Greater Philadelphia Gardens, the non-profit organization that collaboratively promotes its public garden and arboretum members in the Philadelphia region as “America’s Garden Capital,” announced Dec. 7 that Pennsylvania Horticultural Society President Drew Becher has joined its executive committee.
“We’re thrilled to have the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society join Greater Philadelphia Gardens as a new member, and more importantly to have Drew Becher join our executive committee. Having PHS join us at our strategic level provides great testament to our collaborative commitment and vision for the Philadelphia region to become universally recognized for its depth of horticultural history, professionals, knowledge and its expanse of public gardens and arboreta in ‘America’s Garden Capital,’ ” said R. William Thomas, Executive Director of Chanticleer and chair of the Greater Philadelphia Gardens executive committee.
“I am proud to join the executive committee of this important partnership, representing the outstanding horticultural organizations of Greater Philadelphia,” Becher said. “PHS looks forward to working with the other members of Greater Philadelphia Gardens to bring more attention to this region as the horticultural capital of the nation.”
The collaborative non-profit was reignited three years ago with a renewed commitment to promote the area’s public gardens and arboreta. Becher joins other marquis leaders who serve on the organization’s executive committee: R. William Thomas, Executive Director of Chanticleer; Howard Holden, Director of Facilities, Cabrini College; Paul Redman, Executive Director of Longwood Gardens; Paul Meyer, Executive Director of Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania; Rick Lewandowski, Executive Director of Mt. Cuba Center; Claire Sawyer, Director of Scott Arboretum; Rick Colbert, Director of Tyler Arboretum; Chris Strand, Director of Gardens and Estate of Winterthur; Harold Sweetman, Executive Director of Jenkins Arboretum and Gardens; and Jenny Rose Carey, Director of Ambler Arboretum at Temple University.
“Although it’s a relatively new trend in much of the world today, collaborating is a natural phenomenon to those of us in horticulture. We exchange ideas, science, knowledge, and even seeds among peers. So it was a natural evolution for like-minded directors to collaboratively showcase the diverse public gardens and arboreta in the region as America’s Garden Capital,” explained Thomas.
Greater Philadelphia Gardens is a nonprofit collaboration that serves to raise awareness and visitation of the region’s public gardens, arboreta and historic houses with gardens. In the early 1980s, several public garden leaders volunteered to jointly promote all area public gardens and encourage visitors. That public garden collaborative was one of the first of its kind in the country.
Re-established in 2007 under new leadership, Greater Philadelphia Gardens’ 30 public garden members in the tri-state area attract three million visitors each year. As the host to more public gardens and arboreta than anywhere else on the continent, as well as much of the nation’s horticultural history, the region is internationally recognized as “America’s Garden Capital.”
For more information on Greater Philadelphia Gardens or any of the 30 members’ upcoming events, workshops, activities, and visitor information, visit www.GreaterPhiladelphiaGardens.org.
Posted on December 7, 2010 by greenscene1
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