“For tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.”
– African Proverb
It’s been 20 years since Cylburn Arboretum Friends had its last Master Plan. That plan imagined both the Vollmer Visitor Center and the Nature Education Center. This year, with support from the Goldseker Foundation and in partnership with Baltimore City Recreation and Parks, Cylburn has completed a new Master Plan, crafting a vision of the evolving future of this beloved public garden.
Master plans provide a blueprint for growth and help define shared goals. Much has changed since 2005, and this new plan reflects today’s priorities—improving public access, caring for our landscapes, and strengthening Cylburn’s role as a center for environmental education in Baltimore.
Since becoming a public park in 1954, Cylburn has grown into the city’s premier public garden, its only arboretum and a vital community space. Today, Baltimore City and Cylburn Arboretum Friends continue to share stewardship of the grounds, buildings, gardens, and programs. With our renewed vision in hand, we’re ready to move forward—step by step—to keep enhancing this remarkable place.
We’re excited to share with you a preview of the new plan in this issue of Seasons. The full plan will be available later this year. Thank you for your continued support and for helping us make the most of this jewel in the heart of the city.
With gratitude,
Brooke M. Fritz, Executive Director Cylburn Arboretum Friends
Cover: Ginko, A fan-shaped splash of green, this ginkgo leaf is a living fossil, unchanged for millions of years. By Sara Smith
The Inornate Pyrausta Moth is an attractive visitor in the garden. While not a major pollinator, the adult moths help support the food web as prey for birds and other insects.
Photo by Sara Smith
nutrientWhatever the and Cylburn interpretation,
grandifolia) forests are older, tend to have shallow ) up the oldest sections white oaks and beeches that area is likely an old cleared.
edges turns blockier toward bottom
Quercus rubra) oaks often appear in forests. Their wood is they may regrow with felled.
tips dark gray with deep fissures
Liriodendron tulipifera) are a pioneer species that grows quickly. Their presence potentially cleared land. smooth margins, with braid-like fissures
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Hilles Whedbee President
Sandra P. Gohn Vice President
Ramesh Moorthy Secretary
Robert A. Cook Treasurer
Will Clemens
Beverly Davis
INVASIVE SPECIES
Erik Dihle
Patricia Foster
Alan Gilbert
Becky Henry
Mark Gurley
Nancy B. Hill
Invasive species presence in a forest is related to the level of disturbance it has experienced. An undisturbed, mature forest will have few invasive plants and will be more resistant to their colonization. However, when a forest’s soil and seed bank is disturbed, the seeds within are more likely to germinate, including those of invasive species. Additionally, when existing trees are harmed or killed, resource availability increases and canopy gaps form, providing invasive species with the nutrients and sunlight they need to grow.
Mae Hinnant
Common invasive species at Cylburn include:
1 Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum)
2 English ivy (Hedera helix)
Douglas Nelson
3 Wineberry (Rubus phoenicolasius)
Daniel Pham
4 Norway maple (Acer platanoides)
5 Porcelain berry (Ampelopsis glandulosa)
Michael Reamer
CONTENTS
ENVISIONING THE FUTURE: Cylburn’s New Master Plan
PAGE 2
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
2
Courtney Sawyer
EX OFFICIO
Melissa Grim Chief Horticulturist, Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks
Colleen Vacelet Owner, Intreegue Design
Want to dig deeper? Scan this code to explore the sources behind the guide. You’ll find helpful links and a look at how we pieced together Cylburn’s forest history—a place to continue your journey into the hidden world of trees. 1 2 3 4 5
Learn more or donate: CYLBURN.ORG SOURCES
SEASONS is published by Cylburn Arboretum Friends
Written and edited by
Brooke M. Fritz Executive Director
Erika Castillo Director of Education
Brent Figlestahler Head Gardener
Bill Geenen | Communication Design Layout and Design
8
A HISTORY LESSON: TAUGHT BY TREES
The New Visitor’s Guide to Cylburn’s Forest
PAGE 8
4915 Greenspring Ave. Baltimore, MD 21209
Info@cylburn.org
Phone: (410) 367-2217 Cylburn.org
WRITERS & WONDERERS: Poetry with the Enoch Pratt Free Library
PAGE 10
UPCOMING EVENTS: BACK COVER 10
ENVISIONING THE FUTURE
CYLBURN’S NEW MASTER PLAN
By Brooke Fritz
AT THE START OF 2025, Baltimore City Recreation & Parks (BCRP) and Cylburn Arboretum Friends (CAF) launched a joint master planning effort. Together we selected Jonathan Ceci Landscape Architects as the lead consultant to guide and facilitate the planning process. The new Master Plan outlines an ambitious but realistic vision for the future of Baltimore’s arboretum. Rooted in community input and guided by a commitment to sustainability, education, and accessibility, the plan contains four strategic priorities designed to enhance the visitor experience and steward the site’s natural resources. These strategies— Enhancing Arrival and Wayfinding, Distilling New Visitor Experiences, Modernizing Garden Operations Infrastructure, and Drawing Visitors Out From the Core—serve as a roadmap for growth that honors Cylburn’s historic character while positioning it to continue making a meaningful impact in the future. We will release the full plan later this year, but we wanted to share some highlights with you in advance.
