Exploring America’s Parks through Flowers
Surrounded by flowers, the rustic National Park-style entrance to the Philadelphia Flower Show leads to a stunning celebration of the National Park Service’s 100th anniversary.
As you move into the Big Timber Lodge past floral totems, a life-size bison and bear meet you. Both creatures were designed by Emily White. 
The area, which includes a waterfall, serves as a crossroads with trails leading to all corners of the Flower Show. If you need directions, a Park Ranger will assist.
A Collaboration
The seeds for the show were planted several years ago when the Park Service approached the Flower Show and asked if they could have a booth in honor of the 
anniversary, said Park Ranger Claire Comer, Shenandoah National Park. The Flower Show responded by suggesting that the show’s entire theme be related to the anniversary, hence: “Explore America 100 Years of the National Park Service.”
National Parks Take Center Stage
As you exit the Big Timber Lodge to the right, a dramatic scene of charred trees circling a replica of Old Faithful appears. Like its namesake, it erupts. Native yellow and purple lupines show new growth at the edges of the landscape. The Yellowstone Park-inspired area, designed by Sto
ney Bank Nurseries, comprises one of nine Landscapes. Created by some of the world’s leading designers, they are the show’s largest displays. They represent the artist’s interpretation of the parks, said Comer.
Parks Story Told Through Plants, Design
This year’s show celebrates National Parks from Maine to the Everglades and Hawaii.
Among the parks in the show are California’s Muir Woods National Monument, Philadelphia’s Independence National Historical Park and Washington’s Olympic National Park.
The designers chose the park they wanted to interpret.
Throughout the show, blooming flowers, shrubs and flowering trees surround you. Huge Indian Summer black-eyed susans, gorgeous orange Rhododendron ‘Golden Lights’, elegant serviceberry and lovely lupines are interwoven into an appealing garden. Fringe trees (shown above), cosmos and cornflowers are just a few of the native flowers and trees found throughout the show.
“A Designed Space”
Michael Petrie of Petrie’s Handmade Gardens was inspired by Olympic National Park. The result is a Landscape with towering firs and spruces as well as exquisite weeping varieties, surrounding a small West Coast-style house, yard and sculpture. The appeal of the park to Petrie? “The park was green with lots of moss and lots of trees,” he recalled after seeing the nearly one-million acre park. Olympic Park contains massive trees some up to 1,000 years old.
“I wanted it to be a designed space,” not a replica of the park, he added. It is important that the different elements relate – the West Coast modern house to the garden and the surrounding area, said Petrie, a 36-year veteran of the Flower Show. There must be a sense of design, he added.
What was the most difficult aspect of the design? Welding the sculpture, he added with a laugh.
Specimen Plants, Miniatures and More
Specimen plants, miniatures and floral displays show t
he extraordinary talents of amateur gardeners at the Flower Show. The blue-ribbon winning Cattleya and Alliance orchid and Narcissus Dutch Master were particularly outstanding. All specimen plants and displays, in addition to the large landscape gardens, are judged.
Several plant societies created displays including the Delaware Valley Fern and Wildflower Society and the Philadelphia Cactus & Succulent Society.
Other activities
Park Rangers will talk about their parks during five presentations each day. There will also be a Railway Garden in which model trains will travel past the National Park’s most famous sites.
Exhibits for Children
Children can participate in numerous events including the Junior Ranger Program and the Flower Show Jamboree on Sun., March 13.
The Philadelphia Flower Show
First held in 1829, the Flower Show is the largest and oldest indoor garden show in the world. Last year 250,000 people attended. It runs through March 13. For details
, go to http://theflowershow.com/plan-your-visit. For tickets, go to http://theflowershow.com/plan-your-visit/ticket-deals.