Every March, the Philadelphia Horticultural Society creates a showcase of extravagant floral arrangements, gardening seminars, and nature-themed craft markets. This is my second year, and after the great time I had last year, I wanted to share my experience with this year’s “Gardens of Tomorrow” theme. As a gardener, I learned much about sustainable gardening and plant science.
“Gardens of Tomorrow” highlighted sustainable gardening and the incorporation of technology into botany and plant science. Some guest speakers presented panels including creating a bee-friendly garden, “dig-free” gardening to avoid soil disturbance, and tips and tricks for growing hydrangeas. If you’ve never tried to grow hydrangeas before, I can tell you that they are a fascinating plant to grow because the acidity of the soil determines their color (pink, blue, or purple).
Another interesting exhibit showcased glass-based soil as an ecologically friendly alternative. Although soil itself is a natural product, the process of collecting and selling it in gardening centers disrupts ecological processes and although it seems to be everywhere, soil is a non-renewable resource because it takes a long time to naturally form and cannot keep up with humans’ use of it. Glass is made up mainly of sand, which is a key soil component, so recycled glass bottles can be broken down into a faux sandy soil.
The Philadelphia Flower Show is also known for its stunning floral displays and “scenes,”. A section of the display floor was dedicated to how flowers can be used for home décor, such as along windows or in this beautiful patio setup. This was one of their larger displays, as many of them were focused on making the most out of small spaces. In a large city where many people only have their windows and kitchen counters to grow plants, we have to be creative.
In addition to the botanical artwork, the flower show also has a marketplace for vendors to sell nature-themed crafts, jewelry, and food. While much of it was a little pricy, it was fun to walk around and window shop at the incredible artwork people were selling. This year, I bought some stickers and pins for my backpack, herbal tea, and a small art print. If you plan on visiting the flower show next year, I definitely recommend saving up some money because it is a shopping trip as much as it is a learning experience. General admission tickets are $40-50, depending on the date you select, but students aged 18-24 can purchase a discounted $25-30 ticket.
The Philadelphia Flower Show is on my list of “must-see” attractions in Philadelphia, so bring a camera and your greenest outfit and check it out!