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PHS in the News : April-May 2010 Roundup
The Public Relations Department presents this regular update to help raise awareness about PHS’s many programs and initiatives in the news.
(Listed chronologically, beginning with most recent coverage.)
Greenworks Report Card
The Office of Sustainability touted the achievements thus far of the Greenworks plan at a celebration in Easter North Philadelphia on May 26. The Inquirer noted the participation of PHS in this story the next day.
The Mayor cited the work of Tree Tenders in this Greenworks story on WHYY.
Geen2015
The city plan to add 500 acres of green space began with a series of civic engagement sessions, and Amanda Benner described a new pop-up park on the Central Delaware in this May 26 story on PlanPhilly.
Amanda also describes PHS’s role in the Greekworks parks goal in this video produced by the city.
City Harvest: Roots to Re-Entry
On May 21, the national news site The Huffington Post ran the headline “Green Rehab in Philly and Kansas,” and picked up the terrific story by Emily Main on the City Harvest “Roots to Re-entry Program.”
Veggie Gardens
The FairytaleFeasts blog recently cited the gardening of White House earth mother Michelle Obama and PHS earth mother Sally McCabe.
City Hall in Bloom
The annual planting around City Hall drew a shout-out from KYW and coverage in the Home News that featured the kids from St. Francis Xavier.
Philadelphia INTERNATIONAL Flower Show
The Baltimore Sun ran a story about the Chelsea Flower Show recently, and under the photo of Queen Elizabeth visiting that show, columnist Susan Reimer wrote: “We have our Philadelphia Flower show, and the Brits have Chelsea.”
Floral Design magazine, based in New Zealand, ran a cover story with 10 pages devoted to the South Africa exhibited created by AIFD in its May issue.
Miniature Collector magazine ran a four-page spread of Flower Show miniature displays in its summer issue.
Azalea Garden Party
The Azalea Garden Party was a rousing success by all accounts. Here are a few of them:
Main Line Media News
Philadelphia Magazine
Philly.com
TheDailyDell.com
J&B
Jane and Blaine performed an aerial act when they and Philadelphia Green were honored with the Outward Bound Compass Award on May 11. Philly Chit Chat offered this report.
LOVE Your Park
Everyone loved the May 8 event, “LOVE Your Park,” the new incarnation of Spring Into Your Park with our greening partners. Jennifer Mahar explains it all for you in this article in the South Philly Review.
The Daily News carried this advance story on the citywide park celebration:
Tonic, the national website devoted to good news, had this.
Kids Grow Expo
Kids Grow Expo drew 6,000 little environmentalists to Temple Ambler on April 23.
More Veggie Gardens
Chela talked about home veggie gardening in this Inquirer report.
Tree Campaign
Drew led the kickoff of a major campaign to double the tree canopy of Philadelphia at Francisville Recreation Center on April 24. 6ABC offered this report.
Barley coordinated the tree-planting at Chester High School. The Inquirer had this story.
A Chester blogger weighed in too.
RiverTalk
Philadelphia Green launched RiverTalk, the first audio tour of the Delaware, and hosted a boatload of reporters on the maiden voyage:
KYW
Philadelphia Weekly
City Harvest: Community Growers Alliance
WHYY reported on the Community Growers Alliance.
PHS in the News : January-March 2010 Roundup
The Public Relations Department presents this regular update to help raise awareness about PHS’s many programs and initiatives in the news.
(Listed chronologically, beginning with most recent coverage.)
Education: PHS/Girl Scout Patch Program, You Bet Your Garden, March 20
PHS Education Director Pat James and Girl Scouts of Eastern PA marketing director Cheryl Baker are interviewed by the inimitable Mike McGrath on his national radio broadcast about the new Girl Scout patch program developed by PHS.
http://www.whyy.org/91FM/ybyg/index.html
(Click on the "Garden Education" episode. The PHS/GS interview begins around 13.45 minutes into the show.)
