PHS Partner Location
Discover the rich tapestry of plants that bring beauty and seasonal interest to one of Philadelphia’s most treasured landscapes. Join Master Gardener and Washington Square steward Robin Potter for a guided walk through this historic 6.4-acre park, where trees, shrubs, and plants combine to create a welcoming urban oasis.
Along the way, learn about notable plantings, seasonal highlights, and the care and stewardship that sustain one of William Penn’s original public squares. Managed by Independence National Historical Park and cared for in partnership with the Society Hill Civic Association, Washington Square offers a unique blend of horticulture, history, and civic life in Philadelphia.
Robin Potter is a longtime Master Gardener, PHS volunteer, and volunteer gardener of Washington Square. Following a successful career in the financial services software industry, she pursued her passion for horticulture and arboriculture through the Barnes Foundation’s Arboretum School and became a Camden County Master Gardener.
Robin is a former Chair of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society Board of Directors and has served in numerous volunteer leadership roles, including as a Tree Tenders trainer and co-chair of the Philadelphia Flower Show Early Morning Tours. She has also served with the Haddonfield Shade Tree Commission and the Nature Conservancy of Pennsylvania. Robin holds degrees from Swarthmore College, Harvard University, the Wharton School, and is dedicated to sharing her love of plants and public gardens with others.
SPECIAL NOTES:
The tour guides will meet the group in front of The Athenaeum of Philadelphia. The tour will be approximately 45 minutes and entail standing and walking on uneven ground.
We will not be deterred by a little rain! If more extreme weather is in the forecast, registrants will be contacted that morning to reschedule on the rain date.
Attendees must make their own travel arrangements to and from the tour. Paid on-street parking is available, as well as garage parking at Independence Place and Hopkinson House condominiums on S 6th Street, just south of the square.
July 18, 2026
Free
The Athenaeum of Philadelphia, 219 S 6th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106