Right next to Boston Common, the United States oldest park, is Boston Public Gardens. This is a gorgeous spot where you will find all kinds of places to sit and spend your time. You can view the beautiful flowers, or you can stroll next to a statue of George Washington riding a horse. You can take a ride on the world-famous Swan boats, or you can sit and ponder the cute Make Way For Ducklings Statue. For a park of extremely limited size, the Public Gardens packs a might punch.

The park is well maintained and very clean. Unlike many other public parks I have visited, I didn't notice a large number of homeless there even though we arrive prior to 8am. I felt extremely safe and at peace. The park is free to visitors, and is situated very close to some of the other sights of Boston. It is a quick walk across the street to Boston Common and the T station. Also the Bull and Finch Pub, or Cheers, is located to the south of the park directly across the street.

My friend and I toured the park and found it to be unbelieveably calm and beautiful. There is a lovely wooden bridge that crosses a pond surrounded by willows. The flowers were in full bloom even though it was late August, and it was definantly a refreshing stop. Like I stated earlier it is not a very large garden, but it does contain a lot of things worth viewing. My favorite sight in the park is the Make Way for Ducklings Statue. Make Way for Ducklings is an award winning children's book that is set in Boston Public Gardens. It made me smile just to look at the mother duck followed by numerous baby ducklings. I would have loved to ride the Swan boats too, but unfortunantly they don't run in rainy weather or before around 10am.

This is an experience I can't wait to try the next time I head to Boston! I would definantly return back to Boston Public Gardens if for nothing else than to stop and smell the flowers.

The ornate iron gate entrance surrounded by roses and other manicured plants makes visitors feel as though they are entering an enchanted part of the city. Once inside, these expectations are not spoiled, but rather confirmed. The beautiful lawns, trees, plantings, fountains and statues line well paved pathways. Artists line the banks of the pond, sketching the popular "swan boats" that paddle customers around the water. The pathway over the pond crosses a small suspension bridge--remarkably the smallest suspension bridge in the world.

My favorite thing in the park is a statue of the "Make Way for Ducklings" ducks, commemorating the famous Robert McKlosky tale of the mother duck who walked her ducklings acrossed Charles Street to get to the pond in the Public Garden. Charles Street is the busy road that seperates the Public Garden from Boston Common. This book can make the perfect souvenir of a Boston trip for anyone- both young and old.

The garden and all its whimsy attract many people looking for a special place to take special occasion photographs. Multiple wedding parties make a stop here on the summer weekends.

Tourists and native Bostonians alike can all enjoy the beauty of the Public Garden everyday. To walk through is admission-free anytime of the year. It is such a refreshing pick-me-up from the day at the office, or a tourist's day full of bustling sights.

Surrounding the Public Garden are many other popular sights, so stopping by could easily be implemented into most tourist itineraries. The Prudential Building, State House, and Boston Common are all within a short walking distance. The garden is close to the Arlington T stop, which makes getting there very easy.

The garden is arranged around a small lake. A paved walking trail surrounds the lake and is perfect for strollers or even toddlers without the best coordination. Numerous benches are found along the path for people-watching or enjoying a cool Italian ice. Numerous ducks, including little fuzzy ducklings and two white swans, can be seen along the lake.

For $2.50, adults can take a ride on a human-powered swan boat around the lake (children older than 2 are $1). The ride is really quite brief, just several minutes long, and if you’re busy trying to get your child to sit down in these boats without side rails, you may find that it’s over before you’ve had a chance to relax.

The statues in the garden are all impressive in their own way. Several fountains attract birds looking for a drink or some shade. George Washington on his horse stands majestic in the middle of the garden. If you’re traveling with kids, probably the most fun will be had with the "Make Way for Ducklings" statues—eight ducklings following their mother are a great photo-op as children climb all over the metal sculptures.

Nearly 200 years younger than its next-door neighbor the Common, the Public Garden traces it origin to the filling in of salty marshlands along the Charles River in the 1830s. Charles Street, which today separates the Garden from the less formal Common, once ran along the bank of the river. After the area where the Garden now sits was filled in, George F. Meacham’s design for an English-style garden was chosen by the city in 1869. The Garden’s central lagoon, where the famous swan boats offer visitors rides in the late spring, summer, and early fall, and whimsical suspension bridge provide the Garden with a focal point. Surrounding the lagoon, visitors will find immaculately landscaped flower gardens in the spring and summer and many unique trees selected by Meacham to complete the garden’s atmosphere.

While I love the Common across the street and nearby Esplanade on the Charles River, the Public Garden is my favorite park in the city. The lagoon, statues, and uniquely shaped trees all create a beautiful environment no matter the season. In the spring and summer, color flower gardens surround the lagoon. In fall, the color moves skyward as trees in the Garden display hues of red, yellow, and orange. Even in the dead of winter the Garden is alive, as a pristine layer of white snow covers the ground and icicles hang from the statues and fountains. A small section of the lagoon is kept clear of ice for the benefit of the resident bird population, which still begs visitors for morsels of bread and other treats in the winter just as they do in the summer. I could sit for hours on a bench next to the lagoon here and watch people and nature interact. The Public Garden really is an urban oasis, and a part of the city that should not be missed.