Leadership: Drew Becher, City Paper, March 10
The President-Elect of PHS is interviewed by “Loose Cannon” columnist Bruce Schimmel regarding his passion for trees and his plans in Philadelphia.
http://citypaper.net/articles/2010/03/11/meet-the-tree-guy
Drew was featured in other media following his selection as the next PHS executive:
Philadelphia Daily News: http://www.philly.com/dailynews/features/85456882.html
Philadelphia Inquirer: http://www.philly.com/philly/news/homepage/84090352.html
PlanPhilly: http://planphilly.com/drew-becher
Keystone Edge: http://www.keystoneedge.com/features/drewbecher0225.aspx
Legislation: Green Communities Act, Bob’s Blog, March 2
Sen. Robert Casey blogs about the economic impact of greening and his visit to the Philadelphia International Flower Show, where he held a press conference to announce he would introduce the Green Communities Act in the Senate.
http://casey.senate.gov/about/blog/post.cfm?pl=Greening_Our_Communities
Urban Gardening: Community Growers Alliance, GRID Magazine, April issue
New PHS staffer Nic Esposito is interviewed as an example of the new generation of urban ag advocates, aided by a PHS Community Growers Alliance grant.
http://www.gridphilly.com/grid-magazine/2010/3/10/cover-story-growth-industry.html
Flower Show: Feb. 28 to March 7
“Passport to the World” received widespread coverage in the local, regional and national media. Here are a few highlights, and two videos you may have missed:
Washington Post columnist Adrian Higgins found much to praise at this year’s show: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2010/03/03/AR2010030301910.html
Wall Street Journal blogs about new exhibitor OuterSpaces:
http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2010/02/27/spring-blooms-at-philadelphia-international-flower-show/?KEYWORDS=philadelphia+international+flower+show
Baltimore Sun reporter Susan Reimer offers a preview of the show:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/travel/bal-ae.li.travel26feb26,0,508161.story
Philly.com produced several videos leading up to and during the show. A special episode of the Gardener’s Studio, starring Show Designer Sam Lemheney and Meadowbrook Farm manager Jessica Story, focuses on the magic of forcing plants to bloom:
http://www.philly.com/philly/video/86242437.html
The Flower Show was a perfect accompaniment to an episode of “Uncorked”:
http://www.philly.com/philly/video/85964822.html
MODA botanica was featured in a design blog by a NYT and Dwell Magazine freelancer Mike Welton: http://architectsandartisans.com/index.php/2010/03/these-are-not-your-typical-florists/
Leadership: Jane Pepper Retires, Inquirer, March 7
Garden columnist Virginia Smith shadowed Jane Pepper during the Flower Show in preparation of this profile:
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/homepage/86738217.html
Daily News editorial writer Sandy Shea and artist Signe Wilkinson collaborated on this tribute to Jane on Feb. 12:
http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/84207702.html
Urban Greening: Sustainability Forum, PlanPhilly, Jan. 28
Executive Vice President Blaine Bonham moderated an Urban Sustainability Forum that looked at the social impact of greening vacant lots.
http://planphilly.com/looking-beyond-broken-windows
Philadelphia Green: Pocket Parks, Northeast Times, Jan. 20
Senior Parks Project Manager Tammy Leigh DeMent notes that partnerships with communities determine the success of small neighborhood parks.
http://www.philly.com/community/pa/philadelphia/netimes/82206282.html
Philadelphia Green: Community Land Care, Philadelphia Business Journal, Jan. 11
Mayor Nutter’s PhillyWorks job program looks to the Community Land Care project for its initial pool of participants.
http://philadelphia.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/stories/2010/01/11/daily12.html
PHS in the News : December Roundup
This is the second in a series of regular updates to help raise awareness about PHS's many programs and initiatives in the news.
Listed chronologically in descending order
Fundraising: Legacy Landscapes, SusanScovill.com, Dec. 10
Several photos from a Dec. 8 party at Dorrance Hamilton’s greenhouse to mark the matching of a $2 million Lenfest Challenge were published on the society website, SusanScovill.com. Photos included Flower Show Chair Melinda Moritz, Council Chairman John Ball, Council member Harry Hill, Gerry and Marguerite Lenfest and several campaign supporters.
Volunteers: PHS Council, Philadelphia Inquirer, Dec. 7
PHS’s newly elected Council members were included in the Philadelphia Inquirer Business section’s “On the Boards” column recently.
