Pittsburgh Botanic Garden invites city residents to stop and smell the flowers

A blue dragonfly rests on top of a lotus flower, surrounded by water lilies. I kneel down beside it and capture a picture, hoping not to disturb the serenity of the moment by dropping my cell phone into the pond. The photograph I've taken doesn't do the scene justice. The insect is as blue as the sky, the moment more peaceful than I've experienced in days (or maybe weeks.)

If it sounds like I've escaped the city, I have. I'm about 20 minutes west of Downtown Pittsburgh in the Japanese Garden section of the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden in Oakdale. The nonprofit institution offers miles of peaceful trails for visitors to take a break from city life and surround themselves with nature for $10 per adult and $6 for children. (Allegheny residents get $1 off.)

"We’re reclaiming land from Pittsburgh’s gritty, industrial past and transforming it into an outdoor experience unlike any in the region," reads the garden's online mission statement. "Now acres of forest that were farmed, logged and mined are coming back to life with healthy trees, inviting trails, forested slopes and open meadows."

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There are still some areas under construction that are either barren or roped off from visitors, including a Garden of the Five Senses expected to open in 2020. For now, though, there's still plenty to see for those looking for a leisurely quiet stroll through nature including wooded trails (which are nice and shaded during hot summer days) and benches throughout (which made me wish I had brought a book).

If you can't escape from your screen, at least take a quick break by checking out some of my favorite images from my visit. (If only we had smell-o-vision.)