Blog

By David Schneck, PHS

On Thursday, June 29th I dropped in on the Summer Build-A-School-Garden Workshop put on by PHS at Tilden Middle School in Southwest Philadelphia.

I was treated to an inspiring and energetic morning with over 40 educators from around the region learning how to use gardening and classroom horticulture to reach young people. PHS has been training teachers in school gardening through the Green City Teacher’s program for more than 10 years, and this three-day training session is THE place to come if you want to get your hands dirty – quite literally – in the world of school gardening. You’ll come away with a raft of practical information and inspiration, and join an active and resourceful network of “Green City Teachers” who can help you along the way.

“It’s pretty unique in terms of the content knowledge plus ..."

By Sally McCabe
PHS Associate Director of Community Education

July 14-20, 2017

It's time to ...

1. Revel in basil.  

Basil is exploding in the garden right now in a huge variety of colors, flavors and textures, from the large lettuce-leaf basil to the delicate globe, and the dark purple opal ruffles to the African blue. And in wild scents, like the strong licorice scent of thai basil to the fruity-citrus smell of lemon.  Who knew there was such a mélange?!!  But, if you want it to keep having fat, tasty leaves for pesto, you need to keep deadheading.  Leave a few flowers here and there for the bees and hummingbirds to enjoy, but otherwise keep clipping them off to encourage branching and more foliage. Later in the season I’ll let the flowers ripen to save the seed or leave it for the winter birds, but for now, I take ...

By Sally McCabe
PHS Associate Director of Community Education

June 23-29, 2017

It's time to ...

Deadhead for longer bloom. This is best done while wearing tiedyes.  Remove flowers after they have bloomed.  This prevents pollinated flowers from making fruit or setting seeds, which causes the plant to “senesce” or get old and stop making new flowers. And while you’re in the "remove mood," pinch back the tops of coleus, and of fall-blooming perennials like chrysanthemums, asters and helianthus (I’m trying this on my Jerusalem artichoke sunflowers this year) to promote branching and make more flowers happen later in the season ...

By Noelle Blizzard

The first day of summer – also known as the summer solstice – is upon us. This means the warmest, most beautifully blooming season is just around the corner and it's finally time to celebrate. But, before we do, PHS is hard at work, building beautiful, healthy, more sustainable communities (today, and every day for that matter) and will celebrate accordingly!

Today at PHS ...

By Sally McCabe
PHS Associate Director of Community Education

June 16-22, 2017

It’s time to…

Take advantage of Fathers’ Day sales.  It’s not just for Dad! No matter your gender or offspring status, this is the week to stock up on everything tool-related.

1. Get to like the things you hate.  

Mulberries and snakes are very popular these days, and both can be useful if taken in small doses.  Snakes are eating all the annoying ground-dwelling bugs and small mammals, so leave them alone to get on with their business.  Mulberries, on the other hand, should be embraced. We loved them as kids, but as our palates got more discerning, we realized they taste like mush. But if you shake all the ripe ones off the branch and leave them for the snakes to guard, the not-quite-ripe ones are actually slightly tart and tasty ...

By Julie Bare
Estate Gardener, PHS Meadowbrook Farm

“I Love This Plant” Series - May

Let's talk about marginally hardy plants—

The gardeners at PHS Meadowbrook Farm are constantly pushing the boundaries of what is considered hardy in our cold hardiness zone, we are zone 6. When Mr. Pennock’s, founder of PHS Meadowbrook Farm, built his house at 1936, he positioned it so that the back of the house and the patio were facing directly south. Southern exposure is ideal for plants that like full sun. Southern expose coupled with a stone house and stone patio that retain heat make an ideal microclimate for growing plants that might not typically survive our winter without protection. 

Back in the 1940’s when Mr. Pennock was planting the first gardens around his house, he had access ...

By Noelle Blizzard

If summer in Philly could be summed up in one er, four words, they would be, PHS Pop Up Gardens.

PHS, and Philadelphia for that matter, are known locally and globally for terrific gardens and easy access to some of the most iconic green spaces, and now, some of those spaces have been enlivened with entertainment and refreshments for the enjoyment of all.

This year, residents and visitors alike will be able to take full advantage of two PHS Pop Up Garden locations all summer long.

The gardens promise enticing food, craft brews and botanical cocktails, games and entertainment … not to mention breathtaking garden views and flowers galore. Cool right?

By Sally McCabe, PHS Associate Director of Community Education

It all started with the ginkgos.  

I’ve had a ginkgo tree in front of every house I’ve lived in since becoming an adult, and I thought I knew everything there was to know about them. Especially the fruit. So I was very  surprised to learn that the fruit wasn’t even a fruit at all!  

When you get down to botany, ginkgo is considered a GYMNOSPERM, or “naked seed” plant. (As opposed to an ANGIOSPERM or a plant that flowers and then has the seeds enclosed within an ovary or fruit, of course.)  

(Like everybody already knows that, right?)  So because the ginkgo doesn’t exactly flower, the “fruit” is just a seed without ...

By Julie Bare

At PHS Meadowbrook Farm, as our tour season begins in April we can *finally* showcase the estate garden's gorgeous collection of azaleas and other spring blooming bulbs, shrubs, trees, and perennials. 

Visitors will also find the annual garden beds planted with all kinds of different spring blooming and cold weather tolerate annuals that seem to make each year a little different that the one before in the garden.

So let's talk spring blooming plants! This April, I am most looking forward to ...

This year I am especially looking forward to planting Osteospermum ‘Spider Pink’ (African daisy), it is a really ...

By Jenny Rose Carey – Director PHS Meadowbrook Farm

What strange weather we had in the Philadelphia area this early spring. 

Somehow, I think that I have heard that comment before in past springs, but, I do think that this spring was extra nasty, with heavy snow and sleet falling on top of already blooming daffodils, hellebores and some early fruit trees and rhododendrons.

So, what should we do about the damage? In some cases there is nothing that can be done except to wait and hope that not all flower buds were frost-killed and that another set of flowers will emerge. 

In other cases we may have lost all the flowers for the season. If they look too bad cut brown parts of twigs or leaves off – but in general the best thing to do ...

By Julie Bare

I may have a problem; I currently have over 100 house plants!  At this point, I can’t picture my house without house plants. 

They help clean the air, they can be conversation starters, and they are just pleasant to have around. 

I often hear people say that they kill all house plants. To that I say -- that’s okay! 

Killing plants is a learning experience! It teaches you what not to do or what not to buy. 

Some plants are just harder to grow than others. There are a handful of house plants out there that are ...

By Erin Quiles

Botanical jewelry fills the Philadelphia Flower Show Artistic Class with style and flare every year. When you look at all of the entered botanical jewels, it is hard to believe you can’t put them on and wear them for a night out on the town. They are that realistic, and made entirely of plant material.

The creations are judged on design, craftsmanship, originality, interpretation of theme, and distinction. Some designers choose to feature the plants they use in a natural display, while others use the material to mimic jewelry you could buy at the store.

The process of creating something so beautiful may seem daunting. But Mimi Favre, the Chair of the Jewelry Classes, explains that anyone can exhibit ...