2008 Programs: Come to Bartram's Garden and celebrate the seasons.

(click here to download a pdf of this calendar)

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All events are at Bartram's Garden unless otherwise noted.
For events that require registration, please contact Alison McDowell,
215.729.5281 x103 or amcdowell@bartramsgarden.org
Limited space and fees apply to certain events. See listings for details.

APRIL

Workshop: Dig Into Composting

Saturday, Apr. 12, 10am-Noon, Limited Space,
Pre-registration required by Apr. 4
Even a city garden can have compost! Learn how with Christine Tilles, Penn State Extension, and Bartram gardener, Nancy Wygant. Participants receive a free compost bin to take home!

Native Plants Discovered in the Wild by the Bartram’s

Saturday, April 19, 10-noon
Joel Fry, curator, and Todd Greenberg, head gardener, profile native plants discovered and popularized by John and William Bartram with a garden walk and lecture featuring historical botanic art by William Bartram and major European artists.
Free. RSVP requested

The Truth About Organic Gardening, talk and book signing with Jeff Gillman

Sunday, April 27 at 3pm
Pre-registration required by Wednesday, April 23
Gardeners tend to assume that any product or practice labeled as organic is automatically safe for humans and beneficial to the environment. In many cases this is true; the problem-as Jeff Gillman points out in this fascinating, well-researched book-is that it is not universally true, and the exceptions can pose a significant threat to human health.

MAY

Spring Native Plant Sale

Friday, May 2, 3-7pm, Member Preview Sale
Saturday, May 3, 10am-3pm Public Sale & Open House
Beautiful native plants, shrubs, vines and trees sold in the Bartram barnyard. Saturday events include a bird walk (8-10am), open house tours (10am-3pm), and a lecture on William Bartram’s primrose, Oenothera grandiflora (1-3pm).

Morning Bird Walk

Sat., May 3, 8am-9:30am
Enjoy a spring morning birding in the diverse habitats of the Garden. Bird walk led by members of the Delaware Valley Ornithological Club. Meet in the parking lot at Bartram’s Garden.

Lecture: William Bartram’s primrose, Oenothera grandiflora

Sat., May 3, 1pm-3pm
William Bartram’s evening primrose, Oenothera grandiflora is a lovely flower only rarely found in gardens. William gave it great praise and called it the “most pompous and brilliant herbaceous plant yet know to exist.” Learn how Bartram discovered the plant in Alabama in 1775, discover the wild scientific frenzy for this plant in the 1890s, and hear the important role the plant played in influencing modern genetics and the concept of mutation. Lecture given by Bartram curator, Joel Fry.

Spring Pine Barrens Trip

Saturday, May 10, 9am to 4pm
Limited Space, Pre-registration Required by Apr. 25
Members $30, Non-Members $40, Meet in NJ, Own Transportation, Bring Lunch Explore John Bartram’s 1740s plant collecting routes through the northern Pine Barrens and discover Whitesbog, Webbs Mill bog, and the Plains with expert guides Joel Fry, Bill Cahill, and Lord Whimsy.

JUNE

Among the Larkspur & Lettuce: A Gardener’s Tour

Sunday, June 15, 2-4pm
Nancy Wygant, Bartram gardener, gives the inside scoop on 18th and 19th century plants found in Bartram’s Common Flower and Kitchen Gardens.

Mark Dion: Travels of William Bartram-Reconsidered

Member Preview Wed., June 18, 5:30-7:30pm
Fri., June 20, 5:30-8:30pm, Public Opening, Pre-registration Required by June 13, Limited Space
June 21-Dec. 6, 12-4pm, Exhibit Open, Closed Mondays & Holidays
Exhibit Tours: Adults $5, Student & Seniors $4, Children 12 & Under Free
Artifacts, drawings, and assorted natural and unnatural objects compiled and created by artist Mark Dion traveling in the South arranged in an eclectic display capturing the essence of his journey.

Mark Dion: Travels of William Bartram-Reconsidered is supported by a grant from the Philadelphia Exhibitions Initiative, a program of the Philadelphia Center for Arts and Heritage, funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts, and administered by The University of the Arts, Philadelphia.

JULY

Wild Plants & Weeds: Their Unexpected Stories

Saturday, July 20, 10am-noon
Part of the PHS “City Gardening Series”
Canvas the grounds of Bartram’s Garden with gardener Mandy Katz to learn the practical uses of so-called “weeds” and the rich folklore that surrounds them.

Botanical Illustration, a Bartram Legacy: Two-Day Workshop*

Sat., July 26 & Aug. 2, 9am-Noon
Limited Space, Pre-registration Required by July 7
Members $20, Non-Members $30
Does not include material costs.
Using specimens gathered from Bartram’s Garden, Fran Phaneuf helps participants capture the details of flowers and plants through the art of botanical illustration. Emphasis is on realistic portrayal of botanical subjects and traditional methods of dry-brush watercolor painting with attention to detail and color accuracy.

AUGUST

Mary Fran Cardamone: My Backyard Plant Explorations

Fri., Aug. 8, 5:00-5:30pm, Member Preview
Fri., Aug. 8, 5:30-7:30pm, Public Opening
Aug., 9-29, 12-4pm, Exhibit Open, Closed Mondays & Holidays
Melding the skills of botanical illustration and specimen mounting, Mary Fran Cardamone’s artwork playfully evokes her love of ecology, pressed plants, and vintage scientific illustrations. 25% of all sales will be donated to Bartram’s Garden.

