Community Network Member:

Pennsylvania Horticultural Society

A not for profit organization founded in 1827, The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) motivates people to improve the quality of life and create a sense of community through horticulture.

Through hosting of such events as the Philadelphia Flower Show, and by initiating such programs as Philadelphia Green, the PHS has continued its mission for over 175 years.

PHS's Top 3 Issues:

1. Implement GreenPlan Philadelphia, a comprehensive open space plan for the city.

2. Manage vacant land as a significantly valuable asset

3. Support development and preservation of community-managed green spaces.

PHS's "Big Question" for the candidates:

How would you make a green Philadelphia a priority for your administration? And how do you see a green Philadelphia relating to your other key priorities for your administration?

Programs/Initiatives/Services provides by BIA for the community:

Philadelphia Flower Show

The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society is most widely known as the producer of the world famous Philadelphia Flower Show, an annual horticultural exposition that attracts over 250,000 visitors and has a $30M impact on the economy of the city.  The proceeds of the Philadelphia Flower Show go to support PHS’ nationally recognized urban greening program, Philadelphia Green

Philadelphia Green

The Philadelphia Green Program was started by PHS in 1974.  It invests in the city’s neighborhoods using horticulture as a community development tool.  Through engaging community residents, training volunteers, and building partnership with other organizations in the public and private sector, Philadelphia Green improves the quality of the city’s open spaces and creates a sustainable foundation that ensures that its greening efforts are durable and last well into the future.  By creating quality open spaces and investing in the city’s “Green Infrastructure”, Philadelphia Green is helping to remove blight, reduce crime, increase property values, improve the environment, and make the city a better place to live, work and play.  Building on the skill and experience of Philadelphia Green, the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society has created a Green City Strategy, a vision of the greening of Philadelphia as a means to improve the quality of live, reduce crime and strengthen Philadelphia’s neighborhoods.  It calls for significant improvements to the city’s open spaces as a means to stem population loss and attract new residents and investment.