Pennsylvania Horticultural Society - Archive Collections Guides

John Casper Wister (1887-1982) devoted his life's work to horticulture. He was a noted author, editor, speaker, organizer, hybridizer, designer, planter and all around flower lover. Wister was closely affiliated with numerous horticultural organizations including the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, the American Rose Society, the John Bartram Association, the American Daffodil Society and the American Iris Society. He also served as director of Swarthmore College's Arthur Hoytt Scott Horticultural Foundation and the Tyler Arboretum in Media, Pennsylvania. This collection contains lantern slides dating from 1930 to 1940 and consists of 220 slides in total. The first series consists of 109 slides of different gardeners from the Philadelphia area. The second series consists of 111 slides and depicts different flowers and gardens from around Philadelphia, the surrounding areas and Europe. This is a very rich collection that researchers interested in Philadelphia gardens or 1930s gardens and horticulture would wish to consult. It is a visually compelling collection, useful for exhibits, publications and online productions.

The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) was founded on November 24, 1827 by fifty-three prominent Philadelphians; among them Horace Binney, David Landreth Jr., William Davidson, George Pepper, Nicolas Biddle and Moses Brown. Emulating similar societies existing in England at the time, the men formed their Society to promote "a highly instructive and interesting science for the purpose of improving the growth of vegetables, plants, trees, fruits and flowers.” Since that time, the Society and its membership has fostered... an appreciation of plants, acquiring scientific knowledge about them, disseminating horticultural information, and involving the public in gardening and beautifying the City of Philadelphia." More recently, the Society has worked specifically to beautify the city and help realize William Penn's founding vision for Philadelphia to be a "greene countrie towne." This is a collection of administrative records from the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. The collection contains minutes, correspondence, photographs, reports, slides, pamphlets, financial records, publications, scrapbooks, awards, printing blocks, and medals. The records date from 1791 to 2006 and cover topics such as community-based programs and events, including Philadelphia Green and 10,000 Trees. The records include individuals such as Pennsylvania Horticultural Society President Ernesta D. Ballard and PHS events such as the Philadelphia Flower Show and the Chrysanthemum Show.

The Philadelphia Flower Show is the world's largest indoor flower exhibition and, as of 2010, encompasses thirty-three acres and draws over 250,000 visitors annually. The Philadelphia Flower Show was first held in 1829. From 1927 until the mid 1960s, management of the Flower Show was under the auspices of the Philadelphia Flower Show, Inc., a professional group of nurserymen and growers. In 1964, Philadelphia Flower Show, Inc. decided to halt production of the show for two years because of difficulties locating an exhibition space. Under the direction of Ernesta D. Ballard, who felt that yearly continuation of the show was necessary, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society hosted the show in the 23rd Street Armory. In 1966, the show moved to the Civic Center, and in 1968, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society became the show's official producer. In 1996, the Flower Show moved to its current location in the Pennsylvania Convention Center. This is a collection of photographs, slides, contact sheets, and negatives from the Philadelphia Flower Show, from 1927 to 2009. Photographs include general views of the exhibition and its attendees, displays of major exhibitors, first through third place winners for each judging category in the competitive classes, opening ceremonies, and awards presentations. The images represent changes in floral design composition for over eight decades and they display the growth and changes of the Philadelphia Flower Show. The photographs also represent the works of many prominent Philadelphia photographers.

A collection of Junior Flower Show announcements, brochures, posters, award certificates, and invitations. An ongoing initiative, the Junior Flower Show is a free program for students from pre-school through high school that fosters an awareness of horticulture and the natural environment among youth and encourages active participation in growing, gardening, and sustainable practices.