The Arboretum

This was my first time at the Arboretum and I was extremely excited because it reminded me of the Botanical Gardens back home in the Bronx, a place I’ve always wanted to go.  The Arboretum also reminded me of Claude Monet’s gardens in Giverny, France, a place I was fortunate enough to be able to visit two springs ago.  Spending some time at the Arboretum brought me back to that day in France, the day that I was encircled by beauty.  I had never been so inspired and happy in my life.  Seeing all the different flowers, trees, colors, textures, and all the other individualistic characteristics each flower, tree, rock, etc. had made me really truly appreciate nature.

I adore nature; I think when appreciated, it brings peace to the mind.  Personally, I spend a lot of time throughout the heights of the different seasons just admiring the beauty of the world we live in.  I definitely see myself coming back here in the future, either to take more pictures or maybe draw something or even to show it to my friends.

            There was a multitude of flowers at the Arboretum, all of which were breathtaking.  One of the most interesting things I saw was pepper!  They reminded me of the type my friend at home used to grow.  I loved how vibrant all the colors were.  There were shades of blue, purple, pink, orange, red, and every other color you could imagine.  They all complimented each other beautifully and their placement made their colors pop even more.

            One of my favorite spots at the Arboretum was the sunflower garden.  They are one of my favorite flowers and viewing a vast space of them instantly put a smile on my face.  They towered over all the other flowers, instantly standing out, and made me feel like I was no longer in University Park, but rather somewhere were all my stress and worries were nonexistent.  Honestly the Arboretum as a whole made me feel that way; there’s something about being surrounded by nature to me that puts things in perspective.  Maybe it’s because in a way I am no longer in the place where all my stress is coming from.  Mother Nature encompassed me; I no longer had to think about all the problems coming from the urban environment. 

            Another of my favorites was this kelp, seaweed looking bush.  These bushes reminded me of these beautiful coral-looking plants I saw while snorkeling in the Bahamas.  They danced gracefully underwater and were the most striking purples and greens.  Just like Monet’s gardens, the Bahamas as a whole was another natural beauty.  The Arboretum brought me back to some of the most beautifully natural places I have ever been to.

            While wandering around I stumbled onto a fountain that I have seen spouting water before walking to and from football games.  I had always wondered why that fountain was there and I finally knew what it was a part of.  Unfortunately, the fountain was not turned on but that led to a new discovery: there were footprints on the bottom!  I thought this was priceless and wondered who had gone into the fountain before. 

            One of my favorite pictures I took that day was of a bee pollinating a splendid yellow flower that was growing away from the rest of the bunch.  This flower instantly caught my eye since it was leaning in the walking area.  There was something about everything going on, the beautiful fall day, being surrounded by spectacular flowers, and seeing a bee perform its job in nature that just made my day.  I will definitely be visiting the Arboretum again with friends who have not had the pleasure to experience it.