It’s amazing the places you can find if you just walk around your area.
There is a garden/children’s park just under 2 miles from my house. I’ve been here a few times before, but never really stopped to appreciate the scenery.
I’m not sure if children maintain this garden, or just come to look at it, but it was adorable and made me want to polish off my green thumb. It’s looking rather rusty right now.
Tiny garden railroad..I was wayyy more excited about this than I should have been. All this cave needed was a troll.
It’s reasons like this I probably don’t have many friends. Owell. This garden even had edible plants and I swooned when I recognized some Swiss chard.
I need this green house. This exact one. The colors are awesome.
Are we noticing a trend yet with my last few posts? Nature is kind of my thing right now. I could sit on this bench all day. Just when I thought this garden already had it all..I discovered it. THE secret garden..
Tucked back behind the garden with long plants covering part of it, was a door. It was actually kind of creepy and once I was done pretending a boy in a wheel chair was going to come open the door for me, I scooted off before a rabid raccoon tried to eat my feet.
As if this tranquil place couldn’t get better, there is a trail leading down to the water.
After spending some time daydreaming about living on that boat in the picture and pondering life, I made the trek back home just before it was dark. Adventure complete.
Q: Are you within walking distance of any fun places? Be reasonable, you CAN walk 3-4 miles (possibly more!) to get there. Put your legs to use!
65 thoughts on “The Secret Garden”
Michelle @ Eat Move Balance
I live in a “downtown” type community so I walk everywhere! I love it. So, it’s not quite like walking through a forest preserve, but I do enjoy walking to restaurants, the grocery store and my gym.
GiGi Eats Celebrities
When I take walks…………… I find where the bums live. I definitely “broke in” to someone’s “house” by accident…… This is why you should NOT WALK in Los Angeles. Ah ha ha! That being said, I do walk to Whole Foods – 😉 It’s right around the bend. My wallet, doesn’t love it so much, but my ass LOVES IT!!
On a serious note: I do miss walking. I hate having to drive when the store is close but far enough for my LAZY SELF to scream out – DRIVE just DRIVE!
Brittany
Just around the river bend?? I would walk to WF everyday if I had one close haha. I would need a chastity belt for my wallet.
Alex @ Brain, Body, Because
This is so fun!! I live in the city so I can walk everywhere, woop woop! Some of my favorite places include Panera (for the free internet), a muddy dog park and a Shakespeare garden (where volunteers planted vegetables/flowers/herbs referenced in his works, with little quotation placards).
Amanda @ .running with spoons.
All of your recent posts have definitely left me craving the outdoors. I’m super lucky to live right by a huge river valley that has some of the best secret trails around. The only problem is that a lot of the places are really steep, so you kind of have to watch where you put your feet so you don’t end up sliding down a rocky incline into dirty city river water, but I could easily get lost for hours exploring new-to-me trails. The smells. The sounds. Ahhh, bliss…
pickyrunner
Come hang out with me and we can be outdoorsy together on my boat! Seriously though, brilliant life plan. I get bored, you like nature, I have a boat, wins all around. But in all seriousness, lets do it. I never saw myself as an outdoorsy person until I realized just how different my life is from the average person living on a boat. I love the serene waters as much as I love city living. I don’t think I could live without either.
Brittany
UHHH DEAL!!? This sounds so amazing I am ALL over it. I want to be outside 24/7..soo…this plan will work.
Change of Pace
Incredible gardens, and even better that it leads down to the water!
I love the little painted rock saying what’s growing.
I’m definitely not in walking distance to anywhere fun, but I am a far bike away from some gardens/kid zoo!
sincerelylily
The troll…. I can’t stop giggling lol I love it. This is prettttty amazing… what a lovely little nature nook (alliteration). I am walking distance to Metro Beach which a state park. This is where I run often but I just commented to Mr Speedy yesterday that we should check out the nature trail- he has never seen it/walked on it and I haven’t in years. Perhaps we shall do this soon and hopefully find a beautiful mystical troll like you did.
Last time I walked on the nature trail a swan chased me b/c I got too close to it’s babies. This iis probably why I haven’t gone back in some time.
Brittany
I want to run at that park with you, this must be the one you have posted about a few times light years ago. I’d say go on ahead without me (cause you’re like a road runner) and I would slowly enjoy the scenes! Then we would meet at the end and eat..all day.
Swans are scary. So are geese.
allieksmith
Wow, I love the photos! They are so bright and lush and GREEN.
I live by some trails that I like to walk my pup on! And the grocery store. Gotta be able to buy peanut butter at all times!! 😉
sugarcoatedsheridan
What a fabulous little find! My little boy would LOVE that place…We live out in the middle of NOTHING so we can walk for a long time and see all kinds of woods, plants, and trees, which is all wonderful, but nothing that cool 🙂
Colin DeWaay
You sure get out and see a lot, very cool!
missymiller
Adorable.
