garden
A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the cultivation, display, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The single feature identifying even the wildest wild garden is ''control''. The garden can incorporate both ...
and
arboretum
An arboretum (plural: arboreta) in a general sense is a botanical collection composed exclusively of trees of a variety of species. Originally mostly created as a section in a larger garden or park for specimens of mostly non-local species, man ...
located within
Tuckahoe State Park
Tuckahoe State Park is a public recreation area located along Tuckahoe Creek in Caroline and Queen Anne's counties on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, United States. Adkins Arboretum, a garden and preserve maintaining over 600 native plant specie ...
at 12610 Eveland Road,
Ridgely, Maryland
Ridgely is a town in Caroline County, Maryland, Caroline County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,639 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census.
History
The town was established on May 13, 1867 by the Maryland and Baltimore Land A ...
. The grounds contain five miles of paths through meadows and native plant gardens on the
Eastern Shore of Maryland
The Eastern Shore of Maryland is a part of the U.S. state of Maryland that lies mostly on the east side of the Chesapeake Bay. Nine counties are normally included in the region. The Eastern Shore is part of the larger Delmarva Peninsula that ...
. Its gardens contain a "living collection" of more than 600 species of native shrubs, trees, wildflowers and grasses, used to promote land stewardship practices in the
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay ( ) is the largest estuary in the United States. The Bay is located in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region and is primarily separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Delmarva Peninsula (including the parts: the ...
region.
Native plant nursery
Th native plant nursery boasts the area's largest selection of ornamental native trees, shrubs, perennials, grasses, ferns, and vines, all ready to take home. The arboretum hosts open house events and native plant sales in April and September. Plants are for sale on the Visitor's Center patio throughout the growing season.
The arboretum is dedicated to promoting the appreciation and conservation of the region's native plants and is actively engaged in conserving and managing the native meadows, woods, and wetlands that define the landscape in Caroline County on Maryland's Eastern Shore. In 2008, the arboretum launched it nursery greening program an initiative to implement best management practices at its native plant nursery. As part of this initiative, and with support fro Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network the arboretum constructed a
rain garden
Rain gardens, also called bioretention facilities, are one of a variety of practices designed to increase rain runoff reabsorption by the soil. They can also be used to treat polluted stormwater runoff. Rain gardens are designed landscape sites t ...
at its native plant nursery in 2010 and 2011. In addition, the arboretum maintains meadows of native warm season grass to provide wildlife habitat and help preserve this threatened ecosystem.
Visitor's Center
Orientation
Visits begin at the aboretum' visitor's center Staff orient visitors to the arboretum, providing maps of the grounds, brochures about what to see along the walks, information about what's in bloom, and the schedule for guided walks. Visitors may also borrow audio tours. Display racks feature literature about the arboretum site and special programming.
Art Gallery/Meeting Room
The visitor's center meeting room houses art exhibitions throughout the year and serves as a meeting room for various workshops, seminars, and meetings. The arboretum hosts an ongoing exhibition series of artwork on natural themes by regional artists, as well as an annual juried show held in February and March of each year and an outdoor sculpture show during the summer.
Gift Shop
The arboretum gift shop offers gifts for gardeners, nature enthusiasts, and children. Located in the visitor’s center lobby, the shop recently underwent a transformation to offer a new look and new amenities. Café tables that overlook the meadow provide a welcoming spot for relaxing while children engage in preschool or homeschool programs. Coffee service and Wi-Fi are also offered.
Plant Sale Area
A selection of native plants is available for purchase under the visitor's center pergola during the growing season.
Grounds
Arboretum Paths
Five miles of paths wind through th arboretum grounds The Blockston Branch path offers a walk through mature bottomland hardwood forest and is handicap accessible. Paths lead around the arboretum's meadows, where many creatures, including quail, bluebirds, deer, fox, and turkeys, forage for food. A mix of mature upland and bottomland hardwood forests and younger pine forests provide a rich habitat for flora and fauna. Thickets of native azaleas and mountain laurel bloom in May, and woodland wildflowers bloom from late winter to summer. Look for wood ducks and beaver along Tuckahoe Creek and Piney Branch. The arboretum's Tuckahoe Valley trail connects to Tuckahoe State Park's trai system for longer hikes.
Emilie's Play Garden
Visitors can venture past the goat pen t o explore. Visitors can make mud pies at the mud kitchen, peek into a passionflower teepee, climb on balancing logs, pick chocolate peppermint in the herb spiral, care for vegetables in the mandala garden, smell blooming wildflowers, meditate in a labyrinth, observe birds that visit a solar-powered fountain, hide in a willow den, and explore much more. Learn all about how the garden was designed to harmonize with nature’s patterns and about the beautiful native plants (many of them edible) that make this garden home to our wildlife friends.