Awards: PHS Community Greening Award, Philadelphia Inquirer, Dec. 5
New Jersey Section Reporter Caroline Russomanno featured Collingswood Knight Park winning a Community Greening Award in a Saturday story, “Community Rallies to Restore Knight Park.” According to Borough Commissioner Joan Leonard in the article, the bridge and center of the park were in shambles two years ago. The park now has four individual gardens, a partly rebuilt bridge, renovated embankments, 150 new trees and more. The community raised more than $10,000 for the improvements while services and labor were donated from a local landscaping company, builder and master gardeners. The article mentioned PHS as producer of the Philadelphia International Flower Show and was accompanied by a beautiful picture of the bridge.
Awards: PHS Community Greening Award, The Times Herald, Dec. 2
Reporter Dan Sokil’s featured the Lansdale Borough winning a Community Greening Award for its Main Street hanging baskets. Chantilly Florist Marge Booz accepted the award at PHS’s ceremony and then presented to Lansdale’s Borough President Jack Hansen at a recent council meeting. “Our Main Street is the envy of many others in Pennsylvania, and I think this award shows just how great Lansdale is,” Booz was quoted in the article.
Awards: PHS Community Greening Award, Shore News Today, Dec. 2, Press of Atlantic City, Dec. 2
Reporter Shaun Smith featured the Way of Life Assembly of God church in Ventnor for “creating a little patch of heaven” and winning a Community Greening Award. The article said “the property has undergone a dramatic transformation since 1992 from what was once a boarded up Presbyterian church.” The garden was inspired by the flora and fauna of Monet’s house in Upper Normandy, France. The Ventnor garden was also mentioned in a Dec. 2 business column in the Press of Atlantic City.
Grants: PennVest, Tree Tenders, Northeast Times, Dec. 2
Reporter John Loftus featured the Holmesburg and Northeast Tree Tenders plantings on Nov. 21. The article quoted Michael Leff and Alan Jaffe, and mentioned the $1.65 Pennvest grant that will be used to plant 8,000 trees in Philadelphia region. “It’s all about community revitalization,” Leff said. “Trees improve neighborhoods. Studies have shown that trees increase the value of a house.”
Meadowbrook Farm, Phillyburbs.com, Dec. 1
Reporter Patrick Berkery wrote an advance of Meadowbrook Farm’s Dec. 5th Holiday Open House. Calling Meadowbrook “one of the Delaware Valley's most beautiful estates and garden centers,” Berkery mentioned the $70 Flower Show gift pack, Meadowbrook tours and PHS’s new website: PHSOnline.org.
Grants: PHS City Harvest, Grid Magazine, December issue
A report on PHS receiving a $300,000 grant from the USDA to expand its City Harvest program with an entrepreneurial food growing initiative ran in GRID. Claire Baker was quoted, calling the program “a great opportunity for growers to earn supplemental income, grow on land that is not currently in active agricultural use and make more fresh produce available in their communities.”
Awards: PHS Community Greening Award, Burlington County Times, Nov. 30
Reporter Mark Zimmaro featured the Willingboro Public Library’s winning of the Community Greening Award and resident Steven Silberstein efforts over the last four year’s to create the shade garden.
Flower Show: Exhibitor Michael Bruce, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Nov. 27
In a large-scale Friday feature by gardening reporter Ginny Smith, Michael Bruce was mentioned in a trend article about how floral designers are staying local. Bruce, “known for his provocative displays at the Philadelphia Flower Show” was cited as recently raiding a client’s garden for a last-minute bridal bouquet. “He used fresh figs, lavender, rosemary, sage, lemon balm, liriope, and two nasty invasives: porcelain berry, which nonetheless has outstanding purple berries, and Japanese knotweed, which has arcs of creamy white flowers.”
Flower Show: Attraction, UWishunu.com, Nov. 25
The 2010 Flower Show was listed as the third top “annual event to be thankful for” in the Greater Philadelphia Tourism and Marketing Corp.’s blog, UWishunu.
PHS in the News - November, 2009
Lo-ResTV: Urban Greening
By: David Kessler, 11/5/2009
A group of Pittsburgh city officials and representatives of non-profits and technical assistance providers traveled across the state to witness first hand how the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and its Philadelphia Green program has created parks, gardens and revitalized land in sections of the city deemed dead.
