After you pass through the arch of the arbor at the Barnes gardens you see down the expanse of the carefully laid out tiers of plantings. The space is surrounded by stone walls and in the background are huge trees. It is a symmetrical formal garden.
Around the walls are other paths lined with lilacs. I opted to first walk down these paths to get a whiff of as many lilacs as possible. This path is an intimate space, it felt like a secret tunnel of pleasure. Lilacs of every shade were in full bloom. Over 100 varieties are included in the collection.
