Blog

February 8, 2017

250 YEARS AGO, JOHN BARTRAM WAS SICK

As it’s February, many of us are down with a cold or flu, as is normal for this time of year. Exactly 250 years ago, in the winter of 1767,…

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January 31, 2017

Winter-blooming Flowers in the Garden

Curator Joel Fry was exploring the Garden this week and discovered two very early-blooming flowers. Let’s hear from Joel: “First is the Yellow-flowered winter sweet (Chimonanthus praecox) that is blooming in the…

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January 26, 2017

“Bartram Boxes Remix” exhibition at Fuller Craft Museum

January 21 – April 16, 2017 Now on exhibition at the Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton, MA, Bartram’s Boxes Remix is a collaborative project between the Center for Art in Wood…

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January 19, 2017

11 EASY Tips for the Winter Gardener

While some consider January and February to be a gardener’s “off season,” there’s actually plenty to do for the horticulturally minded. Here are a few fun gardening activities to help…

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December 14, 2016

America’s First Poinsettia: The Introduction at Bartram’s Garden

It is a little-known fact that the poinsettia was introduced to the gardening world from the Bartram Botanic Garden in 1829. This international symbol of winter cheer was first successfully…

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November 10, 2016

A “Step” into Bartram History

As you stroll around the 1731 John Bartram House, you may notice stone pavers by the east, south, and west entrances. These, like the actual doors, are original to the…

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October 20, 2016

Portrait of Ann Bartram Carr as a Teenager

Born in 1779 to John Bartram, Jr. and Eliza Howell, Ann Bartram—namesake of our new Ann Bartram Carr Garden—grew up immersed in a world of farming and botany, thanks to…

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October 14, 2016

Mini golf (and a gator!) comes to Bartram’s Garden

This week, an alligator returned to Bartram’s Garden! “A fine, fat, frisky Alegator is now running at large at Bartram’s Botanic Garden, near Gray’s Ferry, on the Schuylkill. He is…

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October 5, 2016

Debunking a Myth about our 1775 Bartram Barn

The Bartram Barn was built in 1775, largely by John Bartram’s son, John Bartram, Jr., who was a farmer. We sometimes overhear visitors explaining the function of its narrow window slits,…

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I'm interested in:

Biking & Walking

Birds

Boating & Fishing

Flowers, Plants & Trees

Gardening

History

Kids' Activities

Sankofa Community Farm

Southwest Philadelphia

Water Quality

Workshops, Wellness & Culture

Youth Internships

I'm interested in:

Biking & Walking

Stroll the Schuylkill River Trail or join us for biking!

Birds

Look up! More than 100 species of birds rely on this ecosystem.

Boating & Fishing

Enjoy all that the Tidal Schuylkill River has to offer.

Flowers, Plants & Trees

See what’s blooming, find a favorite tree, and stroll the gardens and natural lands.

Gardening

Bring the Garden home! Shop for plants or grow food, trees, and more.

History

Uncover the interconnected stories of this historic site.

Kids' Activities

Join us year-round to learn, make, share, and wonder.

Sankofa Community Farm

“Go back and get it!” Growing food sovereignty with an African Diaspora focus.

Southwest Philadelphia

Resources and opportunities especially for neighbors in Southwest Philly.

Water Quality

Find our latest data on the river’s bacteria levels and recent rainfall.

Workshops, Wellness & Culture

Enjoy upcoming workshops, self-care, and events. Are you a Southwest artist? Let’s partner!

Youth Internships

Calling Southwest students: paid internships available with the river, the farm, and the trees.