The tour included stops at Liberty Lands Park, Las Parcelas, Greensgrow and Awbury Arboretum, and Pittsburgh, which unveiled its green prowess to the world for the G-20 Summit a month before, shared its own successes and challenges, including 24,000 vacant lots.
Parks: Fall for your Park, Philadelphia Inquirer, November 22
Reporter Melissa Dribben covered PHS’s planting of 1,000 trees and cleaning up parks at PHS’s annual Fall for Your Park event. The article, “Volunteers Spend a Day Greening in the City,” included several photos, looked at the widespread effort of 2,000 volunteers working 34 neighborhoods, and quoted Philadelphia Green Senior Director Joan Reilly. Michael Mayor Nutter’s goal of doubling tree canopy in Philadelphia, as well as Nutter’s attendance at PHS’s Campbell Square event was also cited in the article. Last week, the crown lights on PECO’s building on Market Street also carried the message from PHS inviting everyone to “Fall For Your Park.”
To read the story, click here: http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/70734397.html
Capitola Playground, South Philly Review , November 16
An article on changes at Capitolo Playground, a formerly unused plot transformed into an award-winning garden ran last week. The garden took first place in the PHS’s City Gardens Contest for Vegetable/Flower Garden. Trees were recently planted there as part of PHS’s fall efforts. To read the story, click here:
http://www.southphillyreview.com/view_article.php?id=8952
Grants: PHS City Harvest, The Associated Press, KYW, and WHYY,
November 16 and 17
A report on PHS receiving a $300,000 grant from the USDA to expand its City Harvest program with an entrepreneurial food growing initiative was picked up by The Associated Press. The news item ran on several websites and in publications including, The Washington Post, Newsday, San Francisco Chronicle, Rocky Mountain Telegram, WHP CBS 21 Harrisburg, WTXF-FOX Philadelphia and more. Joan Reilly was interviewed for a feature on KYW while Program Manager Claire Baker was interviewed for WHYY. Here are the links:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/16/AR2009111602349.html
http://www.kyw1060.com/pages/5694098.php?
http://whyy.org/cms/news/regional-news/2009/11/17/gardeners-encouraged-to-contribute-to-local-food-supply/23283
Parks: Philadelphia Green, Planning magazine, November issue
Open Space Planning Manager Todd Baylson, AICP, was interviewed in this national magazine of the American Planning Association. The article, “Parks in Tough Times: They’re getting leaner and greener” looked at how budget cuts across the country are affecting cities and parks. Research and trends show park systems are experimenting with low-maintenance landscaping and designing parks for users of all ages. Baylson pointed to PHS’s ability to form partnerships with community groups, government agencies, and private groups – including the Home Depot Foundation, for its continued success. http://www.planning.org/planning/
Flower Show: Title Change, The American Gardener, November/December issue
The Philadelphia International Flower Show’s name change, along with a thumbnail of the Flower Show website, was mentioned at the top of The American Gardener Magazine’s “People and Places in the News.” The item quoted PHS President Jane Pepper and listed information on how to buy tickets.
Volunteers: Honoring Hayward Ford, The Philadelphia Inquirer, November 6
- Obituary of longtime Philadelphia Green volunteer and champion Hayward Ford. The tribute mentioned Ford’s leading role in transforming West Philadelphia’s Aspen Farms with the help of Philadelphia Green from a row of crumbling row houses/derelict vacant lot in the 70s to the thriving community garden that it is today. PHS’s Executive Vice President Blaine Bonham summed up: “Hayward was the epitome of a leader - an innovator, an organizer, a green developer, a teacher, host extraordinaire, humanitarian, and a true inspiration to everyone who had the privilege to know him.” To read the story, click here:
http://www.philly.com/philly/obituaries/69354032.html
Awards: PHS Community Greening Award, Times Herald, Ambler Gazette, WNPV Radio, Facebook, and more
Several sites were honored with PHS’s statewide Community Greening Award including Ambler’s Trax Café, which has been transformed from an overgrown site to a garden that compliments the restaurant, which is now composting and uses herbs and produce from the garden in its cooking. Owner and Chef Steve Waxman was quoted: “Someone who comes here submitted us. I was thrilled and shocked. The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society is a really nice feather in our cap.”
