Philadelphia Flower Show blossoms despite two nor'easters

The "Wonders of Water" made quite a splash at the 2018 PHS Philadelphia Flower Show, which celebrated the beauty and life-sustaining interplay of horticulture and water. While two powerful nor'easters blew through the region, inside the Flower Show visitors were transported to a tranquil, tropical rainforest and were inspired by stunning creations by the region's premier floral and garden designers and professional and volunteer horticulturists from March 3 to 11. This fabulous event, created collaboratively by more than 3,000 people from many walks of life, provided an inspiring promise of the spring to come.

250,000 visitors were captivated by beautiful, unique interpretations of this year's theme - especially the immersive entrance garden showcasing the sights, scents and sounds of a rainforest - and learned about the importance of water conservation and access to clean drinking water.

With support from the William Penn Foundation, this year's Flower Show offered opportunities for visitors to explore fresh water issues through two impactful experiences: the first-ever Philadelphia Water Summit, a day-long event that brought together leading environmental and industry experts, including former NASA astronaut Mary Ellen Weber; and Windows on the Watershed, an artful exhibit illuminating the ecological lessons and stories of our own complex freshwater system, the Delaware River Watershed.