Bringing the outside back in at the Philadelphia Flower Show

After two seasons outside at FDR Park in South Philly, the iconic Philadelphia Flower Show will open next month at the Philadelphia Convention Center.

In its return indoors the Flower Show will adopt the concept of a winding promenade. Departing from how previous Shows have been laid out, this path design will create a lush, self-guided experience for guests to view and engage with the stunning gardens and flowers up close.

As Seth Pearsoll, Creative Director of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) describes, “This year, we’re working hard to create a … fully immersive experience for our Flower Show attendees. Design choices are intentionally being made to mimic the feel of being outdoors in nature by creating larger displays that surround guests, and our lineup of exhibitors is incredible,” he said.

PHS has invited several designers to create gardens ranging from 2,200 to 2,900 square feet, the largest gardens ever seen at the event. This will continue the immersive experience of the previous two outdoor Shows, enveloping guests in a 360-degree floral world that can be experienced from multiple viewpoints.

Across centuries and cultures, the acts of giving and receiving flowers spark joy. It’s this particular feeling of delight that PHS plans to create at its 195th annual Flower Show, through the theme “The Garden Electric.” Says Pearsoll, “Every exhibitor is creating a unique, spectacular interpretation of the theme, filled with bold color and interesting design elements that will really captivate our guests while the promenade-style path ensures that all visitors can closely enjoy these stunning works of art.”

The Entrance Garden design will create a sense of mystery and intrigue through the use of a transparent mesh scrim that hints of the opulent and lush floral world awaiting beyond. Plants and flowers silhouetted on the exterior of the space will invite guests through a grey hued entrance. Stepping inside, guests will experience a jolt of floral magic celebrating the unique feeling of awe, excitement, and celebration that one experiences when encountering great beauty. By using the scrim to conceal and encapsulate the space, guests will be enveloped in a world of unique floral pairings, textures, light, fragrance, and vibrant colors; creating an immersive, sensory experience that captures the feeling of this year’s Flower Show theme.

In addition to feature gardens created by professional designers from around the world, the Show will include the usual competitive categories for non-professionals. These include windowsill decoration, doorway decoration, miniature floral design, arrangements, botanical jewelry, and more.

The PHS Hamilton Horticourt will also return this year in a new, central location within the show’s layout, allowing Show attendees to easily peruse the myriad of award-winning plants and flowers entered into PHS’s competitive classes. This display will showcase new competitive class entrants for categories such as forced cut branches, citrus, and several new classes in arrangements, including a new invitational class that will invite top floral designers to compete.

For those of you who remember attending presentations on the floor of the Show, note that there will not be a Gardener’s Studio this year. However, butterflies will be back (separate ticket), there will be live music daily, and make-and-take opportunities as well.

The Show begins Saturday, March 4, at 10 a.m. and closes Sunday, March 12, at 6 p.m. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to https://phsonline.org/the-flower-show Note: joining PHS supports its many community programs and also gets you a discount on tickets.

Pam Baxter is an avid organic vegetable gardener who lives in Kimberton. Direct e-mail to pamelacbaxter@gmail. com, or send mail to P.O. Box 80, Kimberton, PA 19442. Pam’s nature-related books for children and families are available on Amazon, at Amazon.com/author/ pamelabaxter.