Spring time in Baltimore does not get any better without a visit to Sherwood gardens for the full bloom of the tulips. Me and my friends made a quick stop on the way home from brunch in the Cross Keys area, and the day was perfect for it. The park was alive with families and their furry friends just having small picnics and taking in the scenery. If you're not familiar with Sherwood Garden's, it's a privately owned community park in the Guilford section of Baltimore City. It's been famous for its annual tulip since the 1920's by John Sherwood, whose home bordered the park. To this day up to 70000 tulips are planted annually along with other flowers such as magnolias and dogwoods to name a few. Best time to visit is always towards the end of April and beginning of May. Although a private park, the public is always invited to stroll at your leisure throughout the grounds. The ongoing displays are 100% privately funded and depends entirely on contributions to fulfill its mission of providing a natural place for recreation for the community and related education. read more

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I love tulips, so when I read about this place, I couldn't wait to visit. It's located as the center of an expensive Baltimore block, surrounded by million dollar homes. There is no start or end, so just park on one of the surrounding streets and walk over. We were there the third weekend in April, and while the tulips were definitely past their peak, and many were completely gone, there were plenty of flower beds of tulips still blooming. Plus, almost all of the azaleas were blooming. I loved that they had so many different colored tulips and azaleas. They did different combination of colors in all the different flower beds, so we ended up seeing some surprisingly beautiful displays, even with some tulips no longer blooming. We weren't there very long because it was cold out, but this would be a great spot for engagement pictures or a picnic. read more

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Sherwood Gardens is a privately owned community park in the Guilford neighborhood of Baltimore. A nonprofit raises money for the gardens' maintenance and the spring planting. Although it's a privately owned park, the gardens are open to the public, with street parking on all sides. Up to 70,000 tulip bulbs are planted annually along with other spring flowering bulbs. The gardens are charming but as with anything spring-related, spring is shorter and shorter and less and less predictable. Use your best judgment to get the photos you see here. This spring, we had a mid-April heat wave and by this past Saturday, the tulips were already looking quite rough and the daffodils were gone altogether. For the best blooms and pictures, pay attention to the weather. The spring flowers were most beautiful early in April this year and the heat wave cut their beauty a bit short this year. When we visited on Saturday, it was certainly still a lovely place for a walk, and we did see plenty of people taking pictures and enjoying the gardens. However, it wasn't as beautiful by then as we might have expected for early April. A lovely little park. You can take a walk, read a book, take photos, enjoy a picnic... Certainly take advantage if you live in or are visiting this area of North Baltimore - especially in those weeks of the years when the tulips are in full strength and beauty! read more

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Sherwood Gardens will always be one of my absolute favs to visit no matter if it's planned or on a whim . We stopped by on a Friday evening after a quick bite in Towson . The park was bustling with Families , a Jazz Trio and a Free Ice Cream Truck . read more

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Sherwood Gardens continues to be one of my favorite spots to visit myself or to take visitors from out of town to. My sister and I stopped by on a Friday during the afternoon and the park was relatively quiet with just a few families enjoying the weather and blooms. We were there a few days before peak bloom but everything was gorgeous. Parking is usually ample on the surrounding residential streets. The ground tends to be damp so bring a blanket that has a tarp material underneath. This is what we did and we had no issues. We enjoyed a picnic lunch with some food to-go from a local restauraunt. On this particular day, we were lucky to hear some folks playing guitar, violin, and recorder in the park. It felt like were in a magical fairy world or something! Highly recommend adding Sherwood Gardens to your spring bucket list. read more

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The is one of Baltimore's hidden gems. On a crisp April day, we took a ride to Sherwood Gardens to see the tulips in bloom. The colors range from deep purple to bright yellow. It is quite a sight to behold. The azalea and the flowering trees are waiting to bloom. Visiting these gardens has been a family tradition since I was a little girl. How lucky we are to have such beautiful gardens available to us for free. Today, the gardens were filled with families taking in the colorful tulips, taking pictures, and enjoying the sunshine. If you live in Baltimore or are just visiting, April into May is the best time to visit Sherwood Gardens. read more

