When was the last time you went on a picnic? Can't remember? Well, what's stopping you?

For all the complaints about rising costs of entertainment in Jamaica today, it's a wonder the solution could have been ignored so long, even though it has been right under our noses all this time.

Castleton Botanical Gardens is just about as inviting as it was when you were growing up, and is still open to the public to enjoy, at no cost.

Here's a bit of history on the gardens. It is located on either side of the Kingston to St Mary main road. It was established on November 19, 1862, and quickly became one of the great gardens of the hemisphere.

For all the horticulturally inclined, you're sure to see and enjoy a wide variety of plants, like the strychnos from which medicine (and poison) strychnine is obtained, the velvet apple, West Indian mahogany and specimens of coffee.

Nature lovers

Not big on plants? Well, the gardens are also a haven for nature lovers who want a cool, quiet place, just to relax.

You can also take a cooling dip in the Wag Water River.

So just picture it. Lying on the lush grass with that special someone, listening to the merry chirping of the birds while the sound of the river melts away your stress.

So next time someone asks you when was the last time you went on a picnic, what will your excuse be?

Left: Pretty, isn't it? Castleton Botanical Gardens in St Mary. Right: The gardens also provide soft, picturesque lawns, just perfect for picnicking.