The 2027 Philadelphia Flower Show, ICONIC, celebrates the extraordinary influence of the garden and the lasting mark it has made on creative culture. 

Icons shape culture. They influence how we live and what we create, leaving an imprint across time. For thousands of years, our relationship with plants has shaped our daily rituals and creative expression. The garden’s presence is all around us: in Claude Monet’s Water Lilies paintings, the floral patterns on our clothing, and even the décor that graces our homes. It’s there in the scent of a rose that becomes perfume, or the edible floral and plant garnishes that dress up a cocktail or delicious plate of food. What begins with plants becomes part of everyday life, often in ways we take for granted. 

As PHS celebrates its 200th anniversary in 2027, ICONIC explores the garden as muse, tracing its influence in our lives across art, design, fashion, food, architecture, literature, film, and beyond. Through imaginative gardens, floral artistry, and horticultural displays, the Flower Show invites visitors to look at the garden in new ways and discover the extraordinary ideas it continues to inspire. 

What Inspired the 2027 Philadelphia Flower Show Theme? 

For Vice President and Creative Director of the PHS Philadelphia Flower Show Seth Pearsoll, ICONIC started with a simple question: What does it mean for something to be iconic? 

“We started to think about these timeless elements within PHS and in gardening,” Seth says. “They are above trends, they are evergreen, they are lasting.” 

That idea became the foundation for the 2027 Philadelphia Flower Show theme. Gardening has evolved across cultures, generations, and artistic movements, but its ability to inspire remains constant. “Gardening is a timeless practice,” Seth says. 

One example he noted is the humble garden bench. An everyday feature of a garden or public space, a bench can become the setting for countless moments that center the garden as the inspiration for creativity or life moments. “You can read or write a book, you can draw or paint, you can fall in love, you can play with your child, but in each of those moments the garden is the muse, acting as the setting, inspiring what we create and how we connect with one another,” Seth says. 

That same idea will appear throughout the Flower Show, where familiar garden elements and scenes will be transformed into unexpected artistic moments. The hope is that visitors leave seeing the gardens and public spaces around them a little differently. 

Five Iconic Pennsylvania Public Gardens Come to the Flower Show 

For the first time, PHS will bring together five of Pennsylvania’s renowned public gardens for the Pennsylvania Public Gardens Showcase. 

Visitors will experience gardens created by icons of the public garden world: Chanticleer Garden, Longwood Gardens, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, Pittsburgh Botanic Garden, and The Arboretum at Penn State. Each institution will create an exhibit reflecting its distinctive horticultural vision, offering a rare opportunity to experience the creativity of leading public gardens from across the Commonwealth in one place. 

The showcase is an important part of the story behind ICONIC, highlighting the rich history and lasting influence of Pennsylvania’s public gardens. It also sets the stage for PHS’s own 200th anniversary in 2027 and its longstanding commitment to the power of gardening. 

“As PHS celebrates its 200th anniversary in 2027, ICONIC reflects our longstanding belief in the extraordinary power of gardening to shape lives and strengthen communities,” says PHS President Matt Rader. “For 200 years, PHS has harnessed that power to create healthier, more beautiful, and more connected places where people can thrive.” 

Together, the gardens offer a look at the many ways public gardens can shape communities, inspire creativity, and remain relevant across generations. 

A Fashion-Inspired Entrance Garden 

The 2027 Philadelphia Flower Show will introduce visitors to PHS's interpretation of ICONIC from the moment they enter the Show. 

This year’s PHS-designed Entrance Garden will take a more stylized, fashion-forward approach than last year’s immersive, texture-rich landscape. Expect bold color blocking, dramatic lighting, sculptural elements, water elements, and oversized floral forms. 

The garden will feature tightly curated plant collections with striking combinations of color and texture, surrounded by vignettes inspired by familiar elements of gardening. Garden benches will be incorporated into the displays, a nod to the countless people who have sought the garden for inspiration in their lives, while oversized fabricated flowers and gauzy floral elements will create a dreamy, dramatic atmosphere. 

“It’s fashion-forward,” Seth says. “Think spotlights, punchy colors, and a little more drama. That’s what we’re going for.” 

The result will be a bright, larger-than-life interpretation of ICONIC, with familiar garden elements elevated into art. 

What Can Visitors Expect from ICONIC? 

Throughout the 2027 Philadelphia Flower Show, ICONIC will take many forms.  

“Every exhibitor is going to have their own interpretation of what’s iconic,” Seth says. “You’ll see iconic personalities, iconic objects, iconic places, and really creative ways of bringing those ideas to life while also seeing how the garden itself was the muse for these creations.” 

Some exhibitors are drawing inspiration from influential landscape designers, while others are exploring fashion, jewelry, art, and other cultural touchpoints. The result will be a wide range of gardens and displays, from playful and whimsical to dramatic and thought-provoking. 

“Some people are going over the top,” Seth says. “Others are taking a simple artifact, exploring why it feels timeless, and doing something really fun with it.” 

That variety is central to ICONIC. There is no single definition of what makes something iconic outside of how far its influence reaches, and few things have touched our lives in the deep way that gardening has. 

Experience the 2027 Philadelphia Flower Show: ICONIC 

Seth hopes visitors leave ICONIC seeing gardens and gardening not simply as something beautiful to look at, but as something that shapes how we live and experience the world. “I think anybody who comes away appreciating gardens and gardening outside of their sheer beauty is always one of my highest goals,” he says. 

From the Entrance Garden to the Pennsylvania Public Gardens Showcase and more than 30 large-scale exhibits, thousands of plants and botanical art pieces, and experiential moments, ICONIC explores how the garden has become a muse. Visitors will see how plants and landscapes have inspired global culture, while finding inspiration for their own lives. As PHS celebrates its 200th anniversary, the Flower Show honors that enduring influence and invites everyone to discover what the garden might inspire next. 

Experience ICONIC, the 2027 PHS Philadelphia Flower Show, March 13–21, 2027, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Get your tickets or become a PHS member to enjoy Flower Show benefits, including free or discounted tickets, early entry, access to the Members’ Lounge, and Members’ Preview Day on March 12.