Two Canada geese dip their long black necks into the tranquil pond. After surfacing, the pair casually shake their delicate heads and resume their lazy paddling. Along the shore and surrounding acreage at Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain, the trees begin to awaken from their winter slumber.
Small birds begin to build nests of grass and twigs in their boughs.
Bushy-tailed squirrels scurry to and fro across the damp dirt trails. Hardy daffodils and crocuses reach skyward through the barren ground splattering the landscape with flashes of yellow, purple and white. Spring is finally here. To enjoy the spring flora and vegetation, people are donning their walking shoes to take a leisurely stroll through the area s public gardens. Whether it s the Arnold Arboretum, Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston, Garden in the Woods in Framingham, Lyman Estate Greenhouses in Waltham or a local park, Mother Nature is beginning to paint the landscape.