PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — This week on FYI Philly, we explore a botanical garden that’s a Philadelphia first, celebrate a milestone birthday for an iconic local garden brand, tour an historic building in Montgomery County that has been restored and introduce you to a veteran who is putting a patriotic spin on the stars and stripes.
Spring has sprung at Bartram’s Garden, the oldest surviving botanical garden in North America.
The 50-acre public park and national historic landmark in southwest Philadelphia is filled with new blooms and scenic paths for hiking and biking, as well as free river recreation such as fishing and boating.
Bartram’s Garden was founded nearly 300 years ago by Quaker John Bartram. He bought the land in 1728 and began farming.
He is known as America’s first botanist, and as his wealth and family grew, he created the stone architecture known as Bartram’s House.
Bartram’s House is now open on special occasions, like their annual Spring Fest, coming up on April 18th, to show what life was like in 18th-century Philadelphia.
Bartram’s Garden has also been selected as one of the 52 weeks of first, and their firstival is during this upcoming Spring Fest.
The park is a great place to gather with family and friends and make for beautiful photo-ops.
Bartram’s Garden | Instagram | Facebook
5400 Lindbergh Boulevard, Philadelphia, Pa. 19143
Spring planting is underway at Burpee’s historic Fordhook Farm in Doylestown, where the company maintains its demonstration and testing gardens.
Founded in 1876 by 18-year-old W. Atlee Burpee, the company became a pioneer through innovation, highquality seeds, and groundbreaking mailorder catalogs.
Now celebrating its 150th anniversary alongside America’s 250th, Burpee is offering special seed kits inspired by 1776 and its own historic breakthroughs.
The company is restoring its landmark seed house while continuing to expand as a full gardening brand.
Burpee leaders say caring for a garden-and a company-takes time, patience, and constant attention.
W. Atlee Burpee Company | Facebook | Instagram
Fordhook Farm, 105 New Britain Rd, Doylestown, Pa. 18901
The Speaker’s House, the historic home of Frederick Muhlenberg – the country’s first Speaker of the House, been restored and reopened in Trappe, Pa.
The house recreates the living conditions of the prominent politician.
Woodwork, paint and furniture have been carefully researched and used to decorate the quarters. There is a kitchen garden where heirloom vegetables are grown and used in the kitchen for demonstrations.
The space was on the verge of being demolished 25 years ago. Its history includes being used as a dormitory for Ursinus College, apartments and was abandoned before being saved by a local group.
The Speaker’s House | Facebook | Instagram
151 West Main Street, Trappe, Pa. 19426
Inside the American Philosophical Society’s Museum, 19 rare copies of the Declaration of Independence from the nation’s first 50 years are on public view.
The exhibition traces how the document evolved-from early newspaper printings to a politicized symbol and later a memorialized national treasure.
Alongside the Declarations are about 30 related objects, including a massive 18thcentury map of North America and items connected to Thomas Jefferson.
Founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1743, the APS houses one of the nation’s oldest and most extensive scholarly collections.
Curator David Gary hopes the exhibit encourages visitors to read, reflect on, and thoughtfully discuss the Declaration today.
American Philosophical Society | Facebook | Instagram
Museum at Philosophical Hall, 104 S 5th Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19106
Library Hall, 105 S. 5th Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19106
Forrest’s Flags is putting a patriotic spin on the stars and stripes with unique flags created by a Marine veteran.
Forrest Samolonis launched Forrest’s Flags in 2020. He makes each flag out of his home workshop crafting custom pieces made to order.
He makes two different sizes, both the small or large flag can be converted to be a challenge coin holder.
Forrest is a veteran of the Marines serving tours in Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. After his military service, he came home to New Jersey where he became a police officer. He’s served 18 years on the police force.
Forrest injured his back, which led to creating Forrest’s Flags. While dealing with his injury he found woodworking as an outlet for his mental health. When the flags became popular in the community, he turned his outlet into a business.
Forrest’s Flags | Facebook | Instagram
Take some advice from the experts at Main Line Health, who know how to ease back into outdoor activity and keep from getting injured.
With spring finally here, people are dusting off the dumbbells and breaking out the workout gear to get active again.
The tendency to jump right in is common — and so are the injuries that come with it.
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