Introduction

The Boston Public Garden (park, left) and the Boston Common (park, right) lie at the heart of Boston between the Financial District to the east and the Back Bay to the west.  To the north lies Beacon Hill; to the south, Chinatown.

The Boston Public Garden lies in the heart of Boston, a green oasis between neighborhoods.  The Public Garden and its counterpart, the adjacent Boston Common, are historical parks that serve as refuges from concrete urban life by providing a natural outlet for city residents.  Together, they draw many thousands of visitors each year from both Boston and afar.  I had the chance to travel to the Public Garden and observe its vitality in its unique historical, cultural, and natural contexts.  Above is an image of the Public Garden's location, but location is not place.  I will attempt to show here the relationship between the Public Garden and Boston's identity, as well as the merits, limitations, and intricacies common to all urban parks as places of contrived beauty.