Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) Shares Can’t-Miss Experiences at the 2026 Philadelphia Flower Show, Rooted: Origins of American Gardening
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the flower show
January 29, 2026 – Philadelphia, PA - As the 2026 PHS Philadelphia Flower Show, Rooted: Origins of American Gardening, returns to the Pennsylvania Convention Center February 28 - March 8, PHS is sharing its list of can’t-miss experiences for attendees. From breathtaking gardens and international floral artistry to hands-on workshops, family-friendly fun, and signature after-hours events, the Flower Show offers unforgettable moments for visitors of all ages and interests.
Now in its 197th year, the award-winning PHS Philadelphia Flower Show is the nation’s largest and the world’s longest-running horticultural event. Serving as PHS’s main fundraiser, the Show supports the organization’s year-round work to create healthier, greener communities throughout the Greater Philadelphia region. In celebration of America’s upcoming 250th anniversary, Rooted: Origins of American Gardening honors the people, places, and traditions that have shaped gardening in the United States, inviting visitors to explore how personal stories, culture, and creativity are deeply connected through plants.
The Flower Show is more than a place to view beautiful exhibits; it is a hub for discovery, creativity, and shared experiences. To support this multi-dimensional experience, PHS will debut a thoughtfully reimagined layout supported by a new wayfinding framework that helps guests easily navigate the Show through five core experiences: SEE, SHOP, MAKE, LEARN, and PLAY. From first look to final stroll, the framework encourages guests to move through the Show with intention, curiosity, and delight.
Tickets for the 2026 PHS Philadelphia Flower Show are on sale now at tickets.phsonline.org. For the latest information, visit phsonline.org/the-flower-show. For questions, please email flowershowtickets@pennhort.org.
Can’t Miss Events & Experiences
1. SEE: “First Ladies and their Orchids” - A Floral Tribute to American History
This exhibit by Chadwick and Son Orchids showcases the nineteen consecutive U.S. First Ladies who have had orchids named in their honor, beginning with Mrs. Woodrow Wilson. Weaving together horticulture and history, the display explores how orchids have been used to honor and remember these figures over time.
2. SEE: Emerging Florists Display Area - Floral Stories Come to Life
Experience a refreshed floral display area featuring four side-by-side installations created by emerging florists from around the world. Showcasing fresh talent through bold colors and distinctive design approaches, these colorful blooms and displays offer a unique look at how culture, memory, and personal history shape the artistry of up-and-coming floral designers.
3. SEE: PHS Gold Medal Plants - Award-Winning Choices for Every Garden
See how award-winning plants perform in real garden settings with a curated display featuring the 2026 PHS Gold Medal Plant winners. This hands-on showcase brings together standout trees, shrubs, and perennials selected by experts for their ease of care, seasonal interest, value to wildlife, commercial availability, and success in Mid-Atlantic gardens. Designed to help you confidently choose the right plants for your own space, the display shows how these environmentally responsible, high-performing plants can thrive when planted with purpose.
4. SEE: Competitive Classes - Big Statements and Mini Marvels
The Flower Show’s Competitive Classes celebrate the creativity, skill, and dedication of gardeners and designers across a wide range of horticulture and design categories. Don’t miss the beloved Miniature Settings class, where small-scale entries bring historical moments to life, proving that great design can come in even the tiniest forms. This year in the Design Classes, we’ll see the return of balconies, giving designers a compact space to interpret an artist’s vision with live plants, containers, and accessories. The beloved Botanical Arts section will highlight floral-inspired creations that travel through iconic style eras, from Gilded Age elegance and old Hollywood glamour to disco and retro fashion. Using plant material to reinterpret jewelry, couture, and accessories, these imaginative works celebrate how botanical artistry reflects changing tastes and creative expression across decades.
5. SEE: "Before 250” - Honoring Pennsylvania’s Indigenous Roots
Presented by W.B. Saul High School of Agricultural Sciences, this exhibit honors the Lenni Lenape people and Indigenous roots in Pennsylvania by highlighting connections between culture, environmental stewardship, and the use of native plant species. The display features a Pennsylvania forested hillside with a flowing stream, a re-created Lenni Lenape site, and tree species at multiple stages of growth, offering a reflection on how the land has been cared for and shaped over time.
6. SEE: Celebrate America’s 250th with the American Landscape Showcase
Celebrating America’s 250th anniversary, four world-renowned designers interpret the roots, traditions, and resilience of American gardening. Made possible by the Philadelphia Funder Collaborative for the Semiquincentennial, these gardens blend history, culture, and contemporary design to show how gardening shapes communities.
7. SEE: "Rooted in Time” - A Botanical Reflection on America’s Native Flora
Created by the Philadelphia Society of Botanical Illustrators, this exhibit explores the enduring presence of America’s native plants and fungi over the past 250 years. Through detailed botanical illustration, the display reveals both the visible beauty of native species and the hidden worlds that have sustained them across generations.