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I've been multiple times. Awesome place!! Perfect for walking around and exploring. I would definitely recommend read more

Wow, talk about a garden Heaven. We loved Sherwood Gardens. This is a very peaceful and colorful park. It was our first time visiting here on my last trip. Must come here in the Spring and Summer months to see some of the great beauty here. Lots of good places to have a picnic here. Clean and natural resources. Good for family and pets as well. I want to come back to the colorful nature park again. read more

Sherwood gardens is a beautiful hidden gem in Baltimore. You drive through a beautiful residential area to get to it. In spring, the flowers are blooming and there's tons of people out reading or having a picnic! We went on a sunny April afternoon and had a picnic. It's a perfect oasis in Baltimore that should be a must for a warm day. Do be aware that there are no facilities or bathrooms here though. read more

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It's a large lawn with many different selection of flowers. A few benches are placed throughout the garden for basic short term sitting. Surrounding the garden is a bunch of impressive large historic storybook homes. read more

Sherwood Gardens - Sherwood Garden - Parks Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Stunning stunning little garden nestled in a very nice residential area. I can't believe it's taken me almost six year to visit this garden -- to be fair, I always thought it was a proper garden with an entrance and everything but it's like going to a neighborhood park. It seemed like I was the only one that didn't get the memo to bring a picnic. I got lucky and went during tulip bloom and it's spectacular. I can't believe this little oasis exists in Baltimore. I felt transported to the Keukenhof in the Netherlands (not as big obviously) but so special with a variety of tulips. There's a lot of parking, and a lot of green area to picnic and settle down with a blanket. There weren't any bathrooms nearby, so plan for that but otherwise a little gem of haven in Baltimore with the best tulips around. read more

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Perfect got a picnic. No trash cans, which is nice because it keeps it natural. Remember to bring napkins for your picnic! read more

Sherwood Gardens - Picnic - Parks Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

My wife discovered this place on Google Maps while we were looking for things to do while on an impromptu roadtrip to Maryland. This was a highlight of our trip, especially since we showed up during the peak of tulip season. We were fortunate to find parking, the people were friendly (though I think this is a MD thing), the place was clean, and it wouldve been a perfect place to have a picnic. Leashed dogs are allowed too, so our border collie had a lovely time too. read more

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One of my favorite places in the city to have a picnic and enjoy the beauty scenery. It's very peaceful & calm. Perfect for meditating and enjoying nature read more

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After much anticipation and years of wanting to visit but somehow never making it, I finally visited Sherwood gardens!! And wow, they did not disappoint. A group of us had a beautiful picnic back in April, just in time to see all the tulips! Situated in a beautiful historic neighborhood, it's def a hidden gem! You can take public transit and walk a few blocks down, and there is street parking available as well. Overall, I highly recommend and would definitely go back ! read more

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Gorgeous place to walk around and enjoy the spring flowers. The houses around the park are amazing and I like to dream of one of them being my house. Maybe some day! Come in the spring to enjoy the tulips and daffodils. read more

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Beautiful flowers to see and stroll around the area!! Peak bloom seems to be in mid April and they have various colors of tulips plus some other flowers. The area is also really good for picnics, painting, etc. Note: parking is only street parking but towards the afternoon, it can get quite busy so I definitely recommend coming earlier in the morning to see the beautiful flowers! read more

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Gorgeous hidden gem of a park/arboretum a little past Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. It is a small, privately owned park but free and open to the public. The park is very clean and well managed. There are no public bathrooms, trash cans, or sidewalks, and the pastoral lands look more beautiful and clean for it. Even when visiting out of tulip season April-May, there were still many gorgeous trees to look at, as well as admiring the historic buildings on site and bordering the park. The place is very ideal for a quick walk or sunny picnic day out. Highly recommend read more

