I really did not understand what had gotten my friend hyped up when I told her to go to Fort Worth Botanical Gardens to relax. Apparently, the effect she got was somewhat reversed for her.

The Fort Worth Botanical Gardens is an aria of different themed gardens, just west of central downtown. It’s a highly relaxing sanctuary of plants, water, birds and beasts. An aria of different plants, all from different venues around the world are collected and grown, planted and displayed for everyone to see.

What’s awesome? Free parking! I don’t know about you, but parking had always been one of the bigger hassles when it came to trying to relax to some ’spa’ or some ‘nature park’. Having your parking worries quelled is one way to stifle problems when it comes to relaxing.

The gardens they boast are NUMEROUS. They have rose gardens, fuller gardens, Japanese gardens, perennial gardens, fragrance gardens, trial gardens, four seasons, the Texas Native boardwalk, the Conservatory, the Water Conservation Garden and the Water Wise Garden. Of note is the Rose garden, which was inspired by Italy’s Villa Lante and has a lot of vista views. The garden is pock-marked with bushes of rosy goodness everywhere. The Japanese garden is also of note, as it is a few of the places you actually have to pay to get in. But it’s worth seeing the friendly koi amble with your finger as you dip it in the pond.

The city of Macon is dubbed the Cherry Blossom Capital of the World with good reason. The streets are filled with the numerous blossoms, all from the trees in the sidewalk. The place reminds you of a modern Japanese-American themed city, as the usual-Japanese flowers float amongst modern American buildings and asphalt-lined streets.

The area is bustling and filled with Yoshino cherry trees, and every Spring, they fill the air and the ground with their pale pink petals. It is a very vibrant display of color, which leaves their audience speechless and breathless for the first time.

History relates that the cherry trees came from the late William A. Fickling, Sr. who was a local realtor in the area. He had discovered a Yoshino tree in Macon, and with confirmation after three years, had found out what the species was. Took him a trip to Washington DC just to find out the tree was actually a Yoshino specie!

His generosity and enthusiasm had encouraged the residents to help in his vision of filling the whole city with the pretty cherry trees. Years have passed and the vision had started to slowly materialize. A lot of its current residents had moved to Macon just to be near the trees. One of them being Carolyn Clayton, the festival founder.

Cherry blossoms are widely situated in Asian countries such as Japan, China, India and Korea. Cherry blossoms or Sakura as what it is known in Japan is a flowering tree of pink petals that symbolizes love and beauty. It is often mentioned and regarded in several Asian films as a symbolic tree. Sakura is widely seen in these countries who take pride in its pink blossoms. Cherry blossoms though present in Asian countries are also widely seen in the United States, Canada, Philippines, Germany and United Kingdom.

Sakura or Yoshino cherries in the United States are located at the Sakura Park in Manhattan. History tells that the cherry blossoms are actually a gift from Japan to US on 1912 as a symbol of the two countrys friendship. Well, that was before the Pearl Harbor bombing at least. Japan reportedly donated 3,020 pieces of Yoshino trees to United States where it was then planted at the Sakura Park in Manhattan. The park continues to draw in tourists up to the moment.