There is a tree I spent most of my life not noticing, despite its very obvious existence right in front of both my childhood home and my grandmother’s home. Once I did notice them though, they quickly became my new favorite. At maturity, linden trees can become quite a stately and dignified tree, with broad architecture and deep green heart shaped leaves. Lindens also produce a thick, sweet fragrance during very early summer, often described as containing honey and citrus like notes. The flowers are small and discreet, and unless you are familiar with it, the scent would be difficult to trace back to the source, which I think makes lindens unexpectedly alluring. Most of the blooms are gone by now, but the Littleleaf Linden (Tilia cordata, U-0822) near the Woodland Garden has a few fragrant flowers left, so you may be able to catch it!

The Great Lawn boasts our largest beech tree, our largest black oak, a significant katsura tree, but tucked in the corner of lawn next to the Conifer Garden is the largest linden we have as well. Tilia x europaea (U-FL76), also known as the common linden or the common lime in Britain. This tree is a hybrid of two other species that occur naturally in Europe, Tilia cordata (littleleaf linden) and Tilia platyphyllos (big-leaf linden), both of which are represented in our collections. This common linden is original to the collection, which means it existed before we began documenting and accessioning all of the trees here at Bayard Cutting Arboretum. It’s likely that it is around 75 years old, and it has grown into an impressive shade tree. Tilia x europaea blooms a little earlier than Tilia cordata (little leaf linden), but this tree is still worth a visit even without the scent.

Most of our lindens are on the older side, so to ensure that future generations can enjoy this amazing tree we are now planning a succession planting of younger trees within the next couple of years. As older trees age out and we make other changes to our landscape, we are being provided with new opportunities to expand the age and diversity of our linden collection.

-Jessica O'Callahan, Horticulture Coordinator

In June, we have welcomed six interns for the season! We are always excited to add new, energetic people to the team. This year every intern is a Long Island native traveling from all over the island. Each has unique backgrounds, hobbies and horticultural interests. Their studies and interests range from forestry, permaculture, natives, farming, plant health, sustainability, environmental science and more! We are so pleased to have fresh faces join us in our love for the arboretum and nature itself. It has been a wonderful few weeks and the whole staff is thrilled to have help.

Our internship program is robust with education and hands on experience working with our staff. One intern is solely working on our CSA farm to gain farming skills. The other five interns will be exposed to the grounds. The interns started the first week with proper training and introduction to Bayard Cutting Arboretum's gardens. They learn how to plant, transplant, weed, mulch, operate tools, and public garden protocols. After training, the interns are placed in a biweekly rotation where they are exposed to different gardens and environments. Interns also have the opportunity to go on biweekly field trips to other gardens throughout Long Island. Their first trip was to the Cloisters to learn about Medieval gardens and to see them in practice! We encourage each intern to fulfill an individual project that they are passionate about and will benefit the arboretum. Lastly, we have weekly group projects which allows everyone to work together and tackle large tasks.

One of the group tasks was to spend time in the Friendship Garden, planting native species. They removed invasive weeds and designed the layout for the plants. Then they planted fern, aster, golden rod, and iris. This was a great project to learn all aspects of garden design and maintenance. Another design task was to plant the woody border along the parking lot. The annuals were removed and heuchera, carex, skimmia and holly were planted. They also got hands on training with a beech leaf disease and pruning workshop!

The arboretum is full of constant projects and upkeep that could not be done without our interns' help. We have great appreciation for their hard work and cannot wait for the rest of the summer to unfold!

-Joy Arden, Landscape Curator

A new glimpse into the Juniper Pavilion in the Old Pinetum.

Cost per person: $40

For more info and to sign up: website

Join certified forest therapy guide, Linda Lombardo of Wild Heart Nature Connection, on a walk to reconnect with the natural world around us.

We have introduced an abundance of education programs and classes starting this spring. There are preschool classes, elementary classes, story hour, and more coming!

The best way to see all that BCA has to offer is to take a “Grounds Tour” that is guided by a friendly and knowledgeable docent. We are offering free tours every Wednesday and Saturday at 10:30 am. We offer private grounds tours at $10 per person with a minimum of 10 on the tour. We hope to see you and your friends soon!

House tours will be starting again on Saturday, March 5th. They are held at 1:00 pm on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Attic tours will also start March 5th at 2:30 pm and continue on Fridays and Saturdays. Call (631) 581-1002 to register for a tour!

Workshops: watercolor, acrylic, fiber

For more info and to sign up: website

The Bayard Cutting Arboretum offers an array of art workshops in the mediums of painting, sculpture, metal-sculpting, mosaics, and more! Learn from our group of local, working professionals and jump-start your journey into art today.

The gift shop will be open on Thursday - Sunday from 11am-4pm. Stop by at the Manor House to visit the gift shop!