8. SHOP: Explore the Re-imagined Flower Show Marketplace
This year, the beloved Marketplace moves to a new street-level location directly below the main exhibition halls, creating an easy-to-browse destination filled with live plants, florals, garden tools, décor, jewelry, and unique gifts.
9. MAKE: Craft and Create with Skilled Artisans
Expanded due to popular demand, Artisan Row returns bigger than ever, inviting guests to create floral and garden-inspired keepsakes alongside 7 skilled local artisans. Make sure to check out our new artisans and crafting opportunities this year, where you can make your own tea blends with The Random Tea Room, create floral-inspired bucket hats and tote bags with Modern Misfits, and take home your very own pressed flower framed art decor with Flourish Market Philly. Purchase required.
10. LEARN: Potting Parties - Floral Arranging Made Fun
New this year, join a hands-on floral arrangement class and learn the fundamentals of design with seasonal botanicals. Led by Tu Bloom, Official Botanical Artist of the Grammy® Awards, you’ll create your own masterpiece to take home. Perfect for all skill levels, these popular workshops mix creativity, learning, and fun. Purchase required.
11. LEARN: Know to Grow - Expert Advice Rooted in Experience
Know to Grow educational sessions invite Flower Show guests to learn directly from horticultural experts, growers, and garden leaders through engaging daily talks. Covering topics from native plants and pollinator-friendly landscapes to ecological design, orchids, vegetables, and the historical influences behind American gardening, these sessions offer practical takeaways and deeper insight for gardeners of all levels. Select sessions include talks by nationally recognized experts such as Jenny Rose Carey on mastering bulbs and Resh Gala on intensive planting techniques designed to help gardens thrive in even the smallest spaces.
Educational sessions run daily and are free with admission.
12. PLAY: A Full Day of Family Fun
Family Frolic offers a day of hands-on activities, playful programming, and educational moments in partnership with local Philadelphia organizations. Kids can dig in at the Kids Cocoon, a dedicated space designed to spark curiosity and creativity through interactive experiences like a large Lego table, seed planting, and story times.
March 1 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. Free with admission.
13. PLAY: Find Relaxation at Blossom & Breathe
Unwind at this wellness-focused evening celebrating beauty, relaxation, and natural healing. Featuring a botanical bazaar with local vendors in partnership with Honey Buz Natural Skincare and yoga led by Noel Davis of Paris Fit, it’s a restorative way to experience the Flower Show.
March 4 from 4:00 to 8:00 pm. Vendor experience free with admission; yoga sessions require an additional purchase.
14. PLAY: Fido Friday Returns
Back by popular demand, Fido Friday invites guests to experience the Flower Show alongside their best four-legged friends. Dogs on leashes are welcome to explore the Show floor, visit dog-friendly vendors, and enjoy playful activities designed for both pets and people.
March 6 from 5:00 to 8:00 pm. Proof of a valid dog license and up-to-date rabies vaccination is required. Free with admission.
15. PLAY: Flowers After Hours - The Folklore of the Forest
When the sun sets, the forest awakens! Flowers After Hours transforms the Flower Show into an after-dark celebration filled with myth, magic, and flowers. Dance beneath a lush floral canopy, enjoy themed cocktails, and wander through a fantastical woodland setting where fantasy-inspired attire is encouraged.
March 7 from 8:30 to 11:30 pm. 21+ only and tickets required.
FLOWER SHOW SPONSOR ACTIVATIONS
PHS thanks our Exclusive Sponsors, Bank of America and Independence Blue Cross, for their long-standing support of the Flower Show and PHS.
PHS also thanks our Official Sponsors and invites guests to visit them at the Show. Stop by the ACME Markets display and pick up the official Flower Show bouquet. Spend time with the highly trained arborists at the Bartlett Tree Experts exhibit to get expert advice on tree care and maintenance. Enjoy refreshing cocktails made with Hendrick’s Original and Oasium varietals at the Hendrick’s Gin Botanical Bar. Visit Heirloom Roses to find your Bloomate, your perfect rose color, at their interactive display. Families can explore and play in the Kids Cocoon, presented by exclusive sponsor Netflix House. Be sure to check out Nissan, PHS’s new automobile partner, and visit Burpee, the PHS Members’ Lounge sponsor, for exclusive merchandise. Then stop by Visit PA to plan your 2026 Great American Getaway, with a year full of major moments ahead, from the NFL Draft and FIFA World Cup to America’s 250th anniversary, making Pennsylvania the ultimate gateway to it all.
ABOUT THE PHS PHILADELPHIA FLOWER SHOW
The award-winning PHS Philadelphia Flower Show is the nation's largest, and the world’s longest-running horticultural event and features stunning displays by some of the world’s premier floral and landscape designers. Started in 1829 by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, the Show introduces diverse and sustainable plant varieties and garden and design concepts. In addition to acres of garden displays, the Flower Show hosts world-renowned competitions in horticulture and artistic floral arranging, gardening presentations and demonstrations, and special events.
ABOUT THE 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 opportunities, 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.
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