A few weekends ago we planned, with a few friends, a bike ride to Arnold Arboretum. I hadn't yet properly visited since we moved to Boston, which is a serious faux pas since I'm married to a landscape architect.
We ate lunch at Audubon Circle (they have a mean grilled cheese and tomato soup), fitting on a day we dedicated to trees and the outdoors. After we had our fill (and checked the K-State score), we strapped on our helmets and headed into the great blue yonder, plotting our course through as much of the Emerald Necklace as possible.
Once we arrived at the Arboretum, we leisurely biked to Ian's recommended highlights — Bussey Hill for the view, Leventritt Shrub and Vine Garden for the landscape architecture, and the Larz Anderson Bonsai House for the tiny trees, the oldest of which was started in 1737 — dismounting and wandering around frequently.
It's an amazing green space—large enough to almost forget that you are still in the middle of the city. Each tree and plant is carefully tagged, helpful for avid botanists and anyone in New England doing landscape work, and some even have the story of the plant's journey to America. It feels a bit like wandering through a giant living, breathing library. And while we were a little early for peak fall color, the trees were already beginning to catch fire.
After several hours, we headed to the original JP Licks for hot chocolate and ice cream (caramel apple inspired by The Night Circus) before calling it a day. I love fall in New England.