Articles on the greening award also ran on WNPV Radio, The Reporter, the Ambler Gazette, and the Collingswood Retrospect. The awards were listed on the front pages of several municipal and business websites including the Willingboro’s Public Library’s site (and Face Book page), Lower Merion Township, Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation, Lansdale Borough, Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership, and The Taproom at Martin’s Tavern, a historic revolutionary war-era tavern in Chester County. Several sites and articles included photos of winners receiving their awards from Blaine Bonham.
PHS was mentioned on the Fox Business website and others along with PECO, which won a greening award for its three-year project to create a meadow of native grasses attractive to wildlife on its 18-acre utility right of way in Lafayette Hill in Montgomery County.
Grants: Pennvest, PlanPhilly.com, November 3
Announcement of PHS receiving a $1.65 million grant through the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (Pennvest) for the planting of more than 8,000 trees in Philadelphia and the surrounding counties ran on PlanPhilly.com. The funding comes from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and is part of a portfolio of green infrastructure projects encouraged by both federal and state government. To see the link, click here: http://www.planphilly.com/phs-awarded-165-million-pennvest-grant
PHS in the News - October, 2009
Philadelphia Green
Vacant Land/Public Landscapes
Karen Heller: Vacant homes are opportunity
Philadelphia Inquirer - Karen Heller - Oct 20, 2009
But the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society says there are 40000 vacant lots alone, a quarter of which it manages, 23 acres in total. ...
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/20091020_Karen_Heller__Vacant_homes_are_opportunity.html
Camden lots get new look
Cherry Hill Courier Post - Deborah Hirsch - Oct 19, 2009
The Philadelphia Green Program, managed by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, has landscaped about 5000 of the city's 40000 vacant lots, or 6.5 million ...
http://www.courierpostonline.com/article/20091019/NEWS01/910190326/1006/news01
Model D's 5 Questions for City Council Candidate Gary Brown
Model D - Gary Brown - Oct 26, 2009
A partnership could begin with Greensgrow -- Philadelphia and the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society for internships, observation and/or training. 4. ...
http://www.modeldmedia.com/features/brown102709.aspx
Preserving the urban canopy
Penn Current - Heather A. Davis - Oct 29, 2009
Beginning in 2004, the team partnered with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and the City of Philadelphia to assess the aging paulownia trees around ...
http://www.upenn.edu/pennnews/current/features/102909-1.html
Community Greening Award
Trax Café wins Community Greening Award
Montgomery Newspapers - Fort Washington,PA,USA
Bob Raines 11/02/09 By Thomas Celona Ambler's Trax Café has been awarded a 2009 Community Greening Award from the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society in ...
http://www.montgomerynews.com/articles/2009/11/04/ambler_gazette/news/doc4af0fdcKimberton Waldorf families help create sustainable school
Phoenixville News - Oct 26, 2009
Just last week, KWS learned that they won the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society 2009 Community Greening award. Evaluators from the Pennsylvania ...
http://www.phoenixvillenews.com/articles/2009/10/26/news/srv0000006667378.txt
Whitemarsh receives a pair of green awards
Montgomery Newspapers - Thomas Celona - Oct 21, 2009
Two Whitemarsh Township projects have been awarded 2009 Community Greening Awards from the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. ...
City Harvest
A 4-page feature on City Harvest is in November issue of GRID Magazine. At www.gridphilly.com
New crop of inmates
Philadelphia Daily News-Dana DiFilippo -Oct. 6, 2009
...spokesman Robert Eskind said. Farming continued on a smaller scale for years. But four years ago, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society approached city officials with their City Harvest plan. Besides mastering gardening and landscaping...
http://www.philly.com/dailynews/local/20091006_New_crop_of_inmates.html
Pa.'s "Roots of Re-Entry" garden
CorrectionsOne - Dana DiFilippo - Oct 6, 2009
Recently, Philadelphia Green's Sharat Somashekara schooled inmates on exotic persimmons and the proper planting of trees. (Fall is the best time. ...
http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/63582412.html
Here comes the sun at the city prison
Northeast Times-William Kenny- Oct. 14, 2009
http://www.philly.com/community/pa/philadelphia/netimes/64235692.html
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