Expanded parking lots with a rugged and rocky crevice garden*
ENHANCING ARRIVAL AND WAYFINDING
A nod to historical gardens, architectural features will mark the arboretum's entry*
Circulation is simplified to long recreational loops, with clear access to the mansion, greenhouses and Moudry Woods*
In the Master Plan, we have tried to address current challenges with wayfinding and parking by introducing a welcoming new entry point, an expanded visitor parking lot, and a reimagined West Lawn to improve circulation throughout the arboretum. A dedicated drop-off area closer to the Nature Education Center will provide a safe and convenient space for school buses to unload students, supporting the growth of our educational programs. New architectural features such as trellises, archways, and planted pergolas will mark the arboretum’s entrance, creating a clear sense of arrival and inviting visitors to explore. Circulation around the West Lawn will be simplified with clear access to the mansion, greenhouses and Moudry Woods.
DISTILL NEW VISITOR EXPERIENCES
Display Garden
Of particular interest to CAF, the plan focuses on enhancing two key areas of the grounds that offer distinct and complementary experiences. Adjacent to the Nature Education Center, the Display Garden serves as a practical counterpoint to the nearby formal garden. Currently home only to Cylburn’s seasonal dahlia display, this underused space will be revitalized and returned to its former glory. The redesigned garden will support ongoing experimentation with bold themes such as edible landscapes, pollinator habitats, and trial garden plots. We are excited to create a dynamic working landscape for Baltimore.
The redesigned garden will support ongoing experimentation with themes such as edible landscapes* Pollinator plants in a display garden can showcase selections that Baltimoreans might enjoy growing while also providing vital food and shelter for bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects.* Trial garden plots in the display garden test new plant varieties for performance, beauty, and resilience.
Display garden today
DISTILL NEW VISITOR EXPERIENCES
Moudry Woods
In contrast, Moudry Woods offers a more immersive, untamed experience that reflects the character of Cylburn’s broader urban forest. Moudry Woods invites visitors to explore, play, and connect more deeply with nature. Envisioned as a series of interactive woodland “rooms,” the area will include raised boardwalks to protect sensitive ecosystems while guiding visitors through the landscape. Along the way, there will be dedicated areas for safe, creative woodland play. We anticipate that the reenvisioned area will combine nature, education, and fun into a one-of-a-kind forest adventure. Both Moudry Woods and the Display Garden (page 5) are directly adjacent to the Nature Education Center, and we envision them as key destinations for school field trips, summer camp programs, and hands-on outdoor learning.
Exploring in the ever-changing environment of the woods invites joyful experiences in nature. Boardwalks provide a stable, even surface that makes woodland areas more accessible to people of all ages and abilities while also minimizing foot traffic on the forest floor, protecting sensitive ecosystems. Outdoor learning presents experiences that can't be replicated indoors. The woods allows students to engage all of their senses.
*These images are concepts only, the Master Plan will take many years to implement so final details may change based on community input and available funds.
DRAWING VISITORS OUT FROM THE CORE
A final highlight of the Master Plan is the focus on Cylburn’s beloved woodland trails. For over 70 years our trails have been treasured not only for their natural beauty and peaceful setting, but also for their value in education, recreation, and public health. We will prioritize the repair and ongoing maintenance of the existing trail system and explore the creation of a full outerloop trail. This new loop would open up areas along the edge of the central plateau, where collections of trees and plants currently remain out of easy reach. By connecting these important areas with a new path, the expanded trail network will make it easier for visitors to explore and enjoy the full extent of Cylburn’s natural beauty and learning opportunities.