SEPTEMBER

Bartram Beds Beautification Day

Sun., Sept. 21, 10am-1pm, RSVP by Wed., Sept. 17
At 40th St. Trolley Portal, Accessible Via Trolley Routes 11, 13, 34, and 36
Bartram Beds Located Between 39th and 40th on Baltimore Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19104
In Partnership with UC Green, Dress for Gardening
Add new plants to the lovely public display beds at 40th and Woodland. The beds feature plants associated with John Bartram and William Hamilton of the Woodlands. A light picnic lunch and alfresco lecture with Joel Fry, Bartram curator, follows.

OCTOBER

Inspired by the Wagner: Mark Dion Speaks on His Work *

Wed., Oct. 1, 5:30-7pm
Part of the “Weeknights at the Wagner” Lecture Series At the Wagner Free Institute of Science, 1700 Montgomery Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19121
Come early to enjoy the Wagner’s unparalleled collections and stay to hear Mark Dion speak on his art and the journeys he has taken.

Twilight in the Garden

Thurs., Oct. 2, Pre-Registration Required

You are invited to our annual fundraiser, an evening in Bartram’s Garden with spectacular views of the river and skyline. Proceeds benefit our quality programs. Contact Stephanie Phillips for ticket and sponsorship information, 215-729-5281 ext. 102 or sphillips@bartramsgarden.org

Pine Barrens Part II: Batsto State Park *

Sat., Oct. 11, 9am-3pm
Limited Space, Pre-registration Required by September 26
Members $30, Non-members $40
Meet in NJ, Own Transportation, Bring Lunch
Join Joel Fry and Bill Cahill for the second installment of their Pine Barrens program. Marvel at the wilderness that piqued Bartram’s curiosity while retracing his travels. Tour locations differ from the spring tour.

Bartram’s Garden Fall Native Plant Sale

Sat., Oct. 18, 10am-2pm

Gardeners looking to reduce their carbon footprint by planting native species will find a small, but interesting, selection of plants at Bartram’s fall sale. Certain specimens propagated here at the Garden. Limited quantities; come early for best selection and stay for the DaVinci Art Alliance hands-on workshops (advance registration required, see below).

DaVinci Art Alliance at Bartram’s Garden: The Tree in Art: Material, Motif, Metaphor

Fri., Oct. 17, 5:00-8:00pm, Public Opening
Sat. & Sun., Oct. 18-19, 10-4pm, Exhibit Open, Workshops Offered
Workshop Pre-Registration Required: Mosaics, Sculpture, and Pisanki
This new multimedia exhibition from the DaVinci Art Alliance draws its inspiration from trees. Weekend includes curator’s tours for adults and children and hands-on art workshops for all ages.

Workshop schedule Sat., Oct. 18, 10-noon & Sun., Oct. 19, 11am-1pm Mosaics with Liz Nicklus, a 2 day workshop
Sat., Oct. 18, noon-2pm Pisanki (Polish egg decorating with wax) with Felicia Dvornicky
Sun., Oct. 19, 1:30-3:30pm Sculpture with Ted Warchal
Sat., Oct. 18, 2:30 Curator's Tour of the exhibition

Open House for Teachers

Thurs., Oct. 23, 4-6pm
A fall afternoon for teachers and education professionals to learn about the education programming at Bartram’s and the history of the Bartram family and their important contributions to natural sciences in the 18th century.
Free, RSVP required by October 16 to msnyder@bartramsgarden.org or 215-729-5281 x104.

Cold Frames: How-To & History

Sun., Oct. 26, 2-4pm
Chill winds don’t deter creative gardeners. Christine Tilles, Penn State Extension, demonstrates how home-gardeners can build a cold frame, and Joel Fry, Bartram curator, relates how gardeners used cold frames and glass houses in Bartram’s day.

NOVEMBER

Bartram's Papers -- Reconsidered

Wed., Nov 5, 6:00 - 8:00,
Pre-registration Required by Oct. 30
At The Historical Society of Pennsylvania,
1300 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Peruse the Bartram Papers collection at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania with Bartram's Garden curator Joel Fry and artist Mark Dion. Learn stories of the explorations of John and William Bartram and their cronies from letters, journals, maps and deeds.

Intersections: Dion on Bartram at the American Philosophical Society *

Thurs., Nov. 6, 5:30-7:30pm
Limited Space, Pre-registration Required by Oct. 30
At Philosophical Hall, American Philosophical Society, 104 S. 5th St., Philadelphia, PA 19106
Artist Mark Dion and Roy Goodman, librarian and curator, discuss Bartram artifacts at the APS. Come early to enjoy their exhibit Undaunted: Five American Explorers 1760-2007.

Biological Illustration for Beginners: Two-Day Workshop *

Sat., Nov. 8 & 15, 9am-Noon
Limited Space, Pre-registration Required by Oct. 17
At Bartram’s Garden & John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum
Members $20, Non-Members $30
Does not include material costs.
Biological illustrator Rose Levine provides insight into depicting anatomical details of birds and other animals.

Attracting Birds to Your Garden

Sat., Nov. 8, 10am-Noon
Part of the PHS “City Gardening Series”
Environmental educator Liz Dailey shares tips for creating a bird-friendly garden. Leslie Gale, Bartram educator, will then lead a walk through Bartram’s Garden’s diverse bird habitats, discussing species commonly seen here.

Fall Family Fun Day

Sat., Nov. 8, 10am-2pm
Celebrate the changing of the seasons. Come at 10am for the PHS “City Gardening Series” talk on attracting birds to your garden and stay for apple cider making and natural craft activities in the afternoon. Fun for all ages!

DECEMBER

Holiday Greens Sale

Friday, December 5, 3-7pm, Members Preview
Saturday, December 6, 10am-2pm, Public Sale
Fresh cut loose greens, hand-decorated evergreen wreaths and centerpieces, and pine roping make a festive holiday scene. Grab a cup of cider and browse our selections. Open house and children’s craft activities on Saturday.

*Companion program to the exhibit Mark Dion: Travels of William Bartram Reconsidered