People, Places & Spaces


The Boston Garden

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A recent gathering of horticulturally-inclined friends gave me a welcome opportunity to return to a city I once called home…Boston. Our first full day of activities was my idea of heaven, especially as the sun was taking over what was to have been a cloudy day…the morning at Mt. Auburn cemetery, lunch in Harvard Square, mid-afternoon re-acquainting myself with our former home base, Back Bay, and finishing with a long stroll in the gorgeous Boston Garden.

Just two blocks from our original apartment on Commonwealth Ave., the Garden was my home away from home. This past week the light was so mesmerizing and enchanting I found no end of picture-perfect opportunities, as so well presented in the above feature image, and below, skyscrapers turning silver in the late afternoon sun as the generous white puffs of clouds add a note of elegance to the blue sky.

Centered with a serpentine lake, surrounded by statement-making large weeping willows, the Boston Garden is the first public botanical garden in our country (1859).

Giving a nod to this period of its design, the fresh, well kept plantings in the Victorian tradition add a floral note to an otherwise all green landscape.

A practical, but delicate in appearance, suspension footbridge carries out the Victorian style.

Ornamental lamp posts, iron fences, sculptures, fountains, and statues distinguish the twenty-four acres.

I so enjoyed the opportunity to study the iconic residential architecture surrounding this public garden.

My last view as I headed to leave…the footbridge capturing the vibe of the city as people made their way home from work.

There is so much more to this exceptional garden! I urge you to visit in person, or at the least, peruse their very well executed website.

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About Bettie Bearden Pardee

Author of Private Newport and Living Newport, garden furniture designer (The Parterre Bench), national lecturer, and entertaining expert. An honoree for the second year on "The Salonniere 100 America's Best Party Hosts", she was also the host and creative producer of "The Presidential Palate: Entertaining at the White House".

10 thoughts on “The Boston Garden

  1. Love seeing the Boston Garden, Bettie. Brought back many memories. Public gardens are so important to our lives, especially in cities. Thank you.
    Linda Copeland

  2. Love seeing the Boston Garden, Bettie. Brought back many memories. Public gardens are so important to our lives, especially in cities. Thank you.
    Linda Copeland

  3. I love Boston in the Fall. We are driving to
    The Berkshires at the end of October for a family gathering. My sister has never been there New England in the fall. So we are going to add a few more days to drive around some of my favorite spots. It will be a lovely trip from my home in Central Kentucky.

  4. I was lucky enough to recently visit Boston, loved every second of it! Thank you for always sharing your beautiful sites to see! The beautiful gardens, water features & architecture are amazing, I cannot wait to go back!

  5. As the song lyrics are written ~ “…down by the banks of the river Charles….”oh, oh, Boston, you’re my home.” I love that Boston is my home.

  6. Oh, this gives me the boost I needed…we must “go for a ride” & see Boston again…after too many years hiatus!! The light you captured on these photos is amazing!! franki

  7. I, also, enjoyed revisiting a favorite spot, having lived on Marlboro Street for some 8 years before marrying and moving to Aquidneck Island! Memories: walking to work on Newbury Street through the Garden, bringing our children to ride the swan boats, and reading “Male Way for Ducklings.” Thanks.

    Sylvia Hampton

  8. Always enjoy walking around this well maintained Boston garden of a manageable size.
    Love seeing the winged statue that echoes the one in NY Central Park Bethesda fountain.
    In looking at the small Palms I wonder if they make it through the New England winter weather.
    It was a lovely Autumn promenade.

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