Bouquet of Stories
Celebrating Philadelphia’s gardening heritage
November 6, 2026 – January 30, 2027
A free exhibition in partnership with
The Athenaeum of Philadelphia
Bouquet of Stories
Celebrating Philadelphia’s Gardening Heritage
Explore 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
A Glimpse Inside the Exhibition
Get a sneak peek at historic photographs featured in Bouquet of Stories and see how the city’s love of gardening has grown and changed through generations.
The Athenaeum Garden
Designed by Wambui Ippolito in community with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and renowned Philadelphia gardeners, The Athenaeum Garden reflects the diverse gardening knowledge and traditions found across Philadelphia’s neighborhoods and communities.
Conceived as a garden of fragrance and calm, the design emerged from a year-long process of community collaboration and exchange. At The Athenaeum, the garden creates a new setting for learning and discovery, inviting visitors to look closely, notice change, and connect with the plants and landscape around them.
Like an archive, the garden holds knowledge and stories. Unlike a traditional archive, its collection is living and evolving, offering something new to discover with every season.
Seasonal Plantings
- SPRING: Snowdrops, grape hyacinth, and Spanish bluebell provide delicate spring blooms joined by spring flowering perennials such as foam flower and Epimedium ‘Frohnleiten.’
- SUMMER: Annuals fill the two urns with a colorful summer display, while Amsonia hubrichtii, threadleaf bluestar, adds fine texture and an elegant, airy quality to the garden.
- AUTUMN: The cutleaf Japanese maple turns a brilliant golden-orange, while toad lilies bloom with orchid-like flowers. Bugbane ‘Hillside Black Beauty’ adds dramatic contrast with dark foliage and wand-like white flowers.
- WINTER: Foliage and flowers abound in the winter months. Different camellias bloom throughout the winter. In late winter, Edgeworthia fills the garden with clusters of highly fragrant, tubular flowers.
Meet the Designer
Wambui Ippolito is an award-winning landscape designer who sees gardens as places of healing for people, pets, and the planet. She expresses this through her continued work in garden design, lecturing, and writing on how immigrant gardens have shaped the American landscape. Born in Nairobi, Kenya, Wambui’s childhood in the Great Rift Valley can be seen in her contemporary designs that bring a panoramic, nature-first approach to ornamental landscapes that feel wild and alive.
Plan Your Visit
Planning to see Bouquet of Stories?
Our frequently asked questions cover everything you need to know before your visit, including hours, directions, parking, and accessibility.
No tickets or registration are required! Bouquet of Stories is free and open to the public. Simply stop by The Athenaeum of Philadelphia during exhibition hours to enjoy the experience.
The exhibition runs from November 6, 2026, through January 30, 2027. Admission is free, and no tickets or advance registration are required.
Bouquet of Stories is open during The Athenaeum of Philadelphia’s regular operating hours:
- Monday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
- Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Thursday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Saturday: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- Sunday: Closed
The Athenaeum is closed on major holidays, including Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Hours may vary, so please confirm operating hours with The Athenaeum before your visit.
Telephone: 215-925-2688
Bouquet of Stories is on display at The Athenaeum of Philadelphia, located at 219 S. 6th Street in Philadelphia’s historic Society Hill neighborhood, overlooking Washington Square and just steps from Independence Hall.
Two parking garages are located just half a block south of The Athenaeum on 6th Street. Independence Place Garage, on the east side of the street, offers self-parking, while Hopkinson House Garage, on the west side, provides valet parking.
Yes! The Athenaeum is located at 219 S. 6th Street, overlooking Washington Square in Center City Philadelphia. SEPTA buses and nearby rail stations make it accessible by public transportation. Check SEPTA to plan your trip.
Yes, The Athenaeum of Philadelphia is accessible to visitors with disabilities. An accessible parking space is available in the garden behind the building. To reach it, turn left from 6th Street onto St. James Street. The driveway entrance is just past The Athenaeum on your right.
An accessible entrance with a ramp is located at the rear of the building, with an intercom at the top of the ramp to contact the receptionist. An elevator provides access to all three floors, and an accessible restroom is available on the first floor.
Families are welcome to experience Bouquet of Stories together. The exhibition offers an opportunity to learn about Philadelphia’s history through gardening, plants, and the people who helped shape the city.
Yes! The Athenaeum Garden is a beautiful complement to Bouquet of Stories. Designed by award-winning landscape designer Wambui Ippolito in collaboration with PHS and Philadelphia gardeners, it celebrates the city’s diverse gardening traditions through a living collection of plants that changes with the seasons.
For additional information about visiting Bouquet of Stories, please contact The Athenaeum of Philadelphia at 215-925-2688.
Our Partners and Supporters
Bouquet of Stories is presented by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society in joint partnership with 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.
