One of the best places to enjoy the beauty of trees and nature is in our back yard. The Dawes Arboretum is full of greenery, lakes, ponds, and activities all year long. It sits on “nearly 2,000” acres according to their website. That’s a lot of land to enjoy on a sunny afternoon. You can plan a family picnic in designated areas and it is pet friendly.

The Japanese Garden is one of the most popular areas to walk. It offers a peaceful arrangement of trees, bushes and rock formations that keeps fen shui in mind. There is a big boulder walkway across the pond to the other side where a small bridge leads to a tiny island.  The bridge and island are for viewing only, but they make beautiful photos and backgrounds for wedding or senior photos.

If you choose to drive around the park, a nice winding road leads to so much to explore. You can pull to the side and simply enjoy each station with new marked trees to view. The greenery has a little plaque that gives information of the name and type of plant it is. There is a tower to climb along the way that allows a better view of the word “DAWES” spelled out by many bushes. There’s not one area that you can’t enjoy.

Along with the beauty of the grounds are so many spots to stop and read a bit of history of its contents on the provided plaques. The small civil war cemetery, the Visitor’s Center, House and Museum, and so much more. It may take more than one day to really see the arboretum for what it offers. The calendar they schedule is full of events and if you become a member you are awarded benefits. Visit their website and see what discoveries they offer: http://dawesarb.org/