The garden, not that freak troll photobomb. Lol.
Brittany
This comment made me laugh very, very hard. Thank you. ❤
Erin
How cool!! Levi would love to go there!!
Lindsay @ The Functional Foodie
Okay this is the coolest place I’ve ever seen. I love gardens. Especially ones with bad ass trolls lol That train track is actually pretty cute though in the garden. I find gardens to be so relaxing. We had a school garden this year in order to help the professors get vegetables for their studies. It was pretty fun, but ours was ugly.
Courtney
So pretty! I love the painted rocks and greenhouse 🙂
katalysthealth
Oh my goodness this place is so beautiful!! Im in the middle of the city so Im not really walking distance to places, except maybe the park? Its not really pretty though, but it does have nice grass 🙂
Choc Chip Uru
OMG that is the best secret garden! It has everything from beauty to the swings to… Everything!
Perfect hideaway!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
kadeecramer
I live about a mile away from an awesome huge park. I need to make good use of it because I’m moving sometime in the next few weeks. 😦 I hope my new town has something similar.
kadeecramer
Oh God! I have to post a second comment because I forgot to say how awesome your troll picture is. hahahaha!! Too funny ;-p
Brittany
🙂
kaityscooking
i wish there was fun stuff like that from me! When i saw the picture of the little railroad I got so excited about it too, so cute! lol plus that troll picture is hilarious i love it lol
Alex @ therunwithin
I want your photography skills and to live in your area. It is beautiful there and such a cute concept with the secret garden.
di @ life of di.
I would love to live near this garden. ‘The Secret Garden’ is one of my all-time favorite movies – I couldn’t get enough of it as a child. I loved the music, the scenery, and, of course, Maggie Smith! 🙂 I always dreamed of stumbling upon my own ‘secret’ garden. Looks like you were really able to live that dream out!! Great pictures btw. Also, the troll picture = AMAZING!
Jan @ Sprouts n Squats
Looks like a beautiful garden!
We have the botanic gardens which is probably a 30 minute walk from our house here in Melbourne, Australia which is very pretty and green and has a big lake in the middle with lots of swans and ducks 🙂
Brennan
I NEED that green house too! Amazing!
I’m loving all your adventuring lately. I am going to come visit you one day and go adventuring with you.
Brittany
DEAL, come whenever! We can explore, go running, eat lots of chocolate, and have a movie night with lots of popcorn! BOOM! It’s happening.
Natalie @ Will Jog For Food
Love the troll! haha!
Elizabeth
I live within walking distance of my sister’s house- nephews and nieces galore!! 🙂 I also live within walking distance of a super nice park- I’m a sucker for swing sets, even as an adult! 🙂
cisforcourtney
beautiful pictures! i am within walking (running) distance of some super sweet mountains. so that’s not too shabby. 😉 🙂
jessielovestorun
Your nature posts have been leaving me craving the beautiful scenery in Pennsylvania. Our vacation back to the states cannot come soon enough!!
Tessa @ Amazing Asset
Stunning pictures Brittany! This does indeed look like a place out of a story book of some kind… what a spot to just hang out, relax and well take pictures 🙂
I live within walking distance of the beach and I couldn’t be happier about that
Luv What You Do
I love playing tourist in my own city. I jjust found this great off the trail path through the forest preserve across the street from my house. We hiked along a stream and through rich forests. It was fantastic!
Britta
I love it!!! I want a garden just like this one – absolutely amazing! Damn, living on the west coast is da shit 😉
Lou
Oh my goodness, what a magical place! Misty would LOVE that garden. We live about 5 minutes from the beach, so we are pretty spoiled, plus we live right on a park…. very lucky 🙂 Nature rocks my world.
Brittany
All the more reason for me to come stay with you and eat lots of vegan deliciousness at the beach…
Khushboo Thadani (@KhushbooThadani)
Love that you have your very own enchanted forest :)! When I’m in London, there’s a rose garden which is 45 minute walk from our place..I love going there every so often and just taking in its beauty- it’s so peaceful and feels like a retreat away from reality :)!
Life After Swimming
Brittany, this looks like the most spectacular place in the world. I think it would be my relaxation station when needed. It is gorgeous! I love the colors and the little things like the train that give it some character 🙂
kathy @ vodka and soda
i wish i were a few miles of greenery! i have to drive there 😦
spectacuLAUR
We have some woods down my street I used to go to ALL the time with my friends. There’s streams, old buildings, and just gorgeous scenery. Unfortunately, a flood destroyed a LOT of it and I haven’t been there in ages because of my knees. There’s something really just… relaxing about nature, though. Beautiful pictures 🙂
Katherine
I am loving that cave troll and the gorgeous scenery!