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I love this garden for mid day hangouts PROS: -a small community garden so it doesn't get overly saturated outside of their events that they host - great location and background for personal photoshoots - parking is plentiful -People use it for weddings (i have caught a small ceremony) CONS: - None really! read more

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We went pretty late in the season so not all the tulips were out and it was still so amazing and there were still so many amazing flowers. My only regret (besides not going earlier) was not bringing stuff for a picnic! read more

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My daughter knows I'm crazy about flowers, gardens, and parks and so she brought me to Sherwood Gardens a spectacular garden of tulips and other flowers so gorgeous. I was lucky to see this spring beauty. Here is the info on this beautiful park The property where Sherwood Gardens is now located was originally part of the estate of A.S. Abell, the founder of The Sun newspaper. The site contained a pond and adjacent greenhouses. The Abell estate was sold to the Guilford Park Company in 1907 and shortly thereafter Guilford Park merged with the Roland Park Company, The Roland Park Company intended to develop the estate as a carefully planned suburban community, and the Olmsted firm was engaged to design the Guilford development. As part of the Olmsted plan, three community parks were planned. One located at Greenway and Stratford Road was named Stratford Green. Following the Olmsted plan, selected old-growth trees were retained in a natural setting, and planting areas were defined for the introduction of new trees, shrubs, and perennials. On several parcels adjacent to Stratford Green, John Sherwood, a Baltimore businessman, philanthropist, and pioneer in the petroleum business, built as his home a large Georgian revival house modeled after the Westover James River plantation. He then turned his attention to the grounds and the creation of extensive gardens. Sherwood was an amateur landscape designer who employed a cadre of gardeners to help create the gardens and maintain the property. Sherwood continued the rolling lawn of the adjacent Stratford Green and as well retained many of the forest trees. In addition, he collected evergreens from every country and transplanted many English boxwood specimens from southern Maryland properties. He was particularly attracted to spring bloom and the gardens were planted for maximum springtime effect. Each October one hundred thousand tulips were imported from the Netherlands and a few weeks before their bloom, "ten thousand specially grown pansy clumps are planted." For added color and delight Japanese cherry, crab apple, pink and white dogwood, blue wisteria, and masses of azaleas were planted by Sherwood. Eventually, his plantings spilled into the adjacent Stratford Green. It is reported that one Sunday in May 1930 John Sherwood was surprised to see many uninvited guests enjoying the splendor of his garden. Shortly thereafter he opened it to the public and thousands of visitors came each spring to experience the spectacular sight of Sherwood Gardens. The Gardens were featured in the National Geographic magazine in April 1941 and May 1956 and in Great Gardens of America and many other publications. Sherwood died in 1965. His will left funds to plant the gardens one last time. To assure that the Gardens were preserved as an asset to Guilford and for all to enjoy in the future, the Guilford Association raised funds to purchase the site, consolidating it with the Stratford Green community park. The entirety is now generally known as Sherwood Gardens and is owned and maintained by Stratford Green, Inc. With the assistance of the Guilford Association the spring bulbs are planted, trees trimmed, and replaced when necessary, lawns groomed and summer flowers added. No City or public funds provide financial support for one of the most highly visited green spaces in the area. Care of the gardens depends on donations from friends of Sherwood Gardens. If you are in Baltimore this is definitely a must-see in springtime. read more

I love nature. A place of peace. Nice to meditate in God's creation. I have not been able to attend the night events so will try to do so in a future read more

Came here to settle down on a picnic blanket and read, and to get some nice pictures of the flowers. Gorgeous views, flowers everywhere! It was slightly crowded with lots of others wanting to hang out and take pictures, which wasn't disturbing at all because there was still plenty of space to relax and get nice pictures of flowers. read more

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What impresses me the most, this garden is in the middle of Baltimore City! It's absolutely gorgeous! Being surrounded by beautiful houses, this garden stands out. So many different colors of Tulips and other flowers amongst lush green lawn. Perfect for a picnic, a simple lay on your blanket enjoying the Spring weather. Love! My hope is more Baltimorians take the time to enjoy this spectacular spot! read more

