Best place to hug trees

. . . but you'd have to be Godzilla to get your arms around these huge, beautiful beeches, part of a grove at Longwood Reservation in Brookline. This tiny park/conservation area, maintained by a small local society, exists solely to showcase these botanical behemoths. Redolent with history and bursting with photosynthesis, it's a favorite spot of local residents -- but out-of-towners come to walk, jog, picnic, and gape, too. Says Lou Gordon, who lives nearby with his wife, Christy, and son, George: "We always come here. People drive from all over the city to see these trees. It's an incredibly magical place." The trees form what is thought to be the oldest beech grove in North America; the saplings were imported from England in the late 17th century. In spring, watch for purple and white crocus and vinca vine to crop up between the wood chips spread beneath each tree. Gordon bemoans the loss of the more finely textured cedar mulch that was in use before the wood chips: "These chips are ugly; the whole neighborhood is upset about it." There you have it: city dwellers grown protective of their arboreal neighbors. These trees are one of the best-kept secrets in Boston and are located a mere hop, skip, and jump from the Riverway.

Longwood Reservation, on Kent Street between Beacon and Longwood, Brookline.