and How to Help Them

Trees have gotten the short end of the stick ever since Europeans landed in America.

Forests across the country were razed for hundreds of years as Americans moved from coast to coast. Fortunately, the trend began to change in the 1940s when people been replanting forests due to changes in habits and attitudes.

But trees are not out of the woods yet. Since the arrival of Columbus, trade between the continents steadily increased. That trade brought foreign insects, diseases, and plants in addition to people.

Native insects and diseases may harm indigenous plants, but they do not decimate them. Over thousands of years, plants have developed defenses against native insects and diseases to ensure their survival. Native insects and diseases have learned to co-habite with native plants.

Mediterranean gardens transported Flower Show visitors on a “Riviera Holiday” in Philadelphia recently.

From the Cliffs of Monte Carlos to the shores of Greece, the mood of the Mediterranean pervaded this year’s exhibits. Elegant displays of lemon and olive trees, arbors, and lavender-filled gardens attracted old and young alike for a visit.

Approximately ¼ million people visit the Philadelphia Convention Center annually for the show.  This year’s “Rivera Holiday,” which ran from Feb 28 to March 8, was no exception.

The show began with an impressive archway of flowers that framed large landscape exhibits. Fountains, flowers, bushes, and trees appeared throughout the convention center, the work of top designers from the United States and abroad.

Further into the show, floral designs, miniature displays, and other exhibits showcased the work of professional designers and educational organizations in addition to the work of amateurs, both individuals and clubs.

Does a visit to Mediterranean gardens this spring sound tempting? No need for airplane tickets, the Mediterranean Rivera will be coming to Philadelphia.

The scene of this unique experience? The Philadelphia Flower Show hosted by the Philadelphia Horticultural Society (PHS). Held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, the show, “Riviera Holiday,” will run from Feb. 29 through March 8, 2020 (see ticket information and hours below).

Fragrant lavender and aromatic citrus will be among the plants that form artistically designed Mediterranean gardens and intimate pathways at the show.   

Five new designers, including James and Helen Basson of Scape Design, and Laurélie de la Salle of Laurélie Paysages, from Nice, France, will create acres of garden landscapes.