Cylburn Arboretum facts for kids
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Cylburn House and Park District
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Cylburn Mansion
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 Location in Baltimore
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| Location | 4915 Greenspring Ave., Baltimore, Maryland |
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| Area | 207 acres (84 ha) |
| Built | 1863 |
| Architect | George A. Frederick |
| Architectural style | Renaissance |
| NRHP reference No. | 72001493 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | May 04, 1972 |
Cylburn Arboretum (pronounced Sill-burn arr-burr-EE-tum) is a wonderful city park and garden in Baltimore, Maryland. It's a special place where you can explore many different kinds of trees and plants. You can find it at 4915 Greenspring Avenue. The arboretum is open every day except Mondays, and it's free to visit!
A Look at Cylburn's History
Cylburn Arboretum started as the private home of a businessman named Jesse Tyson. He began building the main house, called Cylburn Mansion, in 1863. The famous architect George A. Frederick, who also designed Baltimore City Hall, created the plans for the house.
The mansion was finally finished in 1888. It's a strong stone building made from a type of rock called gneiss. This stone came from Tyson's own quarries nearby. The mansion has a special roof called a mansard roof, a tall tower, and a decorative dome called an Italianate cupola.
In 1954, the estate became the Cylburn Wildflower Preserve and Garden Center. Later, in 1982, it was renamed the Cylburn Arboretum Association.
Inside the Mansion
Today, the Cylburn Mansion has a cool display of watercolor paintings. These paintings show many different kinds of wildflowers that grow in Maryland. You can visit the mansion to see these beautiful artworks.
Exploring the Gardens and Trees
The arboretum is home to a huge collection of trees and shrubs. Many of these plants are similar to the ones the Tyson family originally planted. It's like a living museum of plants!
Amazing Plant Collections
Some of the special plant collections you can find here include:
- Azaleas, which have colorful flowers
- Bamboo, a fast-growing plant
- Beeches, large shade trees
- Boxwoods, often used for hedges
- Chestnuts, known for their nuts
- Conifers, like pine trees
- Hollies, with their shiny leaves and berries
- Japanese maples, famous for their beautiful leaves
- Magnolias, with big, fragrant flowers
- Maples, another common tree
- Maryland oaks, a type of oak tree
- Viburnum, a group of flowering shrubs
Greenhouses and More Gardens
Besides the tree collections, Cylburn Arboretum also has many flower and vegetable gardens. There are also large greenhouses that were built in the 1960s by a company called Lord & Burnham. These greenhouses are very important because they grow plants for all of Baltimore's city parks. However, these greenhouses are not open to the public.
Cylburn Arboretum is also part of the Baltimore National Heritage Area. This means it's recognized as an important place that helps tell the story of Baltimore's history and culture.
See also
- Mt. Washington Arboretum
- List of botanical gardens in the United States
