the secret garden

On Sunday, before the truly depressing weather and not one but two flu bugs set in,  I escaped my kitchen adventures (see here and here) to get some fresh air in the Fredericton Botanic Garden.  Hugging the southwest edge of Odell Park, a wander through the Botanic Garden is a great way to clear your head (and snap some lovely photos.) 

With much of the garden still under development, the rhododendron and azaleas are the star attraction.

With a mix of woodland trails, mown paths and service roads, it's  an easy hike but it is built on a slope so you get a nice little workout on the way back.   Like so many of Fredericton's great green spaces, it's easy to forget that two of the city's busiest streets (Prospect and Hanwell) are just a few hundred metres from the garden. It's definitely a hidden gem in the city.