These highlights offer just a glimpse into the thoughtful and inspiring vision laid out in the Cylburn Arboretum Master Plan. From welcoming gateways and enhanced circulation to revitalized gardens, the plan reflects a deep commitment to making Cylburn relevant for generations to come. We know that implementation will take time, but we're excited to be part of the process.
INTRODUCTION history. Maybe it was once cleared for agriculture and still holds the memory in its nutrientalways been forested and is littered with large pits and mounds that show it. Whatever the years of history can be gathered by understanding a forest in its current state, and Cylburn woodlands are no exception. This guide aims to serve as an introduction to woodland interpretation, beyond Cylburn, and to provide a glimpse of the hidden world of trees
American Beech (Fagus grandifolia)
Every forest has a history. Some were once cleared for agriculture, leaving behind nutrient-rich soil. Others have remained forested for centuries, marked by pits and mounds that reveal their past. By observing the present, we can uncover hundreds of years of ecological and human history—and the woodlands at Cylburn Arboretum are
A HISTORY LESSON: TAUGHT BY TREES
Presence: Cylburn’s beech forests are older, characteristically shady, and tend to have low weed presence.
Leaves: pointed oval leaves with finely toothed edges
Bark: smooth and silvery-gray, shallow horizontal ridges
White Oak (Quercus alba)
Presence: White oaks make up the oldest sections of Cylburn’s forests. When white oaks and beeches appear together at Cylburn, that area is likely an old growth forest and was never cleared.
Leaves: lobed with smooth edges shingled and gray, turns blockier toward bottom
This year, we were fortunate to host Layla Salomon as a Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps member, supported by the Chesapeake Bay Trust. For her capstone project, Layla created an interpretive guide to Cylburn’s forests and trails to help visitors engage more deeply with the landscape. She wrote the text and carefully selected the images and content for the brochure, drawing inspiration from our fall walks and talks led by Michael Gaige. Michael authored a detailed report on Cylburn’s forest history in 2022 and then joined us to share much of
Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra)
: Northern red oaks often appear in Cylburn’s old growth forests. Their wood is desirable for logging, and they may regrow with multiple trunks after being felled.
: lobed with pointed tips reddish-brown to dark gray with deep fissures
INVASIVE SPECIES
Invasive species presence in a forest is related to the level of disturbance it has experienced. An undisturbed, mature forest will have few invasive plants and will be more resistant to their colonization. However, when a forest’s soil and seed bank is disturbed, the seeds within are more likely to germinate, including those of invasive species. Additionally, when existing trees are harmed or killed, resource availability increases and canopy gaps form, providing invasive species with the nutrients and sunlight they need to grow.
his findings for three different walks and talks in 2024. Designer Bill Geenen transformed Layla’s work into a beautiful, easy-toread brochure that makes the information accessible and engaging for all visitors.
Common invasive species at Cylburn include:
1 Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum)
2 English ivy (Hedera helix)
3 Wineberry (Rubus phoenicolasius)
4 Norway maple (Acer platanoides)
5 Porcelain berry (Ampelopsis glandulosa)
1 2 3 4 5
SOURCES
Hard copies of the new guide will be available this fall at both the Visitor Center and the Nature Education Center—free for you to take along as you explore. The guide introduces readers to Cylburn’s most common trees, identifies invasive species to watch for, and offers interpretive tips such as reading signs of the past from tree forms and landscape features. It also includes simple tools for measuring trees and understanding woodland changes over time.
Liriodendron tulipifera)
Tulip poplars are a pioneer species that thrives in full sun and grows quickly. Their presence indicates disturbed, potentially cleared land.
Leaves: four lobes with smooth margins, resemble tulips
Bark: slightly reddish with braid-like fissures
Want to dig deeper? Scan this code to explore the sources behind the guide. You’ll find helpful links and a look at how we pieced together Cylburn’s forest history—a place to continue your journey into the hidden world of trees.
In this issue of Seasons, we’re sharing two sections from the guide as a sneak peek. We hope they will encourage you to see the forest with new eyes and inspire your next walk in the woods.
TIP: If a tree’s leaves have fallen, you can use the contents of the surrounding leaf litter, as well as the bark’s appearance and other ecological indicators, to aid in identification. Note that some species’ bark varies in appearance depending on the tree’s age.
