Inspiration Is In Bloom at the Philadelphia Flower Show!

The world’s largest indoor flower show is scheduled to bloom this weekend! Celebrating its 185th year, the Philadelphia Flower Show is a much bigger deal than the uninitiated might assume. No dull roundup of wallflowers and dusty Latin nametags, this – the PHS is all about the fanciful, the wild, the opulent, and the romantic Just as artists have drawn inspiration from gorgeous blooms throughout the centuries, this year’s show is bringing it full circle (a floralception, if you will) with a “Art Meets Horticulture” theme.

All things bright and beautiful: “Art Meets Horticulture” at the Flower Show. Photo courtesy: PHS

The Flower Show is an annual to-do hosted by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. Guests are invited to wander and explore a veritable garden of landscapes, how-to seminars, edible treats, celebrity guests, and elaborate installations. Meanwhile, the state’s gardeners get a chance to show off their green thumbs: one event tradition and perennial fan favorite is the Horticourt, where hobbyists and experts alike enter their most perfect blooms for judging and bragging rights. The overwhelming devotion and care it takes to cultivate one specimen is evident when all these hothouse beauties are on display. The festivities kick off Friday night with a Black Tie Preview Party. Guests can wine, dine, and schmooz while getting an exclusive first look at the displays. Special events are sprinkled throughout the nine days of the show, including a “girls’ night out,” a LGBT party, a wedding expo, and a Q&A sesh with celebrity chef Rachel Ray – a comprehensive list is here.

General admission tickets are available online for $27, with discounts for students and kids. The Philadelphia Flower Show runs from March 1st through the 9th at the Convention Center.

There’s a lot to look at and a lot to learn. Photo courtesy: PHS.

Sidenote: A good forty-five minutes of my morning mysteriously evaporated while I was browsing the PHC’s Pinterest page. If you want a sneak peak at what to expect at the Flower Show, or are simply dazzled by gratuitously gorgeous flora, you should give it a look.