Gardens and Activities

Howard County Gardens and Activities

This joint initiative by the University of Maryland Extension Howard County Master Gardeners and Howard County Recreation and Parks focuses on habitat restoration in the Middle Patuxent Environmental Area. Program volunteers protect the local ecosystem by eradicating invasive plants while gaining hands-on experience in park ecology, native species, and wildlife support.

The program provides services to the community by removing invasive plants that disrupt an area's natural ecology. Volunteers can work in natural and wild settings and learn about local parks, ecology, native and invasive plants, and the wildlife supported by our native flora.

Volunteers are welcome on the fourth Tuesday of each month, March through November. Please visit the "Volunteer Opportunities" section at MPEA for the current schedule and to register.

Program Contact Information

Jeff Claffy, Assistant Natural Resources Manager

Jclaffy@howardcountymd.gov
Middle Patuxent Environmental Area
Howard County Department of Recreation & Parks
6692 Cedar Lane | Columbia, MD 21044

The Howard County Conservancy is a local nonprofit whose mission is to educate children and adults about the natural world, preserve the land and its legacy for future generations, and model responsible stewardship of our environment.

Howard County Demonstration Garden

Established in 1855, Whipps was a cemetery for the Whipps family, who were blacksmiths in Howard County. Later lots were sold to the general public.

Today, Whipps is maintained as a park for visiting and a venue for teaching environmentally sound gardening practices. Howard County Master Gardeners maintain most of the garden areas in the one-acre cemetery, including a butterfly garden, herb garden, and rose garden. They plant, nurture, and prune many native plants around the property. The cemetery has a permanent composting site at the cemetery and a self-guided walking guide.

All Maryland residents are invited to visit the cemetery and view the riparian buffer of plants that will be planted as a demonstration project.

Events

Master Gardener workdays are Thursdays from 9-12 in good weather, March through mid-November.

Address: 3651 St. John's Lane, Ellicott City, MD
In Spring, two events are held at Whipps: Daffodil Day and the annual plant sale. Check the calendar for details.