The bucolic Boston Public Garden, next to the Common across Charles St., features winding paths and a small lagoon with a fanciful bridge and Swan Boats (daily 10 AM'6 PM, about $2 a ride, April through September).  Near the pond one can find a small statue of mother duck and her ducklings.  This famous Boston landmark was inspired by an actual duck who would stop traffic daily on her way to the pond.  Established in 1859, the Public Gardens is the United State's first BotanicalGarden. Today, with its plant material chosen for ornamental excellence as well as its botanical diversity, it forms a green and flowering oasis in the heart of a great metropolis.  No visit to Boston would be complete without a stroll in the Garden which is maintained by the Boston Parks and Recreation Department in cooperation with the Friends of the Public Garden.