“Flower Power” was in full effect at the 2019 PHS Philadelphia Flower
Show, which paid tribute to the enormous impact of flowers on our lives, from March 2 to 10 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. With spring just around the corner, visitors celebrated the 50th anniversary of Woodstock and witnessed one of the world’s most prestigious floral
design competitions, the FTD World Cup 2019 (Click here to see the FTD through the eyes of a breeder)
The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society produces the award-winning Philadelphia Flower Show in order to engage people in its mission of using horticulture to advance the greater good by driving positive environmental and social change. This year, over 245,000 visitors explored ten acres of exhibits, featuring imaginative interpretations of this year’s theme – from stunning landscapes and delightful gardens to breathtaking creations by the world’s top floral designers – that provided guests with inspiration and ideas for their own backyards.
Returning to the U.S. for the first time since 1985, the FTD World Cup brought together award winning designers from 23 countries for an intense competition to produce exquisite, larger than-life floral creations. By the end of opening weekend, Australia’s Bart Hassam emerged victorious from a group of world-class competitors, with Russia and Hungary placing second and third, respectively. PHS was honored to host the world-renowned competition, which was streamed around the globe and experienced by the visitors at the Show.
Cultural influences from the 1960s could be felt throughout the Show, starting with throwback tunes and Pop Art-inspired elements from Warhol and Lichtenstein welcoming guests into the Entrance Garden. The opening night Preview Party fundraiser and a Beatlemania-hemed
dance party at “Flowers After Hours” featured performances by a Fab Four cover band. Guests walked the Show with flowers in their hair and were transported back to the Summer of Love with Woodstock-inspired exhibits.
In one of the Flower Show’s time-honored traditions, veteran gardeners and novice green thumbs vied for a blue ribbon by entering plants in the competitive classes. This year, 616 Horticourt exhibitors brought 5,955 entries in various categories to the Show – 111 more
exhibitors and 628 more entries than last year. Popularity also grew in the Artistic and Design Classes with 371 entries, including 49 in the new Photography class.
The spirit of competition was also shared by many public, private and parochial schools in the region that hosted Junior Flower Shows with PHS. Students from 12 schools submitted 264 entries in the Horticourt and Design classes while 32 schools hosted Junior Flower Shows with
PHS. In total, more than 4,000 students participated in “Flower power”-inspired activities that cultivated a love of horticulture in young people.
“We are so grateful to the guests, volunteers, exhibitors and PHS members who made the 2019 Philadelphia Flower Show such a fantastic success,” said Matt Rader, PHS President. “For the PHS community, every day is an opportunity to experience the power of flowers, plants and gardening, and we were honored to share that with visitors from around the world this year. Our work to advance the greater good through horticulture continues all year long, and we invite everyone to participate in our cause.”
Made possible by a dedicated, diverse group of more than 3,000 volunteers, the Flower Show helps support PHS’s work. PHS uses horticulture to build social connections, create access to healthy food, grow economic opportunity, and create more livable environments for the Greater Philadelphia region and beyond. As the organization approaches its 200th anniversary in 2027, PHS is focusing all of its work – including the Flower Show – to increase its impact in these
four areas, based on the critical needs identified by communities across the region.
Planning is already underway for the 2020 Philadelphia Flower Show, which will take guests on a “Riviera Holiday” from February 29 to March 8 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The show will celebrate the lush, exotic plants and sun-drenched landscapes of the
Mediterranean climate, which can be found from Europe’s southern coast, to America’s West Coast, to the Western Cape of South Africa, to central Chile, to southwestern Australia. “Riviera Holiday” will be a global tour of color, sense, and captivating beauty.
For more information about the PHS Philadelphia Flower Show and to purchase tickets, visit www.theflowershow.com and follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
For information and on The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, visit PHSonline.org.