Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and The Athenaeum of Philadelphia Announce Bouquet of Stories: Celebrating Philadelphia’s Gardening Heritage

The free exhibition will run from November 6, 2026, through January 30, 2027 

PHILADELPHIA, PA – October 5, 2026 – The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS), in partnership with The Athenaeum of Philadelphia, will bring three centuries of Philadelphia’s rich gardening history to life with Bouquet of Stories: Celebrating Philadelphia’s Gardening Heritage, opening November 6, 2026. The museum exhibition invites visitors to experience Philadelphia’s gardening legacy and discover the many ways it has shaped the city. Presented as part of PHS’s 200th anniversary celebration, the free exhibition will be on view at The Athenaeum through January 30, 2027. 

Through a collection of rare objects and striking photographs, Bouquet of Stories explores the stories of the growers, dreamers, and changemakers who have cultivated beauty and community through gardening across generations. From immigrant seed traditions and trailblazing women to neighborhood greening movements and the world-renowned Philadelphia Flower Show, the exhibition reveals how gardening has served as an act of creativity and resilience while highlighting Philadelphia’s enduring influence on American horticulture. Visitors will discover stories from the underrepresented communities that have helped make Philadelphia one of America’s great gardening cities and see how those traditions continue to shape the city today. 

“As PHS approaches its 200th anniversary, Bouquet of Stories gives us an opportunity to celebrate not only Philadelphia’s extraordinary gardening history, but the people and communities who made that history possible,” said Matt Rader, President of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. “For generations, Philadelphians have used gardening to create beauty, build community, share knowledge, and care for the places they call home. Those stories are an important part of our city’s history, and they continue to inspire the work PHS does today and our vision for the next 200 years.” 

Complementing the exhibition is The Athenaeum Garden, a new garden designed by award-winning landscape designer Wambui Ippolito in community with PHS and renowned Philadelphia gardeners. Conceived as a garden of fragrance and calm, the space reflects the diverse knowledge and traditions found across Philadelphia’s neighborhoods and communities. The garden emerged from a year-long process of community collaboration and exchange and will continue to evolve throughout the seasons, creating a living collection where visitors can learn, explore, and connect with the landscape around them. 

"This exhibit and new garden space amplify The Athenaeum's core programmatic, and collections focus on Philadelphia's built and designed environment in new and exciting ways," said Beth Hessel, Executive Director of The Athenaeum of Philadelphia. "This partnership with PHS and the Philadelphia gardening community is an opportunity for us to share the abundance of stories of diverse communities and individuals whose gardening traditions and practices enrich our city." 

Bouquet of Stories is part of PHS’s 200th anniversary celebration, marking two centuries of gardening and community impact in the Philadelphia region. Founded in 1827, PHS has grown alongside Philadelphia’s gardening culture, working with generations of gardeners and communities to use horticulture as a tool to improve quality of life and bring beauty and joy to communities. Today, PHS uses horticulture to advance the health and well-being of the Greater Philadelphia region through programs that create healthier living environments, increase access to fresh food, expand economic opportunity, strengthen social connections, and provide opportunities for people to experience the joy and benefits of gardening. 

Bouquet of Stories: Celebrating Philadelphia’s Gardening Heritage is FREE and open to the public from November 6, 2026, through January 30, 2027, at The Athenaeum of Philadelphia, 219 S. 6th Street, Philadelphia. For more information and to plan your visit, click here. 

The Athenaeum of Philadelphia Hours 

Monday: 9:00-7:00 

Tuesday: 9:00-5:00 

Wednesday: 10:00-5:00 

Thursday: 9:00-5:00 

Friday: 9:00-5:00 

Saturday: 10:00-3:00 

Bouquet of Stories and The Athenaeum Garden have been supported by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage. 

About Pennsylvania Horticultural Society 

The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS), an internationally recognized nonprofit organization founded in 1827, uses horticulture to advance the health and well-being of the Greater Philadelphia Region. PHS programs create healthier living environments, increase access to fresh food, expand access to jobs and economic opportunity, and strengthen deeper social connections between people. PHS’s work spans 250 neighborhoods; an expansive network of public gardens and landscapes; year-round learning experiences; and the nation’s signature gardening event, the Philadelphia Flower Show. PHS provides everyone with opportunities to garden for the greater good as a participant, member, donor, or volunteer. For information and to support this impactful work, please visit PHSonline.org. 

About The Athenaeum of Philadelphia  

The Athenaeum of Philadelphia is a historic library, established in 1814 as a subscription library at a time when free public libraries did not yet exist and collections of books available for reading and research were largely limited to institutions, schools, and colleges. Today, The Athenaeum nurtures curiosity and strengthens community as a vibrant intergenerational gathering place as home to a remarkable circulating library and a research collection of books, photographs, architectural drawings, manuscripts and other materials documenting Greater Philadelphia's history and built environment. The Athenaeum brings members, the public and cultural partners together through more than 200 programs each year, from lectures and author conversations to exhibitions, workshops, film and music in its inspiring National Historic Landmark building on Washington Square. For more information, please visit https://philaathenaeum.org  

About 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. 
 

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