Bartram's Gardens

John Bartram, Royal Quaker Botanist responsible for identifying and cultivating over 200 different species of plants, spent his entire life dedicated to appreciating nature and helping it thrive. Today, his historic home and 45-acre garden site, just west of the Schuylkill River on 54th St. and Lindbergh Blvd., is open to tourists, students, and green thumb fanatics. America's oldest botanical garden contains farm buildings from the 1700s, including an ancient cider press; a river trail and 1.5-acre wetlands; and an assortment of rare trees, such as the Yellowwood, Gingko, and Bartram Oak. Also, the educationally fundamental archaeological dig site on premise has uncovered relics dating back to the 1500s.

The garden itself is comprised of several segments, including the Upper Kitchen where herbs and veggies are grown; the Common Flower Garden, where plants and flowers used for bartering and exchange are harvested; and the New Flower Garden, which is essentially a nursery for collected roots and seeds. Fifteen acres of the property is solely dedicated to a vast meadow thriving with wild flowers, grasses, and common daisies during the spring time.

Another prominent highlight of the garden is the singular strain of Franklinia trees. Although it sounds like a fictional Dr. Seuss plant, the Franklinia tree was discovered by Bartram and his son in 1765 in the state of Georgia and named after Bartram's dear friend, Benjamin Franklin. Indigenous seeds from the original tree grove were brought to Philadelphia and grown here -- and then never found again growing in the wild: the Bartrams saved this tree from extinction!

Even if the botanical history of flora and fauna do not particularly interest you, Bartram's Gardens are worth the visit for the stellar view from across the pasture of the city skyline. Boaters can gain access to the Schuylkill River from the lower region of the meadow, and ferry rides are provided during the summertime. Various workshops, tours, and celebrations, such as Earth Day Events and Tulip Mania, are held during the spring and summer, too.

- Allison Cohn