Waldor Orchids display at the Philadelphia Flower Show.
PHILADELPHIA – The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society announced today it will completely reimagine its Philadelphia Flower Show to allow for a new, safe experience in a historic Philadelphia park that will provide all of the beauty and horticultural inspiration that guests have experienced for more than 192 years and so much more.
The Philadelphia Flower Show will take place June 5 – 13, 2021 at the historic Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park in South Philadelphia, which locals refer to as “down the lakes,” taking advantage of the park’s inspiring natural beauty and expansive central location adjacent to South Philadelphia’s Sports Complex area.
The Flower Show’s move to an outdoor venue, the first time in its history, will allow for new creative expression and horticultural displays as well as social distancing and the health benefits of being outside.
This departure from the show’s typical late winter timing is in response to the pandemic. PHS has been working closely with event experts and city officials to plan for a safe environment that will include timed and date specific ticketing that limits attendance at any given time and allows for social distancing and other safety precautions.
“We are thrilled to be able to celebrate the outdoors and offer joy and beauty after a year that has been marked by so many challenges. This experience is a wonderful example of the enduring and combined power of green space, plants, and gardeners to create impact and inspiration,” said Chief of Shows and Events Sam Lemheney.
The expanded show will cover 15 acres allowing for a spectacular presentation of the nation’s most looked-to gardening and floral attraction. This new format will introduce many exciting new features while continuing to include cherished elements of traditional Philadelphia flower show. The show raises funds to support health and wellbeing through PHS programs, such as those that bolster food security and tree canopy in communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic throughout the region.
The early June dates at the height of the growing season provide a multitude of opportunities for gardeners to get inspired and get growing after their Show visit. Visitors will have an entirely new themed experience that will take place within three distinct “Districts” that feature all manner of plants, design and gardening and created for all skill levels.
Throughout the event, impressive landscapes and architecture abound. FDR Park, a registered historical district, was built to the design of Olmsted Brothers, the firm of Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. and John Charles Olmsted in the early 20th century. With walkable pathways, majestic trees and breathtaking views, FDR Park is an inspiring venue that contributes to the splendor that the Flower Show is known for while also being accessible by mass transit and car.
Public safety is a critical component for the upcoming show and adherence to recommendations from the CDC and city/state health officials is paramount to show planning. Timed and dated entry as well as cleaning and social distancing guidelines are part of the early plans. PHS will continue to work closely with health officials leading up to the show..
For more details regarding the 2021 Philadelphia Flower Show, see PHSonline.org.
Enjoy some photos from the 2019 show.
FDR PARK –1500 Pattison Avenue and S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park (FDR Park) is Philadelphia’s iconic 348-acre park carved out of the tidal marshes in South Philadelphia. Designed by the Olmsted Brothers in 1914, FDR Park’s sequence of picturesque lakes with adjacent lawns are connected by a network of carriage and foot paths. In 1926, the park hosted the national Sesquicentennial Exhibition and several grand civic buildings, including the iconic Boathouse, opened for the first time.
Today, FDR Park hosts a playground, four baseball diamonds, a renowned skate park, a network of lakes, the Swedish American Museum, and 126 acres of woodland. In 2019, after engaging with nearly 3,000 community members and stakeholders, Philadelphia Parks and Recreation and the Fairmount Park Conservancy published a master plan to reimagine a historic Olmsted Park to serve 21st century Philadelphians. The plan, designed by WRT, creates an ecologically sustainable vision for FDR Park that inspires investment, meets the needs of all users today and tomorrow, and focuses on resiliency in the face of a changing climate.
Read more at: https://myphillypark.org/what-we-do/capital-projects/fdr-park/
