Pennsylvania Horticultural Society - Philadelphia Flower Show

To promote PHS's 1921 show, held November 7 to 9 at the Academy of Music, a pilot flew over Philadelphia's downtown and, according to newspaper accounts, "pelted pedestrians with roses, orchids, carnations and chrysanthemums," together with 50,000 flyers promoting the show. Debutantes served tea every afternoon of the three-day show, and music and dancing were scheduled for the afternoons and evenings.

When flower shows were held at the Academy of Music, a temporary wooden floor was placed on top of the seats in the main hall. The 1922 November show's main attraction was chrysanthemums, but the show also featured collections from estate greenhouses, including vegetables, orchids, roses, and sweet peas. For the first time, the public was asked to assist in the judging by filling out ballots distributed at the door.

Flyer for autumn show held November 7-9, 1922, Academy of Music, Philadelphia

Ticket to the Philadelphia Flower show held under the auspices of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and the Florist’s Club of Philadelphia held at the Commercial Museum, 34th Street below Spruce, Philadelphia. Note that the 1925 Show ran for 4 days only, with opening day hours ( March 17) 6 - 10 pm and remaining days 10 am - 10 pm. Ticket No. K00061. 4.5 x 2.5 inch paper ticket. Printed materials, 1925.

A woman stands in the middle of the Burpee garden, an exhibit of the 1929 show. The exhibit consists of an upper and lower level, with a mansion at one end and steps leading down to an elaborately planted garden. The low banisters are entwined with climbing roses; along the rear are azaleas and other shrubs in flower. Spring-flowering bulbs are in the front border. A complete text description is in The Florists Exchange and Horticultural Trade World, March 16, 1929, p. 13. Show photographer: Grafton Foto Service, Phila Pa.

Plant Products Company, Biddle & Morton Sts., Baltimore Maryland features Fulton's Plantabbs, odorless plant food tablets for making liquid fertilizer. Plantabbs Products, founded in 1921 by David H. Fulton and his brother T. R. Fulton, an avid gardener and a pharmacist, introduced the concept of using tablets to fertilize house plants.

Caption from The Florists Exchange: How Wanamaker's and the Habermehl flower shop combined to stage a truly effective bridal group exhibit at the Philadelphia Flower Show. The floral accessories were renewed daily. Show photographer: Grafton Foto Service, 1102 Manning Street, Philadelphia.

Photograph depicts a section of the 1200 sq. ft. display of the Philadelphia FTD unit ( Florists’ Telegraph Delivery Association). The exhibit has a light green velvet background and the entire floor space covered with yellow sateen. At one end is a colored shield in which is a telephone illuminated with flashing lights. On the shield is the inscription "Telephone for flowers. We deliver your local orders. We will telephone your out of town orders."

The Settlements Garden Clubs often exhibited in the shows of the 1920s and 1930s. These clubs were formed in 1917 "to stimulate love of flowers among children attending settlement houses." Settlement houses were located in poor urban neighborhoods to offer services to newly arrived immigrants. The houses provided social, cultural, and educational programs to young mothers and children. These exhibits were created entirely by children. Exhibition signage: Settlements Garden Clubs. Established 1917 to Stimulate love of flowers among children attending Settlement Houses. Now operating at College Settlement. 433 Christian Street. Friends Neighborhood Guild, 4th and Green Streets. House of Industry, 716 Catharine Street. Jewish Neighborhood House, 1901 South 6th Street. Jewish Foster Home, 700 Church Lane. Neighborhood Centre, 428 Bainbridge Street. Southwark House, 101 Ellsworth Street. Workman Place House, 756 South Front Street.

Educational exhibit of the F.A. Bartlett Tree Expert Company, headquartered in Stamford Connecticut, with a Philadelphia office at 152 Montgomery Avenue, Bala Cynwyd Pennsylvania. Photographer number 11918 in lower left corner.

Partial view of rose garden exhibit of Conard-Pyle Company (then known as Conard & Pyle) of West Grove, Pennsylvania, covering 1200 square feet. The background is a one-story colonial house with a gable rising over the arched doorway. The roof is clapboard and the walls stucco. A flagstone floor outdoor living room, widened out at the door, features garden furniture consisting of a table, chairs and settee. Furniture, drapes and awnings provided by Karcher & Rehn Company of Philadelphia. Photographer number 11947 in lower left corner.

A woman in traditional Dutch costume sits outside of a house, in a garden of spring-blooming bulbs. This exhibit is by Hosea Waterer, seedsman and bulb importer, 714 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia. Photographer number 11950 in lower left corner.