March 11, 2024
Thom Carroll/for PhillyVoice
Longwood Gardens averages more than 1.5 million visitors a year.
Every year, the Philadelphia Flower Show seems to expire as quickly as a cheap bouquet in a discount vase after Valentine's Day.
But the closing of the 195th installment of the massive horticultural event doesn't mean an end of your opportunities to be one with nature. There are plenty of gardens, arboretums and greenhouses in the region to visit and celebrate the arrival of spring.
RELATED: New book explores how gardners in the region have transformed outdoor spaces
If you're still looking to get a floral fix, here are six botanic gems in the Philly area.
Tyler Arboretum features multiple treehouses.
With 17 miles of trails through woodlands and meadows, fragrant and edible gardens, a butterfly house, a StoryWalk (pages from a children's book placed along a path) and a gnome scavenger hunt, Tyler Arboretum is acres of adventures.
LOCATION: 515 Painter Road, Media, Delaware County
FEE: $10-$18 for general admission; $65-$300 for annual membership
BEST TIME TO GO: May 3-5 for the annual plant sale. The fundraising event, which includes a members-only day on Friday, has experts available to offer gardening advice and a wide range of flowers and plants for sale.
PHOTO OP: In 2008, artists and architects designed Totally Terrific Treehouses for an exhibit and a few wacky structures remain – including the Crooked Goblin Shack, Thoreau's Cabin, Strummin' and Drummin', and Fort Tyler.
Morris Arboretum features gardens, sculptures and fountains.
Strolling through the 92-acre, 19th century Victorian arboretum is a walk through history. The grounds include a 100-year-old rose garden, an English Park fountain that dates back to 1916 and a six-foot wall made from Wissahickon schist filled with perennials that was built in 1924.
LOCATION: 100 E. Northwestern Ave., Philadelphia
FEE: $12-$20 for adults depending on the season, with discounted tickets and memberships available
BEST TIME TO GO: A warm spring day is the perfect time to sign up for a guided tour of Morris Arboretum or explore the 1.4-mile loop trail on your own, taking in the old trees and unusual plants from around the world. With all the gardens, sculptures and fountains, there's something to see at every turn. During the holiday season, Morris builds a model train railway with thousands of lights on a third of a mile of tracks.
PHOTO OP: The white marble Love Temple on Swan Pond, an artificial lake that was made in 1905, is a fan favorite to snap pics, but just be warned that you might get photo bombed by Flora and Fauna, the swan sisters who call the pond home.
Ott's Exotic Plants in Schwenksville has a greenhouse with an indoor waterfall and koi pond.
Whether you're looking to take a picture by the indoor two-story waterfall and koi pond, buy a massive fruit tree or start a succulent garden, Ott's Exotic Plants is the perfect place for any gardening enthusiast — or anyone trying to find a spot for a cheap date.
LOCATION: 861 Gravel Pike, Schwenksville, Montgomery County
FEE: Free
BEST TIME TO GO: In autumn for "Mum Mountain." In the 1960s, dirt excavated to build Ott's parking lot was used to form a 40-foot hill behind the greenhouse. To avoid it looking like an eyesore, Ott's owners began covering it entirely with chrysanthemums every fall, and the pile of dirt quickly transformed into a tourist attraction along Route 29. The only thing that cuts through the splashes of autumn colors are rocks that frame a cave-like underground tunnel and a meandering path to the top of the hill.
PHOTO OP: Climbing the few stairs to Mum Mountain's "peak" provides you with a bird's-eye view of the store's whimsical cottage-like stone structure and its multicolored slate roof.
Longwood Gardens' annual Christmas display, including here in 2019, draws huge crowds.
Pierre S. du Pont purchased the land in 1906 to preserve trees on the farm, and in 1921 the entrepreneur opened the 1,100-acre estate to the public. Now more than 1.5 million people (about the population of Philadelphia) every year come to see the gardens, fountains, woodlands and meadows on the vast grounds.
LOCATION: 1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square, Chester County
FEE: $25 for adults
BEST TIME TO GO: The holiday season draws huge crowds to Longwood Gardens – and it's totally worth fighting through the masses to see each year's new theme. About a third of Longwood Gardens' annual visitors come for the decorations, trees and lights of its elaborate Christmas display.
PHOTO OP: Longwood is endlessly instagrammable, but the challenge is all the people. The best spot to capture Longwood Gardens' beauty – and not its crowds – is the main fountain. With 1,719 jets, including some the shoot water as high as 175 feet, it provides plenty of opportunities to take a picture that makes it seem like you're in a secluded enchanted garden.
The Francis Cope House at Awbury Arboretum was built in 1854.
The Germantown estate was formerly home to a wealthy Quaker family and has been open to the public for more than 100 years. The Victorian-style Francis Cope House, built in 1861 out of Wissahickon schist, is the epicenter of the grounds, which feature gardens, meadows, ponds, streams and wetlands. The Awbury Arboretum is across Washington Lane station on SEPTA's Chestnut Hill East Line, so it's easily accessible by public transit.
LOCATION: 1 Awbury Road, Philadelphia
FEE: Free
BEST TIME TO GO: On a late spring day, magnolias, tulip trees, orange-leaf hydrangeas and many more of Awbury's blossoming beauties can be enjoyed in full bloom on a walk through Haines Field.
PHOTO OP: The wildflower meadow offers a backdrop of bright colors and an opportunity to catch a glimpse of the many feathered friends on the grounds.
The 48-acre botanical garden that's built on the Rosengarten estate dates back to the early 20th century. The grounds, which are closed to the public during winter, will be open Wednesdays to Sundays from March 27 through Nov. 3. Seven horticulturists are each responsible for the design, planting and maintenance of an area, which can feature perennials and seasonal, tropical and subtropical plants.
LOCATION: 786 Church Road, Wayne, Chester County
FEE: $15 (13 and older)
BEST TIME TO GO: During the summer on Friday nights, guests to Chanticleer Garden are welcome to bring food and drinks and have picnics at the estate.
PHOTO OP: The Teacup Garden has a Mediterranean look, with olive trees that frame a fountain and white flowers of clary sage.
