Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage is certified as a Level III Arboretum by the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council.
Urban trees and green spaces play a vital role in air quality. The Hermitage is comprised of 1,120 acres of largely green spaces with forest areas and fields interspersed with trees. The Hermitage Arboretum has nearly 100 trees, including two Davidson County Champion American holly trees, six nearly 200 year-old cedar trees that line the mansion carriage drive, 19 species of oak trees and, of course, five species of hickory trees for “Old Hickory,” Andrew Jackson’s nickname.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR TREE SPECIES
What is an arboretum?
An arboretum is a collection of trees and shrubs, grown and maintained for educational and scientific purposes.
Take an arboretum tour.
Get a first-hand look at The Hermitage arboretum and join in conversation about our efforts to maintain these trees and shrubs for educational and scientific purposes. Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage is certified as a Level III Arboretum by the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council. The arboretum has nearly 100 trees, including two Davidson County Champion American holly trees, six nearly 200-year-old cedar trees that line the mansion carriage drive, 19 species of oak trees and, of course, five species of hickory trees for “Old Hickory,” Andrew Jackson’s nickname. The Hermitage is comprised of 1,120 acres of largely green spaces with forest areas and fields interspersed with trees.
The Digging In: Arboretum Tour is an hour-long walking tour of the arboretum with a member of our garden team. Tickets also include a Grounds Pass, granting Arboretum Tour guests access to the Born for a Storm exhibit, the Jackson film, historic garden, historic buildings (excluding the interior of the Hermitage mansion) and more.
Offered quarterly, on the third Thursday of the month.
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The Grounds History
The Hermitage that Andrew Jackson knew had trees within the fenced yard of the mansion and inside the garden. Since the land had been cleared for farm fields and work yards, few trees existed near the mansion.
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Beautifying the Land
In 1889, The Hermitage became a museum, and generations of its stewards heavily planted the property with trees to “beautify” it.
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Planting an Arboretum
In 1968, the first arboretum at The Hermitage was planted at Tulip Grove Mansion. Many of those original arboretum trees form the foundation of today’s Hermitage Arboretum.
Download a Map of The Hermitage Arboretum
Arboretum trees are identified with a sign that has a QR code that links to additional information about each one.
FAQs
Why are trees important?
Trees are essential to our lives. Trees provide habitat, capture rainfall and help control urban storm water runoff, provide shade, reduce excessive temperatures and remove dust and pollutants from the air. Trees also provide a number of intangible benefits to people, such as year-round beauty and reduced stress.
Visit Our Arboretum
Guided tours are held quarterly. Contact Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage for more information.