens are the beautiful Swanboats. They have been part of the garden for a long time. Take a ride on one of these graceful boats and glide along the pond. It will sure to bring a smile on the face of any one.

Prices are as follows Adults $2.75
Children $1.25 (age 2 to 15 years)
Seniors $2.00

Hours of operation:

Spring (April to June 20) 10 am to 4 pm
Summer (June 21 to Labor Day) 10 am to 5 pm
Fall (After Labor Day) 12 pm to 4 pm Weekdays
10 am to 4 pm Weekends

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The Boston Gardens is a haven for the city life with its many fountains and gardens. If you find yourself in the gardens on a beautiful spring or summer day you will most definitely see the famous "Swan Boats" located in the lagoon. The sculpture of "Make way for Ducklings" is also located in the garden. According to what I've been told, you will find the world's smallest suspension bridge here as well.