Celebrity Floral Designer Jeff Leatham Among Top Talent to Exhibit at This Year's Philadelphia Flower Show
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The Philadelphia Flower Show, the largest flower show in the country, is back this year with an exciting new venue. In light of social distancing recommendations, the flower show will take place outdoors from June 5-13 at the iconic FDR Park in South Philadelphia, which was designed by Fredrick Law Olmsted (who is also responsible for Central Park). In celebration of the event's 193st year, the flower show promises to be bigger and better than ever, sourcing top talent from the likes of celebrity floral designer Jeff Leatham, landscape architect Wambui Ippolito, and renowned horticulturalist and landscape designer Patrick Cullina, among other leading creatives in the field.
"This is my first time working with everyone at the Philadelphia Flower Show, and we are super excited about being part of such a prestigious event, says Leatham. "I'm honored to be able to participate in this, especially on opening weekend, and have everyone in Philly and those traveling there to be able to see our creations. And it's just exciting for people to finally get out of their houses, go outside, and enjoy the beauty of nature together safely."
This year's theme for the Philadelphia Flower Show is "Habitat: Nature's Masterpiece," which serves as direct inspiration for Leatham's exhibition. His living installation will take place in partnership with Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia on June 4 and will be on display for attendees through June 6.
"When we started to design this piece, we had the honor of visiting FDR Park last month which is so beautiful and iconic, especially for those who live in Philadelphia, so it's an honor for us to get to exhibit there," says Leatham. "The word 'habitat' made me think about how the whole world has had cabin fever for an entire year, and unfortunately, a lot of people are still experiencing that around the world. I wanted to create a work that, in a way, felt like nature just had its way with the piece. It's going to look like roots have come up from the ground and grown all around it, and we are using colors that make people happy like bright pinks, oranges, and yellows because that's what it's all about."
Leatham is excited for this challenge of working outdoors, as he doesn't have to be limited to a certain height or width. Putting this exhibit together outside also means being mindful about which types of flowers and greenery to be used, as he wants to create something with the staying power to last more than a weekend.
"Sculptural outdoor art is super important to me, and I want to create something that actually looked more like a contemporary art installation to where viewers won't think of flowers first but rather art first and then noticed it's made out of nature."
Tickets are on sale now via the Philadelphia Horticultural Society for participating in morning and afternoon sessions on June 5 and 6. There are also a variety of other events to participate in through the show through June 13, such as potting parties, park picnics, and early morning and late night viewings of the exhibitions. Every visitor who purchases a ticket, attends a special event, or becomes a member of PHS allows the organization to continue its work to plant trees, support neighborhood greening, establish community gardens, and more throughout the City of Brotherly Love.
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