FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tucked into the hustle-and-bustle of Towson is an unexpected jewel: 40 acres of an accredited Level I Arboretum that contains 359 trees.
This oasis was open to the surrounding community during Blakehurst’s 32nd Annual Arbor Day Celebration at Blakehurst senior living community, when a new Foster Holly tree was planted. A number of trees in the arboretum have been cited in the Maryland Big Tree Program, and records show three past state champion trees and ten Baltimore County champion trees.
Among the labeled trees are 307 placed there by Baltimore County in 2024 in a unique public-private partnership intended to preserve the pastoral setting just minutes from Baltimore, replete with winding walking paths that showcase the gorgeous landscape as well as the residents’ commitment to preserving the natural world. In addition, Blakehurst has a Memorial Tree Walk near the nature trail containing flowering native trees that cover the entire blooming period.
The 307 Baltimore County species are all native canopy and sub-canopy trees that include Sugar Maple, Bitternut Hickory, American Hornbeam, Pin Oak, Sycamore, Redbud, Black Gum and Swamp White Oak.
The Arboretum includes Blakehurst Resident Gardens, run by resident Master Gardeners at Blakehurst senior living community, where 54 garden plots are also just beginning to show the first blooms of the season as the arboretum works toward Level II status.
