Few people have better insight into the Philadelphia Flower Show than Sam Lemheney, Vice President and Chief of Shows & Events for the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society (PHS). Here are some of his thoughts about this year’s show:

Laura: The theme of this year’s show is quite playful. How did you choose it?

Sam: The theme of the 2019 Show is “Flower Power,” which pays tribute to the enormous impact of flowers on our lives. We’re exploring how flowers have the power to inspire, decorate, style, and enrich our lives. Our lineup of brilliant Flower Show exhibit designers is capturing how flowers influence the way we feel, think, and act in personal and global ways.

For PHS, every day is “Flower Power.” The work that we do in communities, from horticultural education to neighborhood greening initiatives, brings the power of flowers (and plants) to life for all to experience. Of course, every year at the Flower Show could celebrate the power of flowers, but this year felt like the right time for this theme as we welcome the FTD World Cup, the world’s most prestigious floral design competition.

This is going to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for visitors and an awe-inspiring opportunity to see flowers bring together people from different cultures and backgrounds. Flowers are a universal language!

Laura: Was it difficult to get the FTD World Cup Competition to be held at the Flower Show?

Sam: We’ve been working with the team at FTD for several years now in an effort to find the best opportunity for the World Cup to take place at the Flower Show. It’s a natural fit for our visitors and the mission of the Flower Show – to inspire and educate guests, so they can take these ideas and apply them in their own backyards, neighborhoods, and communities. Once we determined that we would be able to welcome the FTD World Cup at the 2019 Flower Show, the “Flower Power” theme became even more resonant. 

Laura: Has it been held in Philadelphia before?

Sam: This competition has not been held in Philadelphia before. In fact, it hasn’t been held in the United States since 1985 when it took place in Detroit.

Laura: Have you been to previous competitions?

Sam: I was able to attend the America’s Cup in Washington, DC last July. At that event, the competitor representing the United States, Katharina Stuart, was crowned.

Laura: Can you tell me what they are like?

Sam: It’s fair to compare this event to the Olympics. The energy in the room is palpable. Each of the competitors have large following who cheer and support them throughout the competition. Family, friends, and fans follow them from competition to competition.  The designs the competitors create are breathtaking.

Laura: Are there any exhibits that focus on native plants such as The Power Plant Exhibit, Hunter Hayes; Natural Beauty, Philadelphia Water Department; or Clivia Breeding at Longwood Gardens, Longwood Gardens? Do any of these focus on native plants more than the others?

Sam: Native plants are an important focus for our Flower Show exhibitors and for our visitors, many of whom are looking for types of native plants to incorporate into their own gardens and backyards. Hunter Hayes will have a native tree grove in their display. The EPA’s display, “The Power of Nature,” will incorporate native plants like azaleas, blueberries, and pitcher plants into rain gardens. Of course, American Beauties will have a display filled with a variety of native plants that also are pollinators.

Laura: Every year you add new features to the show such as the Home Gardener’s Hub. Who developed the idea for that feature? Are there other new features that you are particularly excited by?

Sam: We are very excited to share our Home Gardening Hub with visitors this year. Guests who’ve attended in the past will be familiar with some of the components – presentations at the Gardener’s Studio, educational exhibits from regional high schools and universities – but, we wanted to bring together all the educational aspects of the Show and put them in one space for our Home Gardener audience. This is a collaborative effort from PHS and a part of our larger mission to engage with home gardeners throughout the year, providing them with useful information, activities, and more to enhance their time in the garden.

Laura: Are there any other points you would like to add?

Sam: There is so much to see at this year’s show, especially with the FTD World Cup here this year. When planning your visit, keep in mind that although the FTD World Cup competition will be taking place over the course of the first weekend, all the beautiful creations will be on display in the Entrance Garden for the duration of the show.