Once mostly rolling hills and valleys covered with hardwood forest in the seventeenth century, contemporary Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley now claim the largest concentration of many of the finest public and private gardens in the world. William M. Klein explores the broader attitudes and behaviors toward nature that have influenced this developmentt - of colonial farms and gardens created for survival to the art of suburban gardens to nature conservatories and public parks. Discover how in 300 years we have moved from fencing nature out to fencing nature in. Out of the past, examine the worm fence at Colonial Pennsylvania Plantations, overgrown by weeds as it would have been during Colonial times, zigzagging across the fields tenuously holding back the great forest that presses down. Into the present, consider the chain link fence at the John Heinz Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum that bounds a threatened wetland habitat from the intrusion of highways and reverberates to the sounds of traffic from I-95 and the Philadelphia International Airport. Klein's eloquent and knowledgeable narrative include detailed portraits of forty-four individual gardens, all lustrously illustrated by noted garden photographer Derek Fell. While considering a particular garden's historical and social influences, Klein discusses the philosophy behind each garden, its planner's goals and even personality, and the garden's interaction with surrounding architecture. This complete guide also includes each location's address, phone number, hours of operation, events, and featured plants, flowers, and trees. Yet this book goes far beyond the usual guides in this search for answers to the perennial questions of how and why each generation struggles to define its place in nature. As we approach the twenty-first century, the garden has become the metaphor for how we must begin to view all nature today - tended space where we collect, name, nurture, and share our love of plants. Author note: Formerly Director of the Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. William M. Klein, Jr. is Executive Director of the National Tropical Botanical Garden in Lawai, Hawaii. In 1993 he was presented with the American Horticultural Society's Professional Award, and has been a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science since 1989. He has published many important writings on nature, botany, and landscape, including his previous book, The Vascular Flora of Pennsylvania: Annotated Checklist and Atlas. Derek Fell is a widely published garden photographer and the author of more than 50 garden books and garden calendars.

Finally, for every resident and visitor to the region, a comprehensive guide to the gardens of eastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, and northern Delaware. Magnificently illustrated with nearly 200 full color photographs, A GUIDE TO THE GREAT GARDENS OF THE PHILADELPHIA REGION provides essential information on how to locate and enjoy the finest gardens the area has to offer. As the horticultural epicenter of the United States, Philadelphia and the surrounding towns, suburbs, and countryside are blessed with more public gardens in a concentrated area than almost any other region in the world. Stretching from Trenton, New Jersey through Philadelphia and down to Newark, Delaware, this area (often called the Delaware Valley) offers more horticultural riches than a visitor can possibly see even in a coupl of weeks of hectic garden-hopping. In A GUIDE TO THE GREAT GARDENS OF THE PHILADELPHIA REGION you will find: Detailed coverage of almost 100 gardens Maps to indicate where area gardens are in relation to each other to plan day trip itineraries Key information about each major garden, including hours, fees, time needed for a tour, history, acreage, and special features Over a dozen gardens that have never before been featured in any garden guidebook Arranged by interest, to help guide readers to gardens that will most meet their needs Notations about historical houses, cafes/restaurants, gift shops, and chidren's features at each major garden

The first-ever coffee table book on Philadelphia’s private gardens! Inspiring photos and expert writing spotlight select private gardens, where horticultural pride is part of the region’s land history. “Rob Cardillo is a master of light. His eye for the broad sweep, to the humblest detail, captures the very soul of the garden.” —Anne Raver, former garden writer for The New York Times The Philadelphia region is home to an almost mystifying number of excellent gardens, both public and private. With a history of ornamental gardening going back more than 300 years, Philadelphians take pride in the tradition of horticulture readily visible today in the sizable number of public gardens, esteemed horticulture schools, and the largest flower show in the country. In Philadelphia and its surrounding counties, the reader will visit 21 private gardens behind tall hedges, down quiet lanes, or tucked into bustling neighborhoods. Here, gardening knowledge and plants themselves have been passed down through generations, culminating in a wonderful depth of expression from the artists, designers, writers, conservators, and other experts whose gardens are included. This book will inspire anyone who loves beauty to create more of it in their lives. These gorgeous private gardens are products of years of hard physical labor; financial tradeoffs; responding to constant threats of damage by tornados, floods, deer, unwanted development; and random acts of God. Each garden, including the grandest, operates within some combination of challenging constraints. But as all gardeners know, constraints are necessary to push the limits of resourcefulness and creativity. More Accolades: “More than just a compendium of awesome gardens, this book is filled with the seeds for ideas. Harvest from the pages—they will grow on you.” —Tovah Martin, author of The Garden in Every Sense and Season

The Philadelphia Flower Show is a visual celebration of the world's most spectacular indoor flower show. Organized by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, the event is staged each year in early March and attracts some 300,000 visitors to the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Covering more than ten indoor acres, the event features a breathtaking array of horticultural subjects. Included are elaborate flower-filled landscapes with blossoming trees, exquisite floral arrangements, impeccably groomed perennials, cacti and other succulents, orchids, topiary, bonsai, and much more. All proceeds of the Show are dedicated to the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society's education and urban beautification programs. This beautiful book is a behind-the-scenes tour of the Show with interviews and profiles of exhibitors, organizers, and designers. Lavish full-color photographs of the prizewinning plants and large displays capture the proceedings in stunning detail. Also included is a brief history of the Show along with a passionate foreword by gardening guru Ken Druse that captures what makes the Show so compelling and popular year after year. Wonderful stories, inspiring advice, and gorgeous photography combine to make The Philadelphia Flower Show the ultimate companion to the greatest plant and flower show on earth.