Now is the time to think about planning your trip to the Philadelphia Flower Show, the nation’s largest and longest running flower show in North America. This year the show will run from Saturday, March 5, through Sunday, March 13. The theme is “Explore America: 100 Years of the National Park Service.” In the Flower Show’s acres of trails, exhibits and attractions, guests will discover the range of horticulture in the national landscape, including the rainbow of wildflowers, desert blooms, coastal flora, verdant meadows, fragrant pinelands, and ancient redwoods. The Flower Show also will tell the diverse stories that forged the United States with exhibits inspired by the nation’s monuments and places where history happened. “Explore America” will spotlight Independence National Historical Park, Lincoln’s birthplace, Liberty Island, and other sites honoring our national heritage. Visitors will start their Flower Show adventure in the “Big Timber Lodge,” an interpretation of classic park architecture of wood and stone, enhanced by Native American-inspired art, sculpted animals, floral totems, and a dazzling waterfall. Spectacular imagery spanning the breadth of the park system will come to life on multiple overhead screens, as sounds of thundering bison and songbirds transport visitors into the wild. Guests will have the opportunity to follow three trails through the show floor, leading them to exhibits that exemplify the natural beauty, history, and culture of the sites maintained by the National Park Service.
The Flower Show is held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, 12th and Arch Street, but you don’t have to drive there by yourself. In the Washington DC metropolitan area, there are several coach bus trips that make it easy to access the show. Coach bus companies offer trips, and many nurseries, garden clubs, Master Gardener groups, public gardens, and park systems offer day trips to the Convention Center. Green Spring Gardens, Brookside Gardens, and Greenstreet Gardens offer bus trips, contact them directly for more information. The Washington Gardener magazine offers two trips on different days: one from Behnkes Nursery and one from Silver Spring. Check out the various venues for date/time of departure, meeting locations, and prices which could include admission ticket, food, or entertainment. This is a walk-till-you-drop event: wear tennis shoes and bring your camera!
- Green Spring Gardens http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring (703) 642-5173
- Brookside Gardens http://www.montgomeryparks.org/brookside (301) 962-1400
- Greenstreet Gardens http://www.greenstreetgardens.com (703) 998-3030
- Behnke Nurseries http://www.behnkes.com (301) 937-1100
- Washington Gardener magazine, Kathy Jentz, http://www.washingtongardener.com (301) 588-6894
