Floral artists looked backward to design the life-size and miniature exhibits at the 2026 Philadelphia Flower Show.
This year’s theme, “Rooted: Origins of American Gardening” centers on historic horticulture. It’s the final installment of a three-year series exploring the past, present and future of plants.
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From recreating famous scenes in history to building a 1950s poodle dress with leaves, the displays detail the beginnings of gardening in the United States and the trends that have stood the test of time.
Here’s a sneak peek at the displays. The show runs from Saturday, Feb. 28 through Sunday, March 8 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. It is open each from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., with the exception of March 8, when it closes at 6 p.m.
The Bard’s Garden
Michaela Althouse/PhillyVoice
In ‘Rooted in Love,’ the florists at Jennifer Designs recreated a the stage for a William Shakespeare play.
Michaela Althouse/PhillyVoice
A display at the 2026 Philadelphia Flower Show includes a life-size version of William Shakespeare made of various plants.
In “Rooted In Love,” florist Jennifer Designs examined the language of flowers and Shakespearean English. The team behind the display said both are rooted in “history, tradition and symbolism,” noting that flowers often appear as a metaphor in William Shakespeare’s works.
Ben Franklin’s Kite
Michaela Althouse/PhillyVoice
A miniature version of Ben Franklin’s famous kite experiment is among the exhibits at the 2026 Philadelphia Flower Show.
For the exhibit “Sparks Fly in Franklin’s Garden,” Kristyna Bedek and J.J. Gingerich’s recreated a tiny version of a colonial-era garden where Benjamin Franklin might have conducted his famous kite experiment. The display includes very young ficuses, and pilea plants to represent shrubs and flower beds.
Orchids Galore
Michaela Althouse/PhillyVoice
In ‘The Orchid Kingdom,’ creator Waldor Orchids attempted to show the lasting fascination with the unusual flowers.
Linwood, New Jersey’s Waldor Orchids created an entire display dedicated to orchids, a diverse species found on several continents. The designers noted that ancient civilizations, 18th century horticulturalists and modern planters have all treasured the flowers, which come in many shapes, sizes and colors.
Plants and Poodles
Michaela Althouse/PhillyVoice
To represent 1950s fashion, designers Robin Walker, Julie Walker and the Garden Club of Fairfax turned plants into a poodle dress.
In the Flower Show’s fashion display, gardeners were asked to interpret a decade of fashion with greens and flowers. In this creation, grasses, strawflowers, alliums and leaves were reconstructed into a poodle dress, a popular style in the 1950s.
Pressed Petals
Michaela Althouse/PhillyVoice
Tzu-Chi Yang pressed plant materials into an ancient Chinese garden in this display, which took first prize in its category.
Some artists created pressings made from flower petals, thin leaves and other plant materials to depict historic gardens, city scenes and more. In Tzu-Chi Yang’s design, the dried florals are arranged to show an ancient Chinese garden, pond and floating lotus blossoms.
