A water tower embossed with a large blue U and K appears over the treetops of the University of Kentucky campus near Kroger Field on Alumni Drive. Beneath it are 100 acres known officially as the Arboretum State Botanical Garden of Kentucky.
After lacing our way up the entrance, we back into a parking spot so we can survey the setting. Even though my husband and I arrive before 8 a.m., the parking lot is filling with cars. Since we are there so early to walk, we assume the others are there for the exercise, too.
But we don’t know exactly where to begin.
Tentatively, we head toward a knot where the paths appear to twist together and then stretch out into various directions. As it appears there is no right or wrong way to travel, we randomly select one.
As we head out on this paved path to explore the grounds, I secretly hope it returns to the general area of our vehicle before the sun sets at the end of the day. Or, at least before lunchtime.
As we walk, we pass many others who are out running or walking. One couple is walking a dog. Or rather, a dog is dragging a couple along the path with it. One couple is walking two dogs. Another is jogging while pushing a toddler in a stroller. Some individuals are just out on their own. Without exception, everyone offers a greeting.
As I begin to feel more comfortable in our surroundings, I notice a young couple with a toddler seated in the grass in front of a carpet of blooming tulips. They are following the instructions of a professional photographer who is capturing photos of the young family and using the colorful blooms around them as the backdrop. Inside a gated section, a worker seems to be conducting maintenance on playground equipment.
And although our primary purpose for being there is to exercise, I notice the arboretum offers so much more than walking/running paths. There is a special area for children, The Kentucky Children’s Garden, which is now open Thursdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m. There is a small entry fee of $3 per person or $10 for a family of up to 10 people.
Countless special events are also scheduled to take place throughout the year. For example, Arbor Day: Spreading Roots, is slated for Saturday, April 27 from 1 to 4 p.m., with special activities, including tours and plant giveaways.
While the visitors’ center is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturdays and from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Sundays, the arboretum is a public garden open year-round from dawn to dusk.
(Note: Marjorie Appelman is an English, communications and journalism teacher at Mason County High School and co-founder of the travel blog, Tales from the Trip, which is also on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. She can be reached at [email protected].)
