Trees
More than 3,000 Blossom of Hope trees now grow in more than 52 different groves planted on public and private land in Howard County and in the region. Many of the trees have been planted in memory or honor of someone special and others are sponsored or planted as a way to beautify the region. The groves range in size from three to 26 trees and are located at county libraries, local parks, historic attractions, the county office building in Ellicott City, along the roadside in Columbia, at private homes, just to name a few of the locations.
Over 300 Blossoms of Hope trees have been planted along State and County roadways. Corporate partners have planted more than 900 trees on private properties and individual homeowners have planted hundreds of new Blossoms of Hope trees in yards across the county. Other trees have been sponsored at groves throughout the county.
The Founders Grove, located adjacent to Route 108 in Centennial Park, features the original 20 and most mature of the Blossoms of Hope trees. The Legacy Grove, located at Lake Kittamaqundi in Columbia, is the home of three trees grown from the saplings of the Japanese cherry trees that surround the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C. In 2020, in honor of our front-line workers during COVID-19, a Blossoms of Hope Heroes Grove at Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center was initiated creating a serene place for hospital staff and visitors with 12 pink-blossoming trees and three relaxing benches.
Best said by Greg Fitchitt, president of Columbia, Howard Hughes Co., “What I love most about Blossoms of Hope is the combination of that very worthy mission, worthy cause combined with the beautification of planting cherry trees combined with the environmental benefit of planting new trees …. I don’t know if there is another organization or partnership where we can hit so many different good things in just one partnership.”
