Guide to Public Green Spaces in Philadelphia

With 38 public green spaces and historic landscapes, the Greater Philadelphia region is America’s Garden Capital. Here are a few of my favorites.

🎣 Bartram’s Garden in Southwest Philly is the nation’s oldest preserved botanical garden. It’s home to more than 2,000 plant species, including the oldest ginkgo tree in North America.

🇯🇵 In Fairmount Park, the Shofuso Japanese House and Garden takes visitors through 17th-century Japanese architecture. You can tour the house and courtyard garden and explore the koi pond, which sits underneath a 75-year-old weeping cherry tree.

🌾Germantown’s Awbury Arboretum features 56 acres of open meadows, farmland, woods, ponds, and rolling hills. The site also hosts art exhibitions, concerts, foraging workshops, and more.

🌷Located in Kennett Square, Longwood Gardens is a must-visit for nature enthusiasts. It has more than 9,000 species and varieties of plants. It’s always a good time to visit, as it hosts hundreds of events throughout the year, like gardening demos, live performances, and children’s activities.