I had kind of made up my mind that I had no where to walk to and enjoy in my town, but a few months ago my dad and I made an effort to really explore our town. We found a gorgeous hidden park only 3 miles away from our house! Exploring is just so much fun isn’t it?
Hayley
This makes me insanely jealous. I don’t think there are any cool places like this within walking distance of my house but you better believe if there were I would be there on the reg.
Meghan@CleanEatsFastFeets
I am so with you on the Nature’s posts of late. As you know, I’ve been trolling (like that scary thing in your cave) around Belgium and Amsterdam, and it’s been amazing, every single thing, even the graffiti. I love your pictures; they are so tranquil and inviting, well except that troll.
Nicole @ FruitnFitness
These pictures are beautiful! I’m hoping to talk my boyfriend into going on a long hike with me this weekend. Maybe I’ll find some fun nature things too 🙂
P
This place is too cute!
Sarah @ Feeeding the Brain and Body
It seems like you are always enjoying nature…I think we would get along very well! These pictures are all gorgeous!
Bunny Eats Design
Love the train tracks! Next time you visit you should bring an offering like a wooden train or something.
I live within walking distance of a volcanic crater. It only takes 40 minutes from my front door, to the volcano, up to the top of the crater for a look around the 360° views of my city, back down and back to my front door. Not very long actually, but a hellova work out. If I detour a little on the way home, I can walk past the french bakery for pastries. In the summer, when it’s lighter in the mornings, I will do the walk before 6am and then be in time to buy a box of pastries for breakfast. What way to start the day.
Brittany
Wow what a way to start indeed!! That sounds ideal!
Ja @Ja on the RUN
That’s what I said in my mind when I was reading your first few paragraphs. It’s like a “secret garden”! I love gardens and nature too. You can invite me to sit with you on that bench all day and just stare at the nature! 🙂 I love that idea!
dedy oktavianus pardede
what a great journey,
i love foraging to any greens garden too,
i’m jealous with you my friend
Christina Does It All
How cute is that?!
(But not gonna lie, that troll face thing you placed in the garden momentarily scared the crap out of me :P)
I usually run 3+ miles daily through my neighborhood but I have a set path that I take. There are some nature trails that I pass and have been meaning to try so you’ve now inspired me to venture out! 😀
Sarah
Awh the children’s garden is adorable! Oh the green thumb, need to polish mine off too 😉 I have some great places within walking distance as I live in a rural area but the downtown of my town is approx. 2-3 miles away which has TONS of little shops and coffee spots! I’ve always been a biker to get to my destination but walking sounds like a great idea, too!
thoughtsappear
I’m excited about the tiny railroad, and I only saw the picture!
Amalia
Oh my gosh that troll.. I am still laughing.
My green thumb was a black thumb.
Before my Grandma died I told her I was growing a garden and she laughed because I’ve killed so many plants and her very very green thumb couldn’t save anything. The day she passed everything bloomed – I took it as a sign that I should probably try again.
Brittany
AH I love this comment!! Such a great sign to try again!
Meredith
Such a cool garden! That railroad track looks like its out of a story book! When I lived in Boston I lived walking distance from the aquarium, water, Starbucks, mostly all my favorites : -)
Barbara Bamber | justasmidgen
I’ve missed you, Britt.. and this is why! What an adorable garden, I loved that train track too.. and your troll;) I wonder what was behind that door.. and I, too, long for a green house just like that one.. ok, maybe mine would be white.. but the same design:) xx
Mary @ Fit and Fed
There are some very cool gardens and Pea Patches around Seattle, have you ever been to Bradnor Gardens? I love the mosaics there, I love casual hippie style garden mosaics. Love it at the Good Shepard Pea Patch in Wallingford, too. The idea of a Secret Garden is such a wonderful one.
Brittany
Ohh I have not been to Bradner Gardens, but I just Google imaged it and I WANT TO GO RIGHT NOW! This place reminds me of a movie I LOVED when I was younger called “Harriet the Spy.” The kids would play at a park that looked similar to this, and I am feeling 12 all over again!
ahellams
This is gorgeous!! I am so incredibly jealous. I live in a beautiful historic city (Charleston) where I find new havens all the time. I look at your pictures though and am so envious, I guess you always appreciate more what isn’t right at your doorstep!
Rach @ This Italian Family
So pretty! It looks just like the kind of place I’d love to explore! The bright colors make me happy just to look at. 🙂
Amy @ A Desert Girl
Oh how I love the green and the water and the shells and that little train track…. And the secret garden area. What a wonderful discovery!
I definitely have places within walkable distance and I need to put my legs to use and visit them more often.
Pingback: Tucked Into the Woods | BlissfulBritt