Back Bay Fens, Boston

The Fenway's signature feature is the sinuous Back Bay Fens, a green haven that picks up where the stately Commonwealth Avenue greenway leaves off. Frederick Law Olmsted, the landscape wizard, conjured up this stretch of the Emerald Necklace back in 1879, right out of marshy mud. To this day, you can't escape reminders of its humble origins – just gaze upon the swaying reeds and take a leisurely stroll by the Muddy River, a charmingly named waterway that still meanders through the park.

As you amble further north, you'll stumble upon the H.H. Richardson-designed bridge that looks like it time-traveled straight from the Middle Ages, albeit made of puddingstone instead of stone stone. Crossing over the Muddy River here is like a whimsical journey through history.

In the northern section of the park, local folks are hard at work cultivating small garden plots in the delightfully haphazard Victory Gardens. These green oases happen to be the oldest community gardens in the entire U.S. – talk about vintage green thumbs! And if you wander a little further, just below Agassiz Road, you'll find the Kelleher Rose Gardens, a posh spot with neatly arranged rose beds that flaunt vivid hybrid species sporting fanciful names like Marmalade Skies, Climbing White Iceberg, and Glowing Peace.

This area also serves as a picturesque backdrop for some of Boston's smaller colleges, including Simmons and Emmanuel, as well as the prestigious Harvard Medical School. So, whether you're into muddy history, floral extravaganzas, or just the quirky charm of the Fenway, there's something delightfully twisted about this slice of Boston's landscape.