Three Garden Club of the Back Bay members, Rita Christensen, Susan Juretschke, and Maureen O’Brien, are part of the New England Landscape Design & History Association (NELDHA) committee creating self guided walking tours of Boston neighborhoods.  All the information may be found at www.neldha.org/walking-tours.   The project was launched in 2010, so people could enjoy Boston’s neighborhood green spaces at their own pace and on their own schedule.  The maps and narratives may be downloaded and printed.

The first to be completed is Boston’s South End Green Spaces. Originally the South End of Boston was a narrow strip of land called the “Neck”, which connected the Shawmut Peninsula of Boston to the Roxbury mainland. In the mid-nineteenth century the City of Boston filled in the South End to remedy a housing shortage. Street layouts included garden squares reminiscent of London’s garden squares. Individual buildings were designed and constructed by developers who often relied on pattern books for designs, hence the similar designs in groups of buildings.

Today the 19th century garden squares continue to contribute to the quality of life and vibrancy of the South End. In addition, the South End is one of the largest urban Victorian neighborhoods in the United States. This self-guided walking tour includes a sampling of the historic garden squares along with newer parks, gardens and green spaces.

The route is approximately 2 miles in length and can be covered at a leisurely pace in 2 hours time.  Back Bay and the Prudential Center Gardens & Christian Science Plaza itineraries are coming soon.