Guilford in Baltimore
Guilford Mansion
Guilford
is one of those neighborhoods that seems to have grown up among its
gardens and gracious ways. Originally comprised of patents granted to
British citizens from the mid-1600s through the 1700s, the area was
valued for its "gentle swells, which has many beautiful views of the
city and bay." The entire area sold in 1780 as confiscated property to a
Revolutionary War General who gave Guilford its name. The area then
passed through other hands until it was sold to the Guilford Park
Company. Planning of the landscape design began in 1911 under the
direction of Frederick Law Olmsted, and active development of Guilford
began in 1913.
Johns Hopkins University
This
residential area of almost 700 homes has everything from modest
townhomes to stately, historic mansions, most of which were constructed
in the 1920s and 1930s. Built in what was once the country, Guilford
retains a spacious feeling even as it is surrounded by the city that
long ago grew up around it. The neighborhood reaches out to its
surrounding communities, and benefits from being near the Homewood
campus of Johns Hopkins University and Union Memorial Hospital.
Guilford House
Spring
is an especially good time for a stroll through the area to enjoy the
lush landscaping that makes this area a visual treat. It's not
surprising that homeowners go all out for their trees and flowers, since
a favorite section of Guilford is the massive
Sherwood Gardens.
The
Gardens are a center of community activity, especially in the spring
when a spectacular display of tulips brings thousands of visitors to the
more than six-acre park.
Sherwood Gardens
Begun
in 1927 by a local petroleum pioneer and conservationist, John
Sherwood, the gardens started as his hobby and grew into a treasured
enclave in Baltimore city. When Sherwood died in 1965, he left enough
money to maintain the gardens for a year. The Guilford Association then
purchased the gardens and some additional lots from the estate, and has
continued to care for them ever since.
The best part of Sherwood Gardens? There
are no fences or gates, and the public is welcome to stroll leisurely
through the grounds and enjoy the 80,000 tulips and other spring
flowering bulbs, azaleas, dogwoods, and magnolias. After Memorial Day
weekend, the tulip bulbs are dug up and sold for 25 cents each. With
this contribution from Sherwood Gardens, is it any wonder that Guilford
is known for its gardens?
Guilford in Baltimore
Labels: Guilford Mansion, Guilford neighborhood, Johns Hopkins University, Sherwood Gardens
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