The Fort Worth Botanic Garden is one of my family's favorite spots for recreation and relaxation. Last year, we were on our way home from vacationing in Mineral Wells when we happened across the Botanic Garden again. We were about halfway home, so this was the perfect time and place to stop for a rest.

We spread out a blanket on the soft green grass and made a picnic of the food we had packed. During our meal, we were visited by a squirrel who gladly scarfed up bits of bread that we offered him. Meanwhile, my 6-year-old son encountered a turtle on a path near the lawn where we ate.

We explored some more, as there's always something new to discover at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden. My eldest son, age 11, discovered some ginkgo biloba pods, which fascinated him and my husband. They were amazed by the primitive-looking little green bulbs, as they were thought to be extinct for some time and can be found in fossil records dating as far back as 150 million years.

As we moved over toward the Rose Garden, we discovered a green anole that proudly extended its bright red dewlap for us. The garden was in full bloom with many different species of roses. The weather was cooler than usual due to heavy rains, and we were grateful for it.

We visited a giant 200-year-old pecan tree that has a hole in it large enough to hold a human being. This tree is a favorite of my boys, who like to get inside the hole and mug for pictures. We also passed by the Imagination Vegetable Garden, which is a teaching garden for the children of Fort Worth. This garden is notable for its giant metal yellow sunflower, which looks down like a giant eye watching everyone passing by.

We moved on to the Perennial Garden, where we happened across a green heron posed beautifully beside the majestic heron statue in the middle of a lily pond. When we approached the Japanese Garden, we found a great blue heron standing near a lovely waterfall at the entrance.

When we finally got back on the road to finish our journey home, we felt very much refreshed. Though we had been to the Fort Worth Botanic Garden before, this day was very special. The day was so beautiful and idyllic that our visit seemed almost like a dream.

The Fort Worth Botanic Garden is decidedly one of the best places to go in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. We plan to return there soon to see all the plants and animals, which always bring us so much pleasure.

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