Paradise in the Bronx.

Other than the home of the NY Yankees, I frankly never felt that the Bronx held great appeal for me.

Then yesterday, my dear friend, Paula and I, took a road trip to the New York Botanical Garden.

The drive took less than 30 minutes from the upper west side and we were able to park right next to the entrance (parking $12).

Paula had a special pass so the entrance fee was taken care of…thanks, Paula.

We entered the grounds and both simultaneously breathed in the natural beauty of the Botanical Garden.

It is a designated national landmark and spans approximately 250 acres…if you walk the entire property it covers 2 1/2 miles.

A highlight since May and running through November 1st is the Frida Kahlo exhibit at the Haupt Conservatory.

It is the first show to examine Frida Kahlo’s keen appreciation for the beauty and variety of the natural world as well as the use of plant imagery in Frida’s artwork.

The display reimagines the artist’s famed garden and studio at the Casa Azul, her lifelong home in Mexico City.

We wander for hours, starting in the Haupt Conservatory, the present home to the Frida Kahlo exhibit.

The Conservatory is also home to a plethora of plantings, exemplifying the natural beauty of the plant world.

We took the long, meandering Azalea Way to the Rockefeller Rose Garden.

We stopped along the way to linger by the tranquil pond at the Native Plant Garden.

Paula and I could gab for hours and this was the perfect setting to chat and linger surrounded by the exquisite beauty of the extensive grounds and undulating landscape.

We arrived at the romantic rose garden. Even though the roses had peaked, the fragrance was intoxicating.

We then had the extreme pleasure of running into Kevin, an operations manager at the Botanical Garden…what a kind and informative gentleman…a real sweetheart.

Kevin took us by at the Howell Family Garden which provides practical educational opportunities for local children. After the harvest, Mario Batali visits and helps them to cook up a feast utilizing all the ingredients the young participants have cultivated.

Kevin then showed us the hidden path to the Hester Bridge and we took in the splendor of the waterfall and rushing water that leads to the Bronx River. Canoeing down the river, with the journey commencing in Yonkers, is a popular activity in the area.

We bid adieu to Kevin and wound our way through a manicured, but densely forested section and arrived back near the Garden entrance.

We stopped for lunch at the reasonably priced cafe where it took quite a while for some Entitlementors to make make basic salad bar selections. Saplings could have been planted and grown to adult size before their salad composition were completed.

Frankly, it is difficult to believe that the decaying Bronx lies outside this perfect little kingdom.

The NY Botanical Garden is definitely worth a visit.

The New York Botanical Garden 2900 Southern Boulevard Bronx, NY. Open Tuesday-Sunday 10am-6pm. Admission $20 during the week and $25 on the weekend.