At the forum last night, one of the candidates–Mike McGarry–talked a lot about rehabilitating Hartford’s nature. For anyone who is familiar with McGarry’s writing (or just him), you might guess correctly that I find much of what he says about other issues to be frightening. Especially his ideas on how to deal with crime. But the man can make the case for paying attention to Hartford’s outdoors.

He brought up the idea of selling Hartford-owned Batterson Park, located in Farmington, and using that revenue to maintain parks actually in Hartford. Not a bad idea.

This photo was taken in the West Hartford side of Elizabeth Park last week. There are plans for a botanical garden in Colt Park, near me, but right now the closest thing resembling a flower there are the fake flowers draping the Virgin Mary Shrine.