The Arboretum

The Mary May Binney Wakefield Arboretum takes its name and purpose from Mary “Polly” Wakefield,
who lived most of her life at the historic Davenport estate. Following Polly’s death in 2004, the purpose
of the Mary May Binney Wakefield Arboretum was established, according to her will, to carry on the
legacy of Polly Wakefield and her vision for a citizenry engaged and knowledgeable about the
environment surrounding it.

An accomplished amateur designer, advocate, plant propagator and plant collector, Polly’s tenure and
interest in horticulture and propagation left an especially heavy imprint on the existing landscape at the
Wakefield Estate including many unique vegetative features, several nurseries, and outbuildings.
Evidence of its earlier agricultural use in the 18th and 19th centuries was somewhat obscured by the
changes associated with its transformation into a 20th century gentlemen’s farm, and later use by Polly
as a site for her experimentation and propagation.

Today, we continue her legacy adding new plant material focusing on native and non-native plants. The
organization carries out Polly’s wishes and vision to transform her family’s historic property into a place
of life-long participatory learning. The arboretum offers programs, events , memberships and volunteer
opportunities.

Dogwood Days

Dogwoods Days at the Mary May Binney Wakefield Arboretum is the annual celebration of the legacy of Polly Wakefield’s collection of over 300 dogwood trees in full bloom. Dogwood Days 2025 features diverse events designed to showcase the spectacular late-spring blooms and appeal to all ages.

ArbNet Certified Arboretum

ArbNet created its Arboretum Accreditation Program to establish and share a widely recognized set
of industry standards for the purpose of unifying the arboretum community. No other international
program of accreditation exists that is specific to arboreta. Any arboretum or public garden with a
substantial focus on woody plants may apply. Accreditation is based on self-assessment and
documentation of an arboretum’s level of achievement of accreditation standards, including planning,
governance, number of species, staff or volunteer support, education and public programming, and tree
science research and conservation.