2017 Flower Show to Celebrate the Colors of Holland American and Dutch designers highlight a land transformed by tulips and eco-design

PHILADELPHIA – The 2017 PHS Philadelphia Flower Show, ”Holland: Flowering the World,” will celebrate the beauty and ingenuity of Dutch culture, from vivid flower fields

to innovative eco-design, on March 11 to 19 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

No other country is as well known for its floral industry as the Netherlands, which fills

the world with color. The Philadelphia Flower Show will transport guests to the rainbow

landscapes of tulips, hyacinths and daffodils and the cut-flower and bulb markets that

have shaped Dutch history. America’s premier floral and garden designers will celebrate

facets of Holland’s culture throughout the 10 acres of exhibition halls at the Philadelphia

Flower Show, which supports the transformative greening and beautification work of the

Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.

The Flower Show will also explore the innovation that has defined Holland’s approach to

its unique landscape, from windmills – one of the earliest uses of natural energy – to

21st-century ecodomes and the Dutch Wave movement, which takes a natural and

sustainable approach to landscape design. Leading designers from Holland, including

Nico Wissing, Bart Hoes, Bart Bresser, and New Jersey-born Carrie Preston, will share

their extraordinary floral and garden styles in major exhibits at the Flower Show.

“We are thrilled to have these stars of Dutch garden design working with our award-

winning Flower Show designers on the exhibits,” said Sam Lemheney, PHS Chief of

Shows & Events. “This Flower Show will inspire guests with new ways of thinking about

gardening in a changing world, and dazzle them with the colors and creativity of

Holland’s floriculture.”

New in 2017 Bridges, windmills, canals and water gardens in a sea of 30,000 flowers -- with 6,000

more blooms suspended in a giant floral canopy -- will welcome visitors to the Flower

Show. Guests will pass under a brick bridge inspired by the Amsterdam cityscape and

adorned with Delft tile patterns, overflowing flower boxes and hanging baskets. The

surrounding garden will be planted with cherry trees, sycamores, and drifts of floral color

ranging from hot orange to soft pinks, reds, blues and purple accents. Mixed in with

thousands of tulips will be hundreds of fritillaria, narcissus, anemones and other blooms.

New Flower Show attractions will include the World Market in the Convention Center’s

Grand Hall. The World Market will feature a Dutch Shopping Village of imported and

domestic specialties; opportunities to create a take-home bulb garden or crafted planter;

the lively Designer’s Studio demos and real-time competitions; the PHS Pop Up Beer

Garden; and free tastings at the Fine Wine & Good Spirits store.

The 2017 show will also introduce the Garden Spa, located on the Grand Concourse,

where guests can opt for a variety of ways to relax, recharge and be pampered.

Offerings will include massage, make-your-own essential oils or potpourri, and sips of

wine and spirits.

A favorite family experience, Butterflies Live, returns to the Flower Show in 2017. The

educational exhibit replicates a habitat of native plants where more than 1,000

butterflies of 20 exotic and American species interact with guests.

Shopping opportunities will grow this year, with the flagship PHS Shop in the main

exhibition hall and three satellite stores where visitors can purchase Flower Show

scarves and capes, T-shirts, the new Teddy van der Bear, and other keepsakes. The

Meadowbrook Farm Store will offer exceptional spring plants and garden accessories in

the central PHS Shop. The bustling Flower Show Marketplace will include more than

180 vendors offering cut flowers, plants, tools, horticultural supplies, fine crafts, and

home décor and garden products from around the world.

A gardener’s paradise The 2017 show will inspire and empower gardeners of all interests with new horticultural

ideas and information. Exhibits throughout the show will spotlight the highest quality

trees, shrubs and perennials for the home garden, including the 2017 PHS Gold Medal

Plant winners chosen for their year-round beauty and hardiness. Interactive

presentations in the Gardener’s Studio, presented by Subaru, will include the latest

thinking in container gardening, foodscaping, attracting pollinators, growing orchids and

African violets, and planting bulbs. The Competitive Class displays will combine creative

design with expert gardening, while providing practical lessons in beautifying the home

landscape.

Expert advice is found throughout the show: at the special displays of the plant societies,

in the educational exhibits created by area universities and high schools, and at each

exhibit where leading designers look forward to sharing their knowledge. Guests are

also invited to bring gardening questions to the information booth at the Hamilton

Horticourt, where novices compete with veterans for the coveted Philadelphia Flower

Show blue ribbons.

Visitors to the 2017 Flower Show will experience the rich heritage of the Netherlands,

from the canals of Amsterdam to castle gardens and Keukenhof fields, from the historic

and modern architecture to the world-renowned Dutch art and cuisine. “Holland:

Flowering the World” will be a celebration of a culture that has touched every corner of

the globe, and everyone is welkom.

ABOUT THE FLOWER SHOW The PHS Philadelphia Flower Show is the nation's largest and longest-running

horticultural event, and features stunning displays by the world’s premier floral and

landscape designers. Started in 1829 by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, the

show introduces the newest plant varieties, garden and design concepts, and organic

and sustainable practices. In addition to the major garden displays, the Flower Show

hosts world-renowned competitions in horticulture and artistic floral arranging,

gardening presentations and demonstrations, special events, and the citywide Bloom

Philly celebration. The Philadelphia Flower Show has been honored as the best event in

the world by the International Festivals & Events Association, competing with events

such as the Kentucky Derby Festival, Tournament of Roses Parade, Indianapolis 500

Festival, and other international celebrations.

The Premier Sponsor of the 2017 Flower Show is Subaru, and the Exclusive Sponsor is

Bank of America. Official Sponsors are AARP, Accenture, Acme, Bartlett Tree Experts,

Belgard, Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, Flonase Sensimist, and Green Mountain

Energy. Supporting Sponsors are Amtrak, FTD, and SugarHouse Casino. Contributing

Sponsors are Bath Fitter, Breck’s, Brent and Becky’s Bulbs, Cruise Planners, Espoma

Organic, Fios, Global Home Improvement, LeafFilter, Mid-Atlantic Waterproofing, Stash

Tea, and Stella Artois. Official Media Partner is 6ABC.

For more information about the PHS Philadelphia Flower Show and to purchase tickets,

visit theflowershow.com, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

ABOUT PHS The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society is a nonprofit organization, founded in 1827, that

connects people with horticulture, and together creates beautiful, healthy and

sustainable communities. Proceeds from the Philadelphia Flower Show support the

work of PHS to transform lives and landscapes across the region. Through the

innovative greening programs of PHS, people of all backgrounds work together to tend

community gardens, plant trees, green vacant lots, and create and maintain iconic

public landscapes. These efforts provide healthy food for families in need, teach job

skills to returning citizens, build stronger and safer communities, and make our world a

greener, more beautiful place. For information, visit PHSonline.org.

MEDIA CONTACTS: Alan Jaffe, PHS Senior Director of Communications & Media, 215.988.8833, mobile 267.968.0859, ajaffe@pennhort.org Marion McParland, PHS Communications Specialist, 215.988.8815, mobile 609.238.9599, mmcparland@pennhort.org.