Learn more or donate: CYLBURN.ORG
This publication is funded by:
INTRODUCTION
Every forest has a history. Maybe it was once cleared for agriculture and still holds the memory in its nutrientrich soil. Maybe it has always been forested and is littered with large pits and mounds that show it. Whatever the case, hundreds of years of history can be gathered by understanding a forest in its current state, and Cylburn
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
THE FOREST
Arboretum’s woodlands are no exception. This guide aims to serve as an introduction to woodland interpretation, both within and beyond Cylburn, and to provide a glimpse of the hidden world of trees
American Beech (Fagus grandifolia) Presence: Cylburn’s beech forests are older, characteristically shady, and tend to have low weed presence.
Leaves: pointed oval leaves with finely toothed edges
Bark: smooth and silvery-gray, shallow horizontal ridges
White Oak (Quercus alba) Presence: White oaks make up the oldest sections of Cylburn’s forests. When white oaks and beeches appear together at Cylburn, that area is likely an old growth forest and was never cleared. lobed with smooth edges shingled and gray, turns blockier toward bottom
CYLBURN HIKING TRAILS INVASIVE PLANTS
Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra) : Northern red oaks often appear in Cylburn’s old growth forests. Their wood is desirable for logging, and they may regrow with multiple trunks after being felled. : lobed with pointed tips reddish-brown to dark gray with deep fissures
Liriodendron tulipifera) Tulip poplars are a pioneer species that thrives in full sun and grows quickly. Their presence indicates disturbed, potentially cleared land. Leaves: four lobes with smooth margins, resemble tulips Bark: slightly reddish with braid-like fissures
A SLICE OF CYLBURN’S WOODLAND HISTORY
SPRINGWOOD FARM
CYLBURN OLD FIELD
This area along Cylburn Avenue was cleared pasture land. Now it is dominated by exotic weeds!
This area was almost entirely cleared and then used for agriculture until as recently as 1927. The soil is heavily enriched due to a history of fertilizers and other soil treatments.
Contains species typically found in old fields and abandoned agricultural land, such as tulip poplar, ash, elm, black walnut, sycamore, box elder, redbud, the occasional dogwood, and some dense thickets of spicebush; heavily infested with invasives.
Evidence of agricultural history is apparent from the smooth ground (once plowed), lack of stones (all removed by hand), and the typical old field vegetation that has colonized the site. The unique composition (for Cylburn) is due in part to this area’s enriched soil, which has allowed invasives to thrive there.
TULIP POPLAR WOODS
SOURCES
You’ll
TIP: If a tree’s leaves have fallen, you can use the contents of the surrounding leaf litter, as well as the bark’s appearance and other ecological indicators, to aid in identification. Note that some species’ bark varies in appearance depending on the tree’s age. This publication
History: This area was never cleared for agriculture, but it was logged of most of its oak and other valuable hardwoods in the 1800s or 1900s. The resulting canopy gaps allowed successional tulip poplars to sprout and thrive in their place.
Composition: Contains mostly tulip poplars with a beech understory, as well as thickets of pawpaw trees and spicebush; almost no old oaks in contrast to surrounding areas; low pressure from invasives.
Characteristics: Tulip poplars here are mature and average about 25 inches DBH, though some are twice that large. Many of the beech trees have basal scars from woodland fires in the mid-1900s, sparked by trains on the railroad tracks below.
OLD OAK WOODS
History: This area has experienced very little disturbance—some limited cutting in the 1800s and perhaps woodland grazing. There used to be a private railroad station nearby, and what was once an old carriage road is now the Woodland trail.
Composition: Mainly white oak, tulip poplar, and American beech, plus some red oak and chestnut oak; mostly clear of invasives.
Characteristics: Many of these trees are 200+ years old, especially the white oaks and beeches. Some multi-trunked red oaks are present, likely due to logging. At the end of the Woodland trail stands a beautiful grove of very old beeches. Small pieces of coal can be found along the trail from when the private railroad was in service.
Writers & Wanderers
This past spring, Cylburn Arboretum Friends partnered with the Enoch Pratt Free Library to offer a special Nature Writing Series. The first session, held at the Pratt Library, was a unique writing workshop aiming to emulate an inspiring jaunt through Cylburn’s natural spaces all from the Poe Room. Poet and essayist Lia Purpura was the skilled workshop facilitator. During the second session, we welcomed a group of writers and wanderers for a guided walk through Cylburn’s gardens, trails, and quiet corners. Along the way, our Education Director and a Pratt librarian offered facts, prompts, and encouragement to spark reflection and imagination. We invited participants to slow down, look closely, and engage creatively with the natural world around them.
