Urban gardens provide recreation, inspiration, and education to city-dwellers who have forgotten a rose's scent, beauty, or nomenclatural identity. Stop and study the flowers with today's Groupon, which offers membership to Brooklyn Botanic Garden. All memberships will be activated upon purchase and will be valid until today's date next year. Choose from two options:

• $25 for a one-year individual membership (a $50 value)
• $45 for a one-year family/dual membership (an $85 value)

Individual members can take advantage of benefits such as free admission for themselves plus children under 12, two single-visit guest passes and a discount from partnering businesses. Family members receive the same perks for a pair of card-holding adults plus free admission for children under 16, two additional guest passes per member (four total), and four parking passes. Both individuals and family members can access a slew of events and enjoy carte blanche to jump the line during festivals such as the Chile Pepper Fiesta on October 2, the Halloween rumpus Ghouls & Gourds on October 24, and the springtime Sakura Matsuri Cherry Blossom Festival from April 30 through May 1, 2011.

Erected a century ago from a city ash dump, Brooklyn Botanic Garden has emerged in a phoenix-like fashion, fanning its wings across dozens of acres of urban sanctuary bursting with world-class horticulture. Should BBG's plethora of plants overwhelm you, join a tour led by trained garden guides who impart history and trivia surrounding the gorgeous blooms of asters, dahlias, and yellow fatty beans. Prepare for your trip by finding out what's in bloom or by reviewing ongoing exhibits such as the current Portraits of a Garden V, a celebration of botanical art. With more than 30 gardens and collections, including Shakespeare, Japanese and rose gardens, as well as conservatories that, unlike gummybears, never sleep, BBG provides a full folio of flora worthy of year-round strolling and exploring.

Reviews

New York magazine has Brooklyn Botanic Garden listed as a Critics' Pick, and Time Out New York included it on its list of Best Things to Do in Brooklyn. More than 150 Yelpers give it an average of 4.5 stars, and nine TripAdvisors currently rank the botanic garden the eighth-best attraction in Brooklyn:

• …52 acres of immaculate landscaping ripe with color…No matter what time of year, there's always something in bloom: lotus plants in August, beautyberries in November, flowering Oriental Cherry trees in spring. – Diane Mehta, New York
• When the gardens are in lush, fragrant bloom, you’ll forget that you’re even in NYC… – Time Out New York