First Light Village Playspace
Tucked into upland forest along the Upland Walk First Light Village is a nature playspace, a special place for children to enjoy creative outdoor play. In contrast to traditional playgrounds, nature playspaces are made almost entirely of natural materials. Designed and constructed by a local
Eagle Scout
Eagle Scout is the highest achievement or rank attainable in the Scouts BSA program of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Since its inception in 1911, only four percent of Scouts have earned this rank after a lengthy review process. The Eagle Sc ...
with a keen interest in Native American lore, the playspace features two
wigwams
A wigwam, wickiup, wetu (Wampanoag), or wiigiwaam (Ojibwe, in syllabics: ) is a semi-permanent domed dwelling formerly used by certain Native American tribes and First Nations people and still used for ceremonial events. The term ''wickiup'' ...
, a turtle-shaped tree stump ring, a snake balance beam, and more.
Bird Watching
The arboretum is designated a Important Bird Area by Audubon MD-DC. Its diverse habitat of woodlands, meadows, and wetlands make it an ideal site for birding. The woodland and meadow paths, meadow overlook, and wetland boardwalk provide ideal spots for bird-watching. Visitors can explore the world of birds and butterflies that inhabit the site with a take-along information guide.
Education
Master Naturalist Training
The arboretum is the first host site for th an extension of the
University of Maryland
The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the University System of M ...
. Individuals accepted into the Master Naturalist training course receive 48 hours of instruction, including hands-on experience outdoors. All classes are taught by experts in the subject. The curriculum includes Maryland Natural History, Flora & Fauna, Ecologic Principles, How Humans Affect the Landscape, The Science of Science, and Teaching & Interpretation.
Adult and Youth Programs
While the arboretum’s 400 acres showcase its mission of land stewardship, its education programs are designed to inspired and guide both children and adults to explore and appreciate the region’s natural beauty and take action to contribute to the protection and enhancement of our backyards, neighborhoods, and communities. Programs for adults and children are offered in three sessions per year: winter, spring/summer, and fall. Members receive discounted program fees.
Summer Camps
For the past fifteen years, Adkins Arboretum’ Summer Nature Camps have given children the opportunity to enjoy their precious summer the old-fashioned way—outdoors! Campers will make new friends and lifelong memories while exploring the arboretum’s woodland, meadow, stream, and wetland habitats. From grazing on blackberries to splashing in the Blockston Branch, the arboretum’s summer nature camps provide children with a truly enchanted experience.
Outdoor Education Programs for School Groups
The arboretum offers dynamic, hands-on outdoor education activities designed to enhance young peoples' experiences in natural outdoor settings, as well as enrich current academic curriculum. Students explore diverse arboretum habitats, including meadows, deciduous and coniferous forests, wetlands, and streams. Outdoor education has been linked to improved academic achievement and encourages stewardship, pride, and ownership. The arboretum's education programs are designed to maximize student involvement in their environment. Such involvement develops problem-solving, critical thinking, and investigation skills vital to cultivating a meaningful awareness of the human-environmental connection.
Guided Walks
The arboretum’s diverse plant communities can be explored o led by a docent naturalist. Visitors can explore the bottomland forest and upland paths, meander through majestic beech trees, traverse the native meadows, and follow the narrow Tuckahoe Creekside path. Guided walks are free for members and free with admission for the general public. Tours begin at the visitor’s center and last approximately one hour.
Book Club
Th promotes the arboretum's mission through monthly book discussions about conservation issues. Meetings are typically held at the arboretum on Tuesday afternoons as detailed in the schedule below. During
Covid-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...
restrictions, meetings are conducted via
Zoom
Zoom may refer to:
Technology Computing
* Zoom (software), videoconferencing application
* Page zooming, the ability to magnify or shrink a portion of a page on a computer display
* Zooming user interface, a graphical interface allowing for image ...
. Readings include nonfiction, fiction, essays, biography, and poetry, and will focus on horticulture, natural history, science, ecology, history, and environmental issues. Members share leading discussions of their readings.
History
The arboretum was originally established in 1972 to be the Maryland state arboretum on the grounds of
Tuckahoe State Park
Tuckahoe State Park is a public recreation area located along Tuckahoe Creek in Caroline and Queen Anne's counties on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, United States. Adkins Arboretum, a garden and preserve maintaining over 600 native plant specie ...
. It first opened in the 1980s as a result of a major donation from Leon Andrus, a native of
Queen Anne's County
Queen Anne's County is located on the Eastern Shore of the U.S. state of Maryland. As of the 2020 census, the population was 49,874. Its county seat and most populous municipality is Centreville. The census-designated place of Stevensville i ...
. The arboretum derives its name from the Adkins family, an Eastern Shore family of conservationists who were friends with Andrus. When Andrus died in 1989, he left a bequest to the arboretum's endowment.
Its original mission was to display all of
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
's forest types; however, in the 1990s, its mission was revised to emphasize the display and study of the
Delmarva Peninsula
The Delmarva Peninsula, or simply Delmarva, is a large peninsula and proposed state on the East Coast of the United States, occupied by the vast majority of the state of Delaware and parts of the Eastern Shore regions of Maryland and Virginia ...
's indigenous plant communities. In 1998, its operations were converted to a public/private partnership, with Maryland granting a 50-year lease to the Friends of Adkins Arboretum. The arboretum is supported by grants and donations.