Saturday, April 22 will be a big day at the historic Bartram’s Garden as it’s celebrating Spring and opening of the Bartram’s Mile section of the Schuylkill River Trail.

Community members are invited to a Spring Open House and plant sale from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This year, guests will get an opportunity to visit the 1731 Bartram House as its doors will be open all day. The plant sale will feature a unique selection of heritage roses, pond plants, historic boxwoods, vegetable and herbs starts, native perennials, shrubs, and trees. Here’s the full array of plants available for sale this year. Gardening experts will be on hand to answer questions.  Continue Reading

The plan to transform a mile of vacant river frontage near Bartram’s Garden on the west side of Schuylkill took another step toward reality with the announcement this week of the funding of that and other park projects in the city.

Dubbed “Bartram’s Mile,” the project would provide better river access to neighborhoods in Southwest Philadelphia, including boardwalk trails and recreation areas. The plan is for the Schuylkill River Trail along the east bank to connect to the west side. Another project, “Centennial Commons,” in the Parkside neighborhood will include a large playground with a climbing wall and spray park near the Please Touch Museum (see rendering below).

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the William Penn Foundation will fund the projects as part of an $11 million grant to help to reimagine public spaces in Philadelphia. Spearheaded by Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park Conservancy, the initiative will serve as a pilot project to explore the impact of connecting civic spaces and the success of cities.  Continue Reading

Photo courtesy of Bartram’s Garden.

As we first reported last fall, the Bartram’s Mile project plan in Southwest Philadelphia is currently being drawn up. Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, Bartram’s Garden, and the Schuylkill River Development Corporation are creating the plan and they are asking for your input in two public meetings over the next few days, including one tonight (Wednesday).

The Mile is proposed as a 1.1 mile extension of the Schuylkill River Trail and adjacent neighborhood park space that will run from the Grays Ferry Bridge to 58th Street along the river. Public input has been sought throughout the first phase of the project and now that the next phase of design has begun, the project stakeholders want to invite you to give your input once again.

Design drawings were made in early 2013 to show early ideas based off the last round of public input. They can be found by clicking on this link and going to the “Phase I Conceptual Design Results.” The planners have updated these ideas and are now holding two civic feedback sessions where they will present the concepts and ask residents for their thoughts and opinions.

Here is more information about the meetings:

Wednesday, July 24
6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Bartram Village Community Room
5404 Gibson Drive
Same entrance off Lindbergh as Bartram’s Garden, then bear right instead of left

Monday, July 29
6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Bartram’s Garden
5400 Lindbergh Boulevard
Coach House

Dinner will be provided at both meetings. Staff will be divided up into various tables/stations to respond to specific questions. Please RSVP by writing to: praxis@design.upenn.edu or calling 215-573-8720.

The very last public input session for the Bartram’s Mile planning process will take place this Saturday (Nov. 10) at the Garden’s Coach House. Everyone is welcome to come to an engaging design workshop and help brainstorm design and programming concepts for the park and trail space. Each group will be facilitated by Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, PennPraxis, or Andropogon Associates.

Bartram’s Mile is an exciting project to convert one mile of currently vacant riverfront property into public green space and public input is essential to its success. To read more about the project, click here.

Bartram’s Mile Design Workshop
Saturday, November 10
12:00pm-3:00pm
Bartram’s Garden Coach House, 54th and Lindbergh Boulevard

Photo courtesy of Bartram’s Garden.

Your input is needed on a plan to transform a mile of vacant land along the western banks of the Schuylkill river between Grays Ferry Avenue and 58th Street, which is set to become a key link in the Schuylkill River trail.

The project provides an opportunity to convert publicly owned vacant land into public green space and to increase access to a West Philly gem – Bartram’s Garden. But there’s more to it; this new open space could provide riverfront access and recreation opportunities to local neighborhoods, help restore an important watershed, and extend the Schuylkill River Trail.

PennPraxis is conducting a series of public events and meetings to open up the “Bartram’s Mile” project to public input. Your input will be used to create a series of design proposals and cost estimates. The first meeting/walking tour is this Sunday, from 2 to 4 p.m. Here’s more information:

EVENT #1: WALKING TOUR

Sunday, October 28, 2:00-4:00pm

Meet at the Bartram’s Garden Trail Head (make a left at the end of the entry road)

Featuring: Mark Focht (Parks and Recreation), Maitreyi Roy (Bartram’s Garden), Jose Almiñana (Andropogon Associates)

EVENT #2: BIKE TOUR

Saturday, November 3, 1:30-4:00pm

Meet at the Bartram’s Farm for its Fall Harvest Day — celebrate its one-year anniversary before biking!

Organized with the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia

EVENT #3: DINNER CONVERSATION

Monday, November 5, 6:00-8:00pm

Bartram’s Garden, 54th Street and Lindbergh Boulevard

EVENT #4: DESIGN WORKSHOP

Saturday, November 10, noon – 3pm

Bartram’s Garden, 54th Street and Lindbergh Boulevard

To RSVP email: praxis@design.upenn.edu or call 215-573-8720. If you cannot attend any of the meetings, you can also provide your input at www.planphilly.com/bartramsmile.

Bartram’s Garden, home to America’s first great native botanist John Bartram and the largest public green space in Philadelphia, is celebrating spring with several exciting events and openings.

Next weekend, May 4-6, visitors of all ages are invited to enjoy a plant sale, hands-on gardening activities and guided tours of the historic site, including a new educational Green Room, native plant nursery and community farm. The Green Room will open in Bartram’s historic stable. Visitors will be able to borrow binoculars for bird watching and watercolors for painting. An educator will be on hand to answer questions and provide tours, and guest feedback will directly influence how the Green Room evolves.

The garden will be open to all on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Entrance is free. Day passes, which include a guided house and garden tour, and access to seasonal activities in the Green Room, are $8 to $12 (free for members).

Also on hand Saturday and Sunday: spring planting tips, children’s activities and plant sale. Most of the plants were grown on site in a new nursery, located next to the Garden Shop. While in the garden, also make sure to check out a new orchard, with more than 40 heirloom fruit trees. The orchard is adjacent to Bartram’s new community garden. Last year, workers cleared shrubs and removed unused tennis courts and baseball fields from the southern end of the property to make way for a 1.5-acre community garden.

Finally, this summer a one-mile portion of the Schuylkill River Trail will be completed and connect to the 58th Street Greenway, the Cobbs Creek Parkway and eventually lead to Valley Forge and points beyond.

“This trail, which will wind through Bartram’s beautiful meadow and show off views of the Philadelphia skyline, will not only be a great addition to Bartram’s Garden but to the City of Philadelphia,” says interim director Stephanie Phillips. Stay tuned for information on bike-related events and workshops coming to the garden.

Bartram’s Garden is located at 54th St. & Lindbergh Blvd. For more information, visit: www.bartramsgarden.org. or call 215-729-5281.