Guilford in Bloom

I visited north Baltimore's Guilford neighborhood today, intent on photographing the famous tulip beds at Sherwood Gardens, where 80,000 tulips bloom annually.  Alas, the tulips have yet to bloom, but this flowerbed brought a big smile to my face, as did the pint-sized bench with animal motif.  I am only posting one photograph of the park, because I hope to return soon to take photos of it in its full glory.  Stay tuned!

 

I may not have found tulips, but I discovered a lot of beautiful homes in the neighborhood, which was developed in the early 20th Century and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  I have a thing for glassed-in sun porches, a feature of many Guilford homes.  This home has four!

Most of the homes are constructed of brick or stone, and mature trees shade most of the lawns. 

This home stands out due to its brightly painted facade.

Though single family detached homes are the norm, Guilford also offers town homes, such as the beauties featured here.  Great condominium buildings exist in the immediate vicinity of Guilford as well.

Since I have never spent any time in Guilford, I did not know what to expect.  I found a quiet, peaceful neighborhood, but I also saw a lot of people out and about enjoying the beautiful afternoon, walking, bicycling, picnicking and looking for Easter eggs in the park, and working in their yards. 

The famous landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted oversaw the planning of the neighborhood, which explains the obvious respect for topography in its layout and the community's lovely public parks.  For those of you who grew up in the 1980s and watched a lot of John Hughes films, doesn't this look like one of his sets?

Guilford's quiet streets make it ideal for bicyclists traveling to nearby Johns Hopkins University, Loyola University Maryland, Notre Dame University of Maryland, and nearby commercial amenities, as well as ....

... downtown Baltimore.  Despite Guilford's bucolic setting, it is actually within walking and bicycling distance of great amenities, from the Baltimore Museum of Art to the 32nd Street Farmers Market, not to mention downtown.  Careful, though, the ride home from downtown is uphill!