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This is such a beautiful and peaceful place, that I'm surprised I haven't been here sooner. Nested in a picture perfect neighborhood, is a gorgeous garden and green space. Great for families, dates and singles looking to relax. The tulips were in full bloom (April 24), so you have to go soon in order see the flowers. I can't wait to come back! read more

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Wow! I've lived in Baltimore for years and I'm just now finding this beautiful garden! I came here to have a socially distanced picnic with my girlfriends, and I was so impressed by the nature and ambience present. I feel peace here. I hope you can too! Pro Tip: It's mostly street parking here, so be prepared to put that parallel in park! read more

Sherwood Gardens - Parks Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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Stunning! Doesn't look like much when you initially drive by, but once we started strolling through the park we were very impressed by how big and well maintained this place is. Tulips of every color in full bloom. Grass carefully trimmed. Plenty of space for a spring picnic. Street parking can easily be found in the surrounding residential streets. What a beautiful, peaceful garden space in Baltimore! read more

Sherwood Gardens - Parks Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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2019- I went on 04/21/2019 and the tulips were in full/peak bloom. 2018- I went on 4/22/2018, tulips are in full/ peak bloom at Sherwood Gardens in Baltimore. It's a hidden gem in the heart of the city surrounded by beautiful house. read more

A beautiful garden in a very nice neighborhood. We went three years in a row and loved it. Even though tulips are only on view for one to two weeks out of a year. Other times you can enjoy some other flowers and have picnic on the lawn. Everything is open to public and you can get a pamphlet on the different kinds of plants they have. Parking is pretty easy. I believe they do sell their tulips at the end of their blossom for about 1 dollar a piece. Overall, a great local garden to enjoy some sunlight and great tulips with your friends and family! read more

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Here is a decision tree to decide if you should go to Sherwood Gardens: Are you Dutch? / \ YES NO / \ Go here. HUP! But do you still like tulips? / \ Yes and puppies too. NO / \ Go here, bring your fedora, Stop reading this pack a picnic, and drink out of mason jars, you hipsta. When I read about Sherwood Gardens, me and my nature fanatic friends rushed out here to get some photos, and have a picnic (by picnic I mean grabbing bbq and eating them on a bench). You may want to start planning your trip now because Sherwood Gardens has always been at its best toward the end of April and beginning of May. What's so spectacular about this park? Approximately 80,000 tulip bulbs are planted annually along with other spring flowering bulbs. Gorgeous flowers everywhere. Every corner you turn, there's going to be another flower bed of bright unique flowers. This goes on for six acres!!! When I came here, I had secretly hoped to capture a great picture of my pug running through flowers like this one that won major photography awards: http://i.imgur.com/oiEomEQ.jpg. Unfortunately, the best shot I got of the day was me tackling her in a bed of tulips when she tried to run away with a bag of bbq meat. So let me explain what you'll find on a beautiful day in this hidden gem of a park: The seersucker wearing young crowd, wearing fedoras, vintage outfits, brunching outdoors, and probably taking pictures for their blog. Lots of happy puppies. Some engagement photo shoots. Families. Amateur photographers. Everyone is enjoying the flowers. So just note typically peak bloom occurs the last week of April through the first week in May. It's in a residential neighborhood so there is a ton of free parking. I highly recommend taking a stroll through Sherwood Gardens now that glorious spring weather is upon us also remember that going here is a wonderful way to celebrate Earth Day. read more

Don't make excuses and come bring ya body over to Sherwood Gardens. It is a very beautiful garden/park where describing it with words will not do it any justice. You can take a look at all the photos you want but I suggest getting out from the comfort of your home and take a look at the real deal. I have only been during the spring so I can't say what it is like during other seasons but I'd say its the best season to go. Surrounded by beau monde homes, not bad to look at too, plots of vibrant colored tulips and floral trees make this the perfect picnic spot, long stroll with your S.O. or yourself, or even a photo shoot. Yes, I'm looking at you, selfie queen. Take a break from the city. The park will not disappoint. read more

