Summer Bloom: PHS Pop Up Garden Sprouts in Rittenhouse Square

Photo Credit: Amanda Stillwell

What was once a vacant lot on the northwest corner of Rittenhouse Square is now the home of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s (PHS) latest pop up garden. 

After last year’s successful Pop Up Garden at 20th and Market Streets, PHS decided to make the project annual. This year, the garden occupies the former site of the Rittenhouse Eric Theater, which was lost in a fire in 1994.

The garden was completely designed and constructed in only two weeks, thanks to the many helping hands of PHS and various local businesses. Aside from the plants, a large picnic bench, built and donated by two PHS volunteers, is the lot’s main attraction. The sitting area is coupled with bold chairs, painted by the Mural Arts Program and decorative walls recycled from the PHS Flower Show.

Like last year, the garden will once again benefit City Harvest, a PHS program that brings fresh produce to Philadelphians through community gardens. 

In conjunction with their goal to “bring everyone to the table,” PHS is creating a tablecloth that will be displayed at the close of the garden. Visitors are asked to snap a picture or two during their time at the garden to be included in the patchwork (for a $5 donation to City Harvest).

The public garden space will be open until mid-October, with regular community programs, including PHS talks every Thursday evening, children’s programs from the Academy of Natural Sciences and much more.

Garden Hours:

Tuesdays through Fridays, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. 
Thursday evenings from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The second Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Stay up-to-date on what’s going on at the lot at PHSonline.org.