By: Emma Levin

Last Sunday, my mom and I visited The Philadelphia Flower Show, the largest and longest running horticulture event in the nation. It’s the type of event that you say you’ll go to every year, but for some reason, actually attending it eludes you. Thankfully, we managed to rise early on the last day of the event (by forgoing drinking the night before) and were rewarded with something beautiful and extraordinary.

Once you entered the showroom you were greeted by a massive red brick bridge, running water, every color tulip imaginable, and a gorgeous scent. Each year, the Flower show has a theme and this year’s theme was Holland. As you can imagine, bikes, flower baskets, and tulips were ever present.

As you go through the showroom, there are unique displays with individual themes. Not all of the displays were as lively as I hoped. The Holland theme lacked a certain punch and my mom preferred the simpler displays…

…while I preferred the more creative ones.

The show was a part of the massive Convention Center with many different displays like a walkable hanging garden and a flower pot contest. However, pesty humans made it difficult to manage. It was a Sunday after all and the show’s last day, so naturally, I hoped for a plague.

On the far end of the showroom was a winding shopping market. All types of items were being sold, from gardening supplies to tomato juice. I kept losing my mom as she hid behind pricey garden sculptures. As I heard one lady put it, “There’s too much shit!”, and I was glad to break free of the shops.

As we came back full circle, a lovely light show began accompanied by the latest pop song. My mom and I danced with two little girls and admired the enormity of the displays. The only thing that truly disappointed me, was not being able to walk over the bridge. If I had been a little tipsier (thank you pricey beer), or a five-year-old, I may have attempted disrupting the display for the sake of good fun. Alas, I did not take that chance. 

All-in-all, the Philadelphia Flower Show was a wonderful event to spend money on. If you’re under 24, tickets are only $20.00 and they didn’t check my ID, so you best believe I’m milking that until I’m 30. Many couples apparently got engaged at the event so the show is opportunistic too. And there are free things! I signed up to win a chic Holland bike so fingers crossed I get a phone call any day now.

Happy Flower Show!