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Boston's Best Botanical Gardens

The early summer months are some of the best moments to enjoy the wonderful sights and smells of Boston's botanical gardens. The sunshine, warmth and ocean breeze makes garden grazing a favorite weekend pastime for both locals and visitors alike, with Boston gardens presenting a beautiful vista of nature's own artistic palette. Here are five of the area's best botanical gardens for that next weekend trip.
Acton Arboretum
(Photo Credit: Acton Arboretum)

Arnold Arboretum
125 Arborway
Boston, MA 02130
(617) 524-1718
www.arboretum.harvard.edu

The Arnold Arboretum is a jewel of a garden located on Arborway, presenting a lovely landscape and atmosphere, perfectly conducive to a romantic stroll or family visit. The Arnold Arboretum is also quite large and super spacious, making this an excellent idea for a hike or nature stroll. There are numerous paths and hidden trails for explorers to follow, while the direction center maps it all out perfectly for the first-time visitor. Simply put, Arnold Arboretum is a great visit all spring and summer long.

Related: Ask A Boston Expert: How To Start Your Dream Garden

Public Garden
(Photo from Friends of Public Garden)

Boston Public Garden
69 Beacon St
Boston, MA 02108
(617) 635-4505
www.cityofboston.gov/public_garden.asp

Sometimes, the very best gardens are in our own backyards, as evidenced by the city's iconic Public Garden, which greets citizens and tourists together everyday as they visit the city. The Boston Public Garden has its own personal meaning to many around the city, as countless Bostonians and visitors have walked its paths, held hands underneath its trees and gazed across the water to admire all of nature's glory in our midst. For these reasons alone, the Boston Public Garden remains a "must see" stop for those who want to revel in the city's history and beauty.

Related: Boston's Best Parks To Walk Your Dog

Harvard University Museum of Natural History
(Photo from Harvard University Museum of Natural History/Facebook)

Harvard Museum of Natural History
26 Oxford St.
Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 495-3045
www.hmnh.harvard.edu

The Harvard Museum of Natural History may seem like a slightly odd place to visit for those with an appreciation for botany, but there is one particular display which brings garden and flowers fans in on a daily basis. The Glass Flowers exhibit here at the Harvard Museum of Natural History is simply gorgeous, and is enjoyed daily by visitors and botanical garden fans, most of whom reply with favorable word of mouth throughout the city. Indeed, "the glass flowers" often come up as a "must see" aspect of the Harvard Museum of Natural History, and it's easy to see why: it's truly beautiful stuff.

Mount Auburn Cemetery
(photo courtesy: Mount Auburn Cemetery)

Mount Auburn Cemetery
580 Mount Auburn St.
Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 547-7105
www.mountauburn.org

For those seeking to add a little peace and tranquility to their day, Mount Auburn Cemetery is a simply beautiful botanical garden spot that doubles as a serene and somber resting place. There are some incredibly old burial plots located within the perfectly landscaped paths and trails within the cemetery, while the flowers and foliage provide lovely accompaniment for a thoughtful stroll as the surrounding nature and wildlife envelop visitors in the scenic grasp.

boston-flower-show-entrance
(Photo Credit: bostonflowershow.com)

Special Event: Boston Flower & Garden Show
Seaport World Trade Center
200 Seaport Blvd
Boston, MA 02210
www.bostonflowershow.com

Date: March 11-15, 2015

This annual event brings to Boston some of the most breathtaking botanical garden displays and combines it with vendors and industry professionals who are there to talk shop and share secrets for all things garden with those Bostonian visitors who happen to have a green thumb. Usually held in early March, the Boston Flower & Garden Show combines the best of breathtaking floral displays with lectures and demonstrations designed to assist even the most novice of gardeners in bringing their own botanical dreams to life.

George Pacheco has been writing professionally about arts and entertainment for over a decade. A graduate of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, George currently resides in a humble New England home with his wife, cat and massive music and film collection. His work can be found at Examiner.com.

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