Boston Public Garden

 

 

 

 

The Public Garden was created in 1837, Boston Common in 1634. From its inception, the Public Garden was decorative and flowery, the Common pastoral and practical. The Common's walkways were for crosstown travel, the Public Garden's paths for meandering. The Common was America's first park, the Public Garden its first public botanical garden. This style of park, featuring the gardener's art, was ushered in by Victorians who had new techniques readily available to collect, hybridize and propagate plants. They had access to showy annuals. Greenhouse-grown plants could assure that displays would be seen at their peak. With such abilities, they bedded-out the Garden in intricate floral patterns of blazing color and planted exotic imported trees. The Victorian traditions for the most part are maintained. The Garden are one of Boston's great attractions.