Sherwood Gardens - (2015) - Parks Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Every year at this time I start reminiscing about my wonderful visit to Sherwood Gardens in Baltimore Maryland. Picnicking amongst the blooms bursting into color reminds me of how wonderful life can be. read more

Sherwood Gardens - As the tulips and other blossoms burst into vibrant colors, I am reminded how wonderful life can be. - Parks Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Beautiful, well kept, quiet, and dog friendly! I happened to be in the area conducting business, my dog was along for the ride. It's a beautiful day, so I searched for nearby parks, and here we are. Dogs and people are friendly, but are social distancing. Tulips are my fave flower and they have tons of them that bloom each Spring. The flowers in bloom are a variety of pretty, vibrant colors. There are benches throughout and plenty of grassy areas to roll out a blanket or beach roll for a picnic. read more

My favorite time to year is of course when the tulips are blooming... but it's a great garden throughout the year! Tucked away in a beautiful historic neighborhood. Free entry. Does allow, on leash. Please clean your dogs poo read more

Located in the tony neighborhood of Guilford in Northern Baltimore, Sherwood Gardens is an Olmsted designed local park, known for the fleeting time when its tulips are in bloom. It's dog friendly--on leash and pick up after the pooch, of course-- and filled with people taking photos, picnicking, and just enjoying the flowers. If you want some of those beautiful tulips for yourself, the Gardens host a "Tulip Dig." This year it's on May 26th, from 7-11 am. Cost is 30 cents per bulb. And, while I'm no expert, as of today, May 1, the tulips are most likely past peak but still beautiful. read more

Sherwood Gardens - White tulips, unsure of blue flowers, & pink azaleas. - Parks Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Baltimore has many gorgeous spots where you can grab a seat, pour a drink and sit with nature. I was recently challenged by Roland Park Place - a continuing care community - to think about my favorite spot for a picnic. I knew my answer immediately. I would go to Sherwood Gardens; it's my favorite spot in the entire city. Well, my favorite spot for sure without a water view. Back in the 1800's the space was owned by the founder of the Sun Paper - A. S. Abell. In the 1900's, the area developed, and part of the Community Park became houses - except for the six acres of what is now the Gardens. It is actually one of the most famous tulip parks in the country, named after the original planter, John W. Sherwood, who imported tulips from the Netherlands. When he passed away, he left money to continue the tulip scape for a year. Thankfully, the Guilford Association has taken on the project and continues to plant approximately 80,000 tulip bulbs annually. If you love tulips as much as I do, you should know about the tulip dig - one of the main fundraisers - new tulips are planted ever year, so "the tulip bulbs are available to be dug and purchased for a nominal cost." Although, this makes April the best time to visit the area, the beds are continuously covered with "masses of annuals and perennials." read more

Lovely little garden in a gorgeous, quiet neighborhood. It seems like the best time to come is in spring when the tulips are in bloom, but even now in the blazing heat of summer, it's still a lovely oasis to get away from the city, wander through the grass to check out the pretty flowers, and sit under the shade of one of many large trees to listen to all of the neighborhood birds sing and watch the fat squirrels dig through the grass to find food. There was plenty of parking (I'm assuming summer is a slow time in Baltimore), so I know I'll be coming back soon for a great place to relax, meditate, or read out in nature. read more

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I was not ready for such a beautiful place. Gorgeous colors and a lot of fun to be at. And it wasn't even the spring (Can't wait for the spring to come here, I was told it is twice as beautiful). Parking lot was almost empty, tells me even more what is the potential of this place during the spring. Make sure to check you know its exact location so you will be able to find the place easily. Will update around March when the colors will be doubled. read more

A nice prize in the city of Baltimore....Look forward to this time of year, little early but I'll be back! read more

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Beautiful garden. Very peaceful in a quiet old neighborhood. This a nice spot to meet for a small picnic.