Flower Show Preview: look what’s coming to FDR Park
Visitors to FDR park have seen the work for weeks now, with redirected traffic patterns, and portions of the park near the American Swedish Historical Museum (ASHM) being cordoned off as huge tents have been erected. A veritable army of security and construction personel are bringing the 2021 Philadelphia Flower Show, “Habitat: Nature’s Masterpiece” to life at a scale that feels reminiscent of 1926 when League Island Park became a site of the Sesquicentennial Exposition of American Independence (the exhibition that inspired the building of the ASHM).
After careful consultation of the farmer’s almanac for the optimal weather and seasonal blooms, The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society decided that “Habitat: Nature’s Masterpiece” will take place June 5-13 this year, featuring more than 75 floral installations and designers – the most in the storied exhibitions 193-year history. With 34 major exhibitors creating the extravagant displays the Flower Show is famed for, and spanning 15 acres, these unique displays will take advantage of the outdoor setting and the late spring seasonal blooms for maximum impact.
Taking place at the height of the gardening season, the show presents the new possibility for guests to experience seasonal flora. The early summer timing, the outdoor location, the Show’s new District layout, more shopping opportunities, and outdoor-centric add-on activities allow a safe, exciting experience for all ages.
In three distinct “districts” Design, Plant, and Garden, the PHS show will offer dozens of additional floral and landscape gardens, educational experiences, and horticultural exhibits throughout show grounds for visitors to view and interact with.
The three districts each will include displays, shopping, education, interactive experiences, and themed food and beverages catering to the interests of enthusiasts at all skill levels in accordance with their theme. The Design District, the stunning centerpiece of the Show, will provide guests with a 360° view of large-scale floral and landscape displays. The Plant District is a showcase of plants at their peak of perfection, while the Garden District is the educational area of the Show where guests learn how to bring new gardening ideas to life at home.
The 2021 show will also welcome 8 first time major exhibitors, with unique and personal sensibilities. With displays spanning native, low-maintenance plants to artistically innovative sculptural floral design, there is an horticultural aesthetic for every visitor’s taste. As always, visitors will be able to learn about flower and plant species from prominent floral and plant societies or interact directly with dozens of smaller gardens, allowing them to bring their knowledge to their own homes and gardens.
PHS itself is an exhibitor. Its Gardeners Green will take visitors on a journey through multiple garden “habitats”—from a formal kitchen garden with parterre-style beds, to espalier fruit-tree tunnels, from an edible landscape to a greenhouse overflowing with seedlings. Showcasing beautiful, creative, sustainable, and practical approaches to enhancing everyday living through horticulture – from front yards, to kitchen gardens, edible landscaping, even rain gardens, the Gardeners Green is the heart of the educational arm of the show.
Experts will be on hand to customize guest visits, answer questions, and share techniques and ideas with downloadable subject guides tailored to plant lovers’ needs. Each day, gardening experts will be on hand to provide visitors with a personalized experience, sharing ideas, solutions, and inspiration specific to each gardener’s unique tastes, growing conditions, and amount of gardening space. Guests can gain new ideas and approaches and get answers to their most challenging gardening topics.
Expanding to 450,000 square feet of exhibits, activities, and open space, this year’s show will be 45% increase in scale from previous Flower Shows held inside the Philadelphia Convention Center. The increased footprint will offer new experiences for its audience, while also adhering to best practices regarding social distancing.
Public safety is a critical component for the upcoming Show, focused on guests and staff alike. This year’s Show will feature reserved tickets for morning or afternoon sessions, with other health and safety requirements such as: maximum occupancy limits; required masks; social distancing; and strict adherence to recommendations from the CDC and City/State health officials to keep all Flower Show attendees safe.
The PHS Philadelphia Flower Show
June 5 – 13, 2021
FDR Park
1500 Pattison Avenue & South Broad Street
Philadelphia, PA 19145
