Most often our Philadelphia Green photos feature spring-blooming trees and gardens overrun by bulbs. But winter can be beautiful too. Looking at these images makes me want to whip out the earmuffs, put on the heavy coat and enjoy the tranquility of Philadelphia parks in the “off-season.” And while I’m at it, might as well pick up some last-minute gifts at Meadowbrook Farm. Seasons greetings!
Cliveden Park – Look at those Icicles!
The Gift Shop at Meadowbrook Farm, part of the PHS Family
From left to right, PHS Council Member Harry Hill, Marguerite and H.F. “Gerry” Lenfest, Mrs. Samuel (Dodo) M.V. Hamilton, PHS President Jane Pepper and PHS Council Chairman John Ball.
PHS reached an important milestone toward its $12.1 million goal for the Legacy Landscapes endowment fund, which will ensure horticultural maintenance of some of the city’s most treasured landscapes.
PHS has raised $2 million from individual donors to match a $2 million challenge grant from Marguerite and H.F. “Gerry” Lenfest, bringing the campaign to the $8.5 million mark. The milestone was celebrated December 8 at the greenhouse of Mrs. Samuel M.V. Hamilton in Wayne, PA.
“The Lenfest Challenge, the first commitment to this campaign, was instrumental in helping us move forward,” PHS President Jane Pepper said. “PHS would like to thank the Lenfests for their generosity and the impact it will have in Philadelphia.”
“We laud the success of PHS to date,” Gerry Lenfest said. “We are great supporters of all PHS’s good work in the Philadelphia region.” Read the rest of this entry »
Many great cities lie on the banks of a mighty, historic river. Here in Philadelphia, we have two! On December 1, a group of PHS employees convened along the Schuylkill River to celebrate major renovations that occurred there. Joined by representatives of the Schuylkill River Development Corporation and other partners and investors, the ribbon-cutting event christened new riverside landscaping, including a terrace overlook.
Renovation can be seen from Martin Luther King Drive all the way to Locust Street, and there is talk of extending the work farther south toward Bartram’s Garden and the Navy Yard. This is part of a larger movement to reconnect Philadelphians to the waterfronts.
Funding from the William Penn Foundation enabled part one of this project, which cleared debris and invasive species from the river trail. The firm Lager Raabe Skafte then designed an improved, accessible landscape. To populate the pathway with trees, community garden group—and Flower Show exhibitors—The Weeders donated balled-and-burlapped trees with the assistance of Brandywine Realty Trust. Twenty-eight were planted this fall, and twenty-some more will be planted in 2010.
If you haven’t been down by the river lately, make a special trip to see the wonderful transformation taking place.
Mark Focht of Fairmount Park and Susan Slawson of the Department of Recreation pose with a check that signifies the value of volunteer time in 2009.
On Thursday, December 10, PHS hosted the annual Party for the Parks at Occasions by Galdo’s in South Philadelphia. Always scheduled toward the end of the year, the celebration recognizes another year of inspiring park stewardship.
When Philadelphia Green and city government first teamed up to revitalize parks in 1993, many of those spaces showed serious neglect–serving as hotspots of drug and gang activity. Concerned citizens were all too happy to help the movement, and little by little signs of change began to appear.
Now, more than 15 years later, there are more than 100 active, enjoyable parks in Philadelphia. Places that were once dangerous eyesores are now family gathering places. Partners in city government and private and public funding are essential, but the backbone of park revitalization is the everyday people who are determined to make their neighborhoods look their best.
The Party for the Parks is meant to exalt those people. As we often say at PHS, “Friends of the Park” groups consist of heroes disguised in civilian clothes! To see the list of 2009 Volunteers of the Year (representing 25 parks), follow the jump! Read the rest of this entry »
In need of a homemade host or hostess gift? Does your Christmas table lack pizzazz? Well PHS is here to help! Tomorrow, December 16, at 7 pm attend a free centerpiece-making seminar at St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 5900 N. 5th Street in Philadelphia.
Gorgeous holiday centerpieces don’t always require a lot of time or expensive materials. Horticulturist Eva Monheim will share ideas for simple arrangements that will wow family, friends, and any stray carolers you invite in for hot cocoa.
This event is part of the City Gardening Series, which is generously supported through a collaborative partnership with Chanticleer Pleasure Garden in Wayne, PA. For more information call 215-988-8872.
At Philadelphia Green we toss around the term “stormwater management” quite often. Several of our projects (including Liberty Lands, Cliveden Park (seen above), and Midvale Avenue) deal with exactly that, ways of diverting and harnessing rainfall so as to lessen the strain put on the city’s sewers.
If you are unfamiliar with this compelling subcategory of greening, read this PHS Project Profile called Green Solutions for Stormwater Management. Also worth a gander is this article from The New York Times. Part of a series on pollution in American waterways, the article details the problem of sewer overflow and steps to combat it.
PHS and some partner organizations recently had the opportunity to excavate, exhume, and examine several tree trenches in Center City to find out what’s really happening below ground. On Tuesday, January 26 a panel of experts will conduct a Greensource presentation of what they found. Located at the PHS office (20th and Arch streets in Philadelphia), the program begins at noon.
Titled “Urban Archeology: What’s in that Tree Pit Anyway?”, the event will discuss the challenge of providing a beneficial growing environment for trees while maintaining a level walking surface for pedestrians. The panel will also describe how, through funding by a special project grant from TreeVitalize, a dozen tree trenches were retrofitted with different combinations of structural soil to test the best fix for subsidence and poor tree growth.
The panel includes Karen Clancy of Center City District, Brad Thornton of Lager Raabe Skafte Landscape Architects, James Farr of James Farr Landscape Company, and Julie Snell of PHS/Philadelphia Green.
The free Greensource event will take place in the PHS fifth-floor auditorium. Snacks and drinks will be provided, but bring your lunch. Please register by calling 215-988-8869 or emailing cdutill@pennhort.org.
Yesterday we reported on a great park in New Jersey that earned the PHS Community Greening Award. Today I want to share the story of another award winner, the Blue Star Memorial Byway Garden in York, PA.
The Garden Club of York began planning this garden in 2006 and completed the planting in 2009 with a touching dedication ceremony. The garden is found at the Sovereign Bank Stadium; the York County Economic Development Corporation helped to obtain the land.
Carol and Curvin Miller designed the tranquil spot, which is a beauty in all seasons: The garden offers daffodils and a patriotic display of red knockout roses, blue salvia, and white dogwoods in early spring; coneflowers and yellow daylilies add a splash of color as the heat of summer intensifies; the burgundy leaves of dogwood trees, viburnum, and golden serviceberry provide fall interest; and gold and green evergreens with red berries complete the quiet winter landscape. Most importantly, the garden has become a healing and reflective space for all who visit.
What a lovely way to honor the men and women of the Armed Services. Congratulations!
One of the favorite words among the Philadelphia Green team is transformation. There are dozens of transformative projects happening across the region; one that’s received attention recently is the restoration of Knight Park in Collingswood, NJ.
This year the park earned the PHS Community Greening Award, which is bestowed upon green public spaces in the tri-state area. Four years ago, however, no one would have thought that possible. Click here to read the story of how Knight Park went from dilapidated to delightful.
Community engagement is a major component of any Philadelphia Green project. After all, it’s the community that will enjoy the resulting trees, flowers, or open space.
On November 18, PHS and its partners presented the initial design schemes for Race Street Pier (also called Pier 11). This parcel along the Delaware River will soon be a park, so the public’s input is invaluable in these early planning stages.
Below is a video from the event. If you were unable to attend but would like to learn more about Race Street Pier, click here.
