The Philadelphia Flower Show

100 Years of Our National Parks – The Philadelphia Flower Show Reaches New Heights

Last night I had the wonderful opportunity to tour the Philadelphia Flower Show with the Garden Writers Association.  The event is always something that I look forward to because it provides a wonderful view of the show before it’s complete and without the crowds. 

I have seen shows for over 30 years and I can honestly say that this is the most moving of all the shows that I can remember.  The theme of the national parks strikes an emotion in me that puts our country into an historical context of time, space, and dimension that has past, yet that exists in the present and is preserved for the future.  The national parks are time capsules of our vast 

country.  They provide glimpses of naturally formed monoliths like Arches National Park – a park that I will never forget visiting. Robertson’s Flowers and Events created their rendition of Arches National Park in Postcards from Arches (above).  The warm terracotta tones brings to life the feel of the warm hues of the park’s setting with its red sandstone formations. ​

Death Valley National Park in all its heat and desolation springs forth new life after the rainy period. Spring flowers emerge from the newly moistened earth to give a brilliant display.  Moda botanica creates the scene in the design Death Valley Super-Bloom. I talked to the designer who was arranging the exhibit – with buckets of flowers surrounding him - he said the colors have to be just right. (first image on the  left) 

The entry exhibit of Big Timber Lodge, the signature structure found in many of the parks was executed to perfection by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.  The big timber beams – massive in size – conveyed the vastness of the parks and their importance to our nation.  The animal totems nestled in the 

beams and the giant buffalo (above) and grizzly bear are reminders of our great wilderness that our country envelops. 

The warmth of giant elk antler chandeliers created the fiery glow found in the giant fireplaces in these lodges.   
​Our own Independence National Historic Park was brilliantly and boldly exemplified in the rendition by Burke Brothers Landscape Design/Build in the exhibit entitled The People’s Promenade. The Liberty Bell takes center stage suspended over the lawn and plantings. (second image on the right) One could not help notice the small plaque and tribute in the exhibit to Sean Burke who died in January of this year.  One of the founders of Burke Brothers. 

The wolf that was recreated in the exhibit Yellowstone – After the Fire by Stoney Bank Nurseries was made of Cryptomeria japonica (Japanese cryptomeria).  The details in this one animal was incredible and life-like.  (Below) 

I have to mention Temple University’s student exhibit After the Blast: Recollecting Roots and Resources at Hopewell Furnace inspired by Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site. Our students pulled off another stellar vignette, which included an herb garden situated in rustic baskets and a vegetable roof garden. (Picture of the mill race on the right side-below.)  

Williamson College of the Trades created The Appalachian Trail, “The People’s Trail” bringing back memories of my own experience of hiking along the Appalachian Tail. (above-left) 
If you haven’t been to the Philadelphia Flower Show before – make this the year you attend!  Rangers from various parks throughout the country will be on hand to answer questions and there will be live feed coming in from parks all over the nation.  You won’t want to miss it!! 
​

Sources

The Philadelphia Flower Show http://theflowershow.com/
Robertson’s Flowers https://www.robertsonsflowers.com/
Moda botanica http://modabotanicadesign.blogspot.com/
The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society http://phsonline.org/
Burke Brothers Landscape Design/Build http://www.burkebrothers.com/
Stoney Bank Nursery http://stoneybanknurseries.com/
Temple University http://www.temple.edu/ambler/la-hort/default.html
Williamson College of the Trades https://www.williamson.edu/