Designed as “a chain of picturesque fresh-water ponds, alternating with attractive natural groves and meads," Olmsted Park packs a diverse array of landscapes and historic amenities into 64 acres, divided between Boston and neighboring Brookline. The park includes four major bodies of water—from largest to smallest, Leverett, Wards, Willow, and Spring Ponds—alongside the Necklace's deepest woodlands, buzzing meadows, and the head of the Muddy River, which is referred to as the "Babbling Brook" in this portion of the Emerald Necklace. Olmsted's design preferences shine in this namesake park. Curving pathways, low-profile bridges, and diverse plantings frame a series of vignettes and scene changes along the way. To help draw wildlife, Olmsted built three islands in Leverett Pond to provide shelter and seclusion for nesting birds. Other amenities, including a trail network, baseball fields, and a scenic overlook, provide opportunities for active and passive recreation parkwide.