The Philadelphia Flower Show “Habitat: Nature’s Masterpiece” runs through June 13 at FDR Park, a registered historical district surrounding a serene lake. For the first time in the Show’s 193-year history, it is presented outdoors.

This year features the most designers, gardens, and floral displays in the Show’s history, with over 75 unique installations for guests to see and interact with, spanning the Show’s 15-acre outdoor footprint.  

The Show features an impressive lineup of 34 major exhibitors, whose displays average approximately 1000 square feet. Almost half of these consist of the large-scale, ornate displays that the Flower Show is famed for. This year, these sizable and imaginative floral and landscape creations are inspired by the Show’s outdoor setting and the late-blooming spring season.

In addition to the Show’s major exhibits, the Show offers dozens of additional floral and landscape gardens, educational experiences, and horticultural exhibits throughout the Show grounds of FDR Park. Visitors can learn more about plant and flower species with installations from prominent floral and plant societies or interact directly with dozens of smaller gardens that will provide beauty and additional touchpoints for interaction with guests.

Upon entering the Show grounds, guests are greeted by the work of iconic floral designer, Jeff Leatham, Artistic Director for Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia. Leatham’s creations are bold statements — using shape, color, and simplicity to produce dramatic effect. He created Jeff Leatham’s “Habitat” presented by Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia. A captivating installation where nature meets architecture, this work re-creates the explosive energy and movement of overgrown vines in vibrant hues of orange and purple sculpted around the iconic columns of the Olmsted Pavilion, the iconic structure guests see as they enter the Show.

PHS’s Gardeners Green takes visitors on a journey through multiple garden “habitats” from a formal kitchen garden with parterre-style beds, to espalier fruit-tree tunnels, from an edible landscape to a greenhouse overflowing with seedlings. Each day, gardening experts are on hand to provide visitors with a personalized experience, sharing ideas, solutions, and inspiration specific to each gardener’s unique tastes, growing conditions, and amount of gardening space.

Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted – one of the designers of New York City’s famed Central Park – FDR Park is an inspiring venue that contributes to the splendor that the Flower Show is known for, while also being easily accessible by public transportation and car.

In its new location, the Show will span 15 acres of the Park’s footprint, expanding in size to nearly 450,000 square feet of exhibits, activities, and open space, a 45% increase from previous Flower Shows held inside the Philadelphia Convention Center. Each year, the Show contributes a beautiful kickoff to the spring growing season and provides an important economic impact on the region of more than $62 million.

An increased footprint in 2021 is intentional, as the Flower Show seeks to offer new experiences for its audience, while also adhering to best practices regarding social distancing. Public safety is a critical component for the upcoming Show, focused on guests and staff alike. This year’s Show features reserved tickets for morning or afternoon sessions, with other health and safety requirements such as: maximum occupancy limits; required masks; social distancing; and strict adherence to recommendations from the CDC and City/State health officials to keep all Flower Show attendees safe.

The departure from the Show’s typical late winter timing will allow for a spectacular presentation of the nation’s most looked-to gardening and floral attraction. The early June dates are at the height of the gardening season, allowing for new possibilities for guests to experience seasonal flora. The early summer timing, the outdoor location, the Show’s new District layout, more shopping opportunities, and outdoor-centric add-on activities allow a safe, exciting experience for all ages. The Flower Show will also offer exceptional beauty and an increased diversity of flowers and plants, with the most designers ever showcased.

Each visitor who purchases a ticket, attends a Flower Show special event, or becomes a PHS member allows PHS to further its work planting trees, supporting neighborhood greening, establishing community gardens, providing job training, managing public gardens, and connecting people with horticulture and one another. Full details for the 2021 Philadelphia Flower Show can be found at: www.phsonline.org/the-flower-show.