On this cloudy, relatively cool afternoon in Littleton, my wife and I took a walk at Hudson Gardens in the South Platte River Valley. Once a private botanical gardens and long a venue for outdoor concerts and holiday events, the Gardens are now owned and managed by the South Suburban Recreation District; admission is free from sunrise to sunset.
Unlike some botanical gardens, which have an artificial feel, this attractive preserve is a mosaic of plantings, natural vegetation, creeks, ponds and wetlands; of course, educational exhibits are also utilized to promote conservation and habitat protection. Since we visited in the afternoon, we encountered few birds but did see a bull snake and a muskrat.
Most of all, we enjoyed a pleasant stroll on uncrowded trails, enveloped in soothing, early autumn air. I'm sure we'll return frequently in the coming months, especially since the Gardens are directly accessible from the riverside Greenway Trail, a path we often hike along.
