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The Flower Show

Bouquet of Stories

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Bouquet of Stories: Celebrating Philadelphia’s Gardening Heritage  

Bouquet of Stories explores three centuries of gardening history through rare objects, photographs, and stories of the growers, dreamers, and changemakers who cultivated beauty and community through gardening.  

From immigrant seed traditions and trailblazing women to neighborhood greening movements and the Philadelphia Flower Show, Bouquet of Stories reveals how gardening has served as an act of creativity and resilience for generations of Philadelphians. Along the way, visitors will discover the untold stories behind Philadelphia's enduring influence on American horticulture and perhaps recognize their- own stories in the gardens that continue to shape the city today. 

Presented by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society as a part of its 200th anniversary celebration and in joint partnership with The Athenaeum of Philadelphia, this free exhibition features stories from the communities that made Philadelphia one of America's great gardening cities.  

Free Admission
 

Plan Your Visit

Opening: November 6, 2026

Closing: January 30, 2027

 

Ticket Price

Free

Location

The Athenaeum of Philadelphia                              219 S. 6th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106-3794                                   East side of Washington Square, below Walnut St.

View in Google Maps

 

Hours

Monday: 9:00am - 7:00pm
Tuesday: 9:00am - 5:00pm
Wednesday: 10:00am - 5:00pm
Thursday: 9:00am - 5:00pm
Friday: 9:00am - 5:00pm
Saturday: 10:00am - 3:00pm

Telephone                                                 

215-925-2688

Accessibility

The Athenaeum is accessible to persons with disabilities.

One accessible parking space is available in The Athenaeum garden. Visitors with special needs can enter the building via a ramp from the rear parking lot. An elevator to all three stories and an accessible restroom are available on the first floor.

See more information on the "Plan your Visit" page. 

Images from Bouquet of Stories

Edgar Allen Poe School Garden, 1900s-1920s
Victory Garden, 1940s
Pennsylvania School of Horticulture for Women, 1940s
Woman sitting with container gardens, 1950s
Philadelphia Flower Show set-up, 1970s
PCDC Chinatown Community Garden, 1980s

Sign up for Bouquet of Stories Events

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EXHIBITION OPENING & LECTURE: Bouquet of Stories: Celebrating Philadelphia’s Gardening Heritage

November 06, 2026

5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Thank you to our partner: The Athenaeum of Philadelphia
Bouquet of Stories has been supported by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage.
The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage is a multidisciplinary grantmaker and hub for knowledge-sharing, funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts, and dedicated to fostering a vibrant cultural community in Greater Philadelphia. The Center invests in ambitious, imaginative, and catalytic work that showcases the region’s cultural vitality and enhances public life, and engages in an exchange of ideas concerning artistic and interpretive practice with a broad network of cultural practitioners and leaders.