Discovering floral adventures beyond the Philly Flower Show

West Philly

The BioPond (James G. Kaskey Memorial Park)

The BioPond on the University of Pennsylvania's campus was my favorite urban getaway. It had it all. Trees! A koi pond! Silence! It is small but mighty. It’s incredibly easy to miss nestled between Spruce Street and University Avenue. If you live/work in the area, bring the family for a mini-outdoor adventure.

The Porch at 30th Street Station

When Pope Francis visited 10 years ago, the area underwent an urban renewal. The subways were cleaned! The Market Street Bridge featured greenery! The installation of the Porch converted the concrete space around 30th and Market into a relaxed open-air environment perfect for lunch, waiting for a bus, or just chilling. The station maintains a beautifully welcoming space.

Trolley Portal Garden, 40th Street Trolley Portal

It's a cute little outdoor space that is very easy to walk past. This is less a garden and more a cultivated outdoor patio with a restaurant and events. However, it still beautifies the neighborhood. So, if you’re in West Philly, grab some coffee with friends in a beautiful shaded area.

Cobbs Creek Park, 61st and Baltimore

Established in 1911 to protect the creek, 100 years later, it provides an over three-mile trail and connections to the Cobbs Creek Community Environmental Education Center, Mount Moriah Cemetery, local playgrounds, and Bartram’s Gardens.

Southwest Philly

Bartram's Gardens, 5400 Lindbergh Boulevard

Bartram’s Garden always served as a semi-community space and cultural hub. It is less cultivated gardens and more a beautiful outdoor walking experience with diasporic farmlands. It previously hosted the Philly FatCon clothing swap and still maintains the Sankofa Community Farm on-premises. If you’re interested in volunteering, definitely check the website.

Center City

John F. Collins Park, 17th and Chestnut

Collins Park is another hidden-in-plain-sight gem. It is primarily accessible during 9-5 work hours. If you work or live in Center City, this is the perfect place for a relaxing lunch break surrounded by leaf-covered walls and a soothing central water feature. Bonus: sometimes, there's live music.

Old City

18th Century Garden, 3rd and Walnut

Are you into historic gardens while walking the mean streets of our forefathers? Lady Bird Johnson dedicated the space in 1966 to America’s forefathers (back when we cared about maintaining the Constitution). It’s an excellent space to walk around while waiting for the bus or a relaxing early summer afternoon.

Spruce Street Harbor Park

This is an amazing community hub open during the spring, summer, and fall. Everything is everything chill. The hammocks! The waterfront! The grove! This is less a soil-based garden and more a cultivated open-air environment. Come on out and meet your friends for a general hang or rock some solo axe throwing.

South Philly

Philly Magic Gardens, 1020 South Street

Magic Gardens is a Philly institution. It's an immersive urban art gallery whose reflective walls make magical realism feel tangible. Yes, this has a price tag of $8-$15, but it’s worth it. So, if you're interested in using it for yoga, photography, gatherings, or just rambling through, check it out!

Wissahickon/Germantown/Mt. Airy/Chestnut Hill/Manayunk Area

The Wissahickon

Choose your own adventure with the Wissahickon’s numerous paths. Walk to the covered bridge. Wave to the mini-waterfall. Pretend you're a Hallmark heroine. Hike paths with the Philly Goat Project or watch the local horseback riders. Visit the outdoor meadows. You can even treat yourself to brunch at the Valley Green Inn or have a cozy coffee at the Cedars House!

Morris Arboretum

This is Longwood Gardens on a reduced budget. It is free to UPenn-affiliated staff with a nominal door fee of $6-$12 for everyone else. So, if your spouse, sibling, or friend works at one of Philadelphia’s largest employers, wake them up for a delightful Saturday trip. My favorite exhibits include the rose garden, the miniature trains (even more adorable in December and January), and the dinosaur egg tree house. If you want cultivated gardens for a low price tag, this is it.

Wyck House

This historic Germantown house and attached garden are typically open mid-week during business hours, which makes it rough for 9-to-5-ers. However, I recently learned the 2.5 acres feature rose gardens planted in the 1700s and 1800s. So, I can’t wait until I need a mental health day to visit.

Additional locales

Community Gardens

PHS tracks and supports a variety of community gardens throughout the Philadelphia area. I frequently visit the lush, gorgeous Meadowbrook Farm to escape Center City Philly life. It’s open from spring through the fall and is a public garden for visiting.

Paxson Hill Farms (Bucks County)

I learned about this ridiculously cheap yet insanely cultivated hidden gem from a local photographer. It features peacocks, floral gardens, a hobbit house, gorgeous water features, and a Japanese-influenced garden—all for only $10. It packs fantastical worldly wonders and 200 different tree/shrubbery species into an easily walkable yet beautifully cultivated space. Seriously, Longwood, who?

Walking Groups

What if you’re interested in attending one of these locations (or searching out something entirely new) but want a pal along for safety or fun? Philly has many walking groups, some that even cater to affinity groups. My favorites include We Walk PHL, Hike and Heal, We Walk with Harriet, and Walk Around Philadelphia.

I love the Philly Flower Show, but sometimes I want to save my money or skip the crowds. I hope you visit some of these places that help us escape the Greater Philadelphia urban vibe without leaving Philadelphia. (Again, we’re still Philly, so don’t lose your street awareness.) But these are perfect spaces to inhale the outdoor greenery, exhale your daily concerns, and relax.