Hi Dawn. The Philadelphia Flower Show has always been in the late winter - generally the first week of March, which is a few weeks before the first day in spring. This to give you that jolt of hope that spring is on the way and to help you get through the last of the winter days.

The PA Horticultural Society has a website dedicated to the Flower Show here. The website also includes a link that lists some special area hotel packages (I'm assuming places that are offering discounts to go along with the show) here.

The show is held at the PA Convention Center which is in the heart of Center City and near Chinatown and City Hall, and is about 6 blocks from the historic area (Independence Hall, Liberty Bell, etc). There are plenty of city tour busses (most are hop on, hop off with pickups) around the area, including a double-decker "The Big Bus" tour. The Convention Center is connected to the historic Reading Terminal (with many food vendors including Menonite vendors) and the complex links up underground to the Gallery and Gallery II multi-level mall, which goes from 12th St. all the way down to about 7th St. with plenty of stores for shopping. Public transit in that area is prolific (although rather expensive compared to other cities), however the downtown has always been very walkable, with lots to see.

Just be aware that the show draws some 300,000 during its run (it is the largest indoor garden show in the world) so it can get rather crowded that week, with alot of bus tours coming in from all around the east coast continually unloading people. Also note if you go the 12th, that's the last day and often the plants (particularly the shrubs) are sortof pooped out by then (although they try to replace some of the bulbs/perennials to try to keep most of it all freshly in bloom).

In any case, the show is pretty amazing and the landscapers who compete manage to create some incredibly large, creative, clever, and often whimsical displays year after year. Just viewing shrub, perennial, and tree plantings, along with color combinations using flowers and/or foliage plants, is worth it to give you ideas for how to plan your own plantings.

Hope you have a great time with your sis (I usually go with my sisters)!

Hi Dawn,
You'll absolutely love the Flower Show! The theme this year..."Enchanted Spring...A Tribute to Mother Nature"... is a more practical and interesting one, in my opinion. Sometimes, the tropical theme is alittle overdone. I just had the FS training this week and the floorplan is terrific. I'm so excited myself! I'll be at the Penn State booth on Sat., March 11th after 2:30 pm, so please stop by and say hello if you can. I love meeting up with fellow GWers because we're a great bunch of people, face it...LOL.
Anyway, Jenny gave a good head's up with the show. Make sure to get your hand stamped for re-entry to the show if you want to leave for a break. You can go across the street to the Reading Terminal to eat, it's cheaper and more of a selection, plus a Phila. icon and very interesting. Chinatown is also an interesting place to eat, and it's within walking distance by a few blocks. Oh, be prepared to take home lots of information handouts and goodies. Also, in the hallway outside of the main entrance (going towards the tea rooms), there are often vendors giving away free samples of things. Last year I got lots of Yves Rocher lavender hand creams and perfume samples, plus other giveaways. Lastly, if you purchase your ticket ahead of time, you can save a few bucks. See the FS link for that info. Have fun and enjoy the Flower Show!
Trish

Here is the link to the Reading Terminal, WHICH IS CLOSED ON SUNDAYS (if you go on March 12th).

Here is a link that might be useful: Reading Terminal Market Phila.

Trish - thanks for the heads-up on the vendors giving away free stuff! We obviously missed them last year, since we went straight into the main exhibit area, hit every aisle, and finally left the show loaded down with stuff (LOL), so we didn't get chance to wander around to the rest of the show areas. You also reminded me that I need to make up a list of bulbs to buy there this year. I'm thinking of getting some new asiatic and oriental lilies (still have my cannas I bought there last year).

And I would agree that this year's theme sounds great and would also agree that in the past, the tropical bit by some exhibitors, was starting to go overboard (ie., particularly the orchid fanatics). I think last year's show finally got the message that our temperates can be just as beautiful, which was always the focus of the show over many decades. ;-)

Thanks so much for all the great info!!!!! I will make sure I bring a duffel bag for the freebies and plenty of & for plants! lol. I am excited! Dawn

My DH and I used to go every year (too many surgeries in the last few years)

We hope to start going again.

We always found that the best time to go is Sun. when the doors first open. We would run around and check out which ones we wanted to spend time visiting. Usually starts to get really crowded when church services are over.

Good Luck it sounds like a great show.

Florence/zeffyrose

I didn't go last year. It just didn't have enough of usefulness for us ordinary everyday zone 6 gardeners.

This year, I'm planning to check out the Cinncinnati Show. Its about the same drive time from Pittsburgh.

Dawn,

If you are coming out here from Pittsburgh I would really recommend that you also drive about 40 minutes south of Philly to Longwood Gardens and maybe even Winterthur which is very close to Longwood. Longwood is just amazing and Winterthur has a great spring bulb display that should be starting by then. Please check them out on the internet - if you can make it work it is very much worth your time.

Here is the link to Philadelphia Visitors Site for more information.

In addition to the info above, for good, inexpensive, transportation around Center City (which is what the downtown area is called), there is Philly Phlash, a bus service that runs up and down Market Street and the Ben Franklin Parkway (where the museums are located). The Phlash goes back in service on 3/1, in time for the Flower Show. $1 for each ride or $4 for all-day passes or $10 for a family (2 adults, 2 children) day pass.

Parking is very expensive, but there isn't much choice. I'm going to try to get there on a weekday, still crowded but less than weekends. For other food choices, as mentioned there is Chinatown (I like the Dim Sum at the H. K. Golden Phoenix and also Vietnam on 11th is good) and there is a food court in the Gallery on the lower level. Have a good time.