It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The Philadelphia Flower Show returns tomorrow to the PA Convention Center.

Visitors can experience the world’s largest indoor flower show in ARTiculture, a mix of horticulture & art from March 1-9, 2014. 22 museums nationwide worked together with exhibitors to symbolize paintings and works of art with lively foliage. Want to check it out? We’re giving away a pair of FREE tickets to the Flower Show! (Find out how to enter with our Rafflecopter at the bottom of this blog post.)

Exhibits won’t disappoint the art and nature lovers alike. Vendors have been setting up displays since last Tuesday, adding every floral detail. Local Bucks County sculptor Steve Tobin displays pieces in the grand hall; Storm King Art Center open air exhibit is captured with pedestal and 3 generations of Wyeth are embodied in Stonybank Nusery’s display. Rarely seen prints from Andy Warhol’s “Flower” series are on display, having been transported down in the back of a van (true story!) straight from New York yesterday.

The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia (BCGP) is displaying the “Public Art with a Purpose“, spotlighting unique bike rack designs by select local artists. The bike racks will be installed throughout Center City after the show’s conclusion.

Philadelphia Flower Show’s Environmental Impact

Worried about the Flower Show’s environmental impact?

After the Philadelphia Flower Show is complete, plants and products will be reused wherever possible, including props, signs and staging materials and composting horticultural waste. Eco-friendly contractors are preferred, paper use is reduced over electronic communications, and vendors are encouraged to strategically plan and recycle displays.

Green Mountain Energy Company will offset the carbon emissions from the electricity use staff travel and vehicles to balance the show’s carbon footprint. Highly efficient LED lighting in the Hamilton Horticourt reduces energy consumption by 70%.

Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS)’s annual fundraiser continues to give back to the city throughout the year. Milestones in 2014 include from TreePhilly plants its 300,000th tree this year, City Harvest distributed 110 tons of locally grown food to people in need, and beautifying public spaces from the Art Museum to Franklin Square.

What will the show look like? Here’s a sneak peek from our Media Tour.

Philadelphia Flower Show 2014 – Photo Preview

My Australian Friend Malinda Swain hand folded the floral origami pieces showcased in the Flower Show entrance. Using only 100% copy paper, she creates extravagant scenes using typically mundane materials.

Marsden Hartley’s Flower Abstraction lives in the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and inspired this bold, brightly colored landscape. Personally, I love me some pink & blue trees.

Although the larger displays of the Flower Show wows the audience, the smaller pieces can equally speak volumes.

Flowers by David brings you Out on a Limb, bringing the creativity of a child’s imagination into the ultimate playland. Between a tree, pools of water and climbing high with flowers and leaves, be inspired to reach for your own dreams. The Philadelphia Museum of Art’s Delphi Project & Fresh Artists contributed to the scene.

Subaru’s Reclaimed-Repurposed-Renewed – Survivors of the Storm in Artful Recreations was created by sea glass, driftwood and reclaimed lumber that washed up the New Jersey shore. The roof of the display serves as a planter, collecting and reusing rainwater to irrigate the plants. What a way to recycle nature’s leftovers, right?

Organic Mechanics & Waste Oil Recycles joined forces to create the Mogreena Community Garden, showcasing what wonders raised beds can do for a home. Locally sourced materials, compost, repurposed lumber rejuvenated landfill-destined objects into new life. I loved this sustainable display, and immediately felt the urge to create a huge kale & lettuce salad. Just don’t mess with the display until next Sunday…

Win a pair of tickets for the Philadelphia Flower Show

Please connect with us on Social Media and leave a blog comment below to enter! Please use the Rafflecopter below to enter to win a pair of tickets to the 2014 Philadelphia Flower Show:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

We will pick a winner on Monday morning.

If you go:

Philadelphia Flower Show, Saturday March 1 – Sunday March 9th. PA Convention Center, 12th & Arch Streets, Philadelphia PA. Advance tickets: Adults: $27, Student: $20, Children: $15. 

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Julie Hancher is Editor-in-Chief of Green Philly, sharing her expertise of all things sustainable in the city of brotherly love. She enjoys long walks in the park with local beer and greening her travels, cooking & cat, Sir Floofus Drake. View all posts by Julie Hancher