The tulips at Baltimore's Sherwood Gardens
Photo credit: Baltimore Sun/Jerry Jackson
The tulips are fading fast at Baltimore's renowned Sherwood Gardens, but Sun photographer Jerry Jackson has captured them forever in his beautiful photo gallery.
Not to worry. The 80,000 tulips planted there keep on giving. Bring a shovel -- and a bag -- to the Guilford neighborhood garden on Saturday May 28 and help volunteers dig up the bulbs. You can buy as many as you like for a 30 cents a bulb. The dig starts at 7 a.m.
During the 1800s the property on which the Sherwood Gardens is located was part of the Guilford estate of A. S. Abell, founder of The Baltimore Sun. The site of the gardens was a pond, which was filled in when the area was developed for housing in 1912.
Sherwood Gardens was created in the 1920's by John W. Sherwood, local petroleum pioneer and conservationist. Begun as a hobby, and planted by Mr. Sherwood with tulips that he imported from the Netherlands, the gardens have become known as the most famous tulip garden in North America.
When Mr. Sherwood died in 1965, he bequeathed sufficient funds to continue the gardens for one year. After that period, the Guilford Association purchased the additional lots from the Sherwood estate and took responsibility for its care.
The tulips are joined each spring by dogwoods, flowering cherries, wisteria and magnolias. There are also brightly colored azaleas and old English boxwoods which were particular favorites of Mr. Sherwood. During the mid-summer months the beds of the gardens are planted with masses of annuals thanks to the adopt-a-plot effort of the Guilford Association.
More than six acres in size, Sherwood Gardens has no gates, fences or other barriers. The public may stroll at leisure through the grounds. There is no admission charge and a reservation is not required.
