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New York City Parks and Gardens
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Brooklyn Botanic Garden
A frequently overlooked jewel with 12,000 kinds of plants on 52 acres/21 hectares. We love Blue Bell Wood in May, the Cherry Tree Esplanade in early spring and the Cranford Rose Garden in summer. Other must-sees include the bonsai exhibit and the water lilies in the aquatic plants area. The Japanese Gardens have just been completely restored and are a peaceful

place to stroll. Tours and workshops and an annual Christmas-holiday exhibit and concert are offered. The gardens are open April-September, Tuesday-Friday 8 am-6 pm, Saturday and Sunday 10 am-6 pm; October-March, Tuesday-Friday 8 am-4:30 pm, Saturday and Sunday 10 am-4:30 pm. US$3 adults (free for everyone Monday-Friday in the winter and all day Tuesday in the summer). 100 Washington Ave. (take the 1 or 2 train to Eastern Parkway/Brooklyn Museum or the Q or S to Prospect Park), Brooklyn, New York City. Phone 718-623-7200. http://www.bbg.org.

Central Park
In 1856, New York officials set aside an amazing 843 acres/341 hectares of city land between 5th and 8th Avenues and 59th and 110th Streets for a park. To this day, flowing meadows, bridges, lakes, ponds and playing fields abound in the heart of this metropolis. Runners, bikers and in-line skaters hustle around the trails that run through the park's interior. Some of the park's highlights include the zoo, the boat pond and, in winter, the skating rink, all of which are in the southeast section of the park. John Lennon fans may pay their respects at Strawberry Fields, the area of the park dedicated to his memory, on the west side near 72nd Street. (The spot where Lennon was shot, outside the gorgeous Dakota apartment building, is just across Central Park West.) The park's most popular spot is no doubt the oddly named Sheep's Meadow. Situated in the center of the park just below 72nd Street, this grassy expanse draws frisbee players, sunbathers, mingling singles and young families, especially when the weather is warm. (The Central Park Band Shell, next to Sheep's Meadow, is the site of free outdoor concerts in summer.) To the north, in the low 80s, is the Great Lawn. This amalgam of sports fields and softball diamonds periodically becomes the arena for blockbuster concerts. The Delacorte ampitheater outside the Great Lawn is used for periodic theater performances, including the much-talked-about "Shakespeare in Central Park" series in summer. If you wish to take a horse-drawn-carriage ride through the park, find an empty buggy at Tavern on the Green or at 59th Street and 5th Avenue. (Be warned, though: the rides are not cheap.) We think walking is the best way to experience the park, however. Just don't walk there at night. http://www.centralpark.org.

New York Botanical Garden
A 250-acre/100-hectare horticultural preserve, research laboratory, and tree and plant museum. Several newer areas include Old World and New World desert and aquatic plants, a rain forest and a Children's Adventure Garden, adorned with topiaries and mazes. The Enid Haupt Conservatory, renovated to critical acclaim and a lovely cold-weather retreat, is temporarily housing some stunning sculpture from the Museum of Modern Art's collection. Gardens open April-October, Tuesday-Sunday 10 am-6 pm; November-March, Tuesday-Sunday 10 am-4 pm (open Monday when it's a legal holiday). US$3 adults. Garden Passport with admission to many specialty gardens and discounts in shop is US$10 adults. Southern Boulevard at 200th St. (take the B or D subway line to Bedford Park Boulevard and walk about eight blocks east, or take Metro North from Grand Central Terminal to the Botanical Garden station), Bronx, New York City. Phone 718-817-8700. http://www.nybg.org.

Prospect Park
The lesser-known sibling of Manhattan's Central Park, Prospect Park was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux. Like Central Park, it has a carousel and wildlife center. Other highlights include the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch, Long Meadow and Prospect Lake. The park is a good place to take a break between the Brooklyn Museum of Art and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, both of which are nearby. Grand Army Plaza (take the 1 or 2 train to Grand Army Plaza, the F train to 15th Street/Prospect Park or the Q or S train to Prospect Park), Brooklyn, New York City. Phone 718-965-8999. http://www.prospectpark.org.

Overview