This year marks the 190th anniversary of the found of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, founded on November 24, 1827. Members of the time included a number of familiar names, such as publisher Mathew Carey, lawyer Horace Binney, and physician George Pepper. The group’s purpose was to cultivate and promote the science of horticulture.

 

The PHS’s annual exhibitions, which began in 1829 and are now known internationally as the annual Philadelphia Flower Show, proved to be one of their most popular events. These shows featured public displays of not only members’ own horticulture contributions, but also of brand new varieties of plants. In 1829, the PHS first showed poinsettias, which had only been discovered in Mexico just a few years prior. In 1832, dahlias were introduced. And in 1832, seeds of a new item called sugar beets were handed out.

 

The PHS had several homes over the years, most notably venues that they called “Horicultural Hall.” Their first one was built at Broad and Lardner streets in 1867, but it burned down twice: first in 1881 and second in 1893. They built a brand new hall next to the Academy of Music on broad Street, which the society resided in from 1893 to 1917. Today, the society keeps office on North 20th Street, but its flower show fills the convention center every spring.