What follows is a selection of poems inspired by both experiences— glimpses of Cylburn through the eyes, ears, and words of its visitors. These pieces reflect not only the beauty of the arboretum, but also the deep, personal ways nature can stir creativity and connection. We hope you enjoy these poetic windows into Cylburn’s landscape. All of the poetry created during the two sessions will also be published by the Pratt Library this fall.
Photo by Catrice Greer
Inside Out
DIARRA BOATSWAIN
Hello from the other side
Wherever that is I've never been to any place
Unless any place is this.
My voice is a cry
All you hear is a peep
I know I’m wide awake
Yet my body is still asleep.
Now what is this void?
This strange space I can't sense?
There's no stars, I'm not floating
It makes me feel tense.
Beyond this cold veil
I feel a warm caress
A familiar stranger
Outside this fragile fortress.
So I’ll break through its walls
Tear the dark from its place
To get to the other side
I think it's called mother’s face.
Sunset Dawn
DESMOND M.F. JOHNSON
Shattered majesty
Still rooted; still towering
Remains still…
Bound to ground by waves of Textured wood; heights blasted Into meaty masses
Smoldering with lingering Electric heat…
Left dead
Provides safe harbor
For emergent life; A fertile tomb for renewal
Photo by Catrice Greer
Bambusa vulgaris
SILAS ALBRIGHT
Tall green stalks sway as they breathe
Back and forth dancing
Reacting naturally, no hesitation
A gentle whisper grows into a roar
None move alone
They'd take over if they could
Different sizes and shades angled uniquely
Bumping heads, bouncing back, sticking together
Growing stronger
Reaching for more
Expanding individually but as one
Each deeply connected below the surface
I am Nature
ALICIA STITH
I cannot think of myself
As nature
Or
Like nature
Because I am nature I used to think I needed to become
One with nature, But now I see That even that Implies
A degree of separation I am not “Like” Or “as”
Or even “one with” I am
The bird
The wind
The rock
The grass
The sky
The deer
The dog
The squirrel
The walnut
The leaf
The tree
And
The human being That bes and bes
With cease,
Until the day
I’ve absorbed so much
That a single beam of light
Touches my skin
And I simply Explode
Into many pieces
That fertilize
All that lives around me; And even then, I’ll continue to be
Life itself…
Tale of the Daffodils
ERIKA WHITNEY YOUNG
The daffodils tell a story, about stories of purpose unmasked and finding glory. Hidden until the proper season, to hold new meaning to familiar reasons.
Then, from a bitter frost, the heart is exhumed.
It resurrects, growing sweeter than magnolias in bloom, springing forward from dormancy, dreamers drift to its lingering perfume.
“Chant, gently,” whispered the wind.
In a familiar key, the goldfi nch sang, of monarch butterfl ies that fl uttered regal wings, amongst the milkweed; carried in the breeze beside dandelion seeds.
“Chant, gently,” whispered the wind.
As dragonfl ies hovered, the naiads took cover, amongst the blue, betwixt the waterfall floating past basking turtles and over fuschia Crape Myrtles, where the ladybug crawls.
“Chant, gently,” whispered the wind.
As Autumn arrives to bring her full swing, in a familiar key, the goldfi nch sang of darling dahlias making room for maples to enterwith chilled juniper roots stapled in shades of winter.
So said the daffodils.
4915 GREENSPRING AVENUE
Hydrangeas form the backbone of a garden bed, providing structure, lush foliage, and long-lasting blooms.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
AUGUST 27: General Volunteer Orientation
SEPTEMBER 9: Children’s Tree Time
SEPTEMBER 11: Gardeners Workshop
SEPTEMBER 17: Wednesday Walk
SEPTEMBER 19: Horticulture Culture
SEPTEMBER 24: Visitor Services Volunteer (VSV) Training
OCTOBER 23-24: ArBOOretum
NEC DROP-IN PROGRAMMING EVERY SATURDAY AT 11AM
THANK YOU
We can’t thank you enough for being part of our community at Cylburn Arboretum Friends—your support and participation is the foundation of our success.
Looking for more ways to be involved? VISIT CYLBURN.ORG
