Blog

February 22, 2024

Joel’s Wisdom in the Garden: Remembered by Mandy Katz

In fond memory of Curator Joel T. Fry (February 22, 1957–March 21, 2023) Almost one year past the date of Joel’s surprising illness and death, I still find myself in…

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yellow and orange maple leaves
October 24, 2023

Free yard trees available for Southwest Philadelphia residents!

Hey Southwest Philadelphia neighbors! Would you like a free tree for your yard? Register by November 7! In partnership with TreePhilly and the ROOTS Tree Crew, sign-ups are now available to…

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October 12, 2023

2023 Southwest Fish-Off

The Southwest Fish-Off had 31 participants, and 65 fish were caught in 4 hours. The species caught were white perch, channel catfish, bluegill, American eel, emerald shiner, and yellow perch….

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First-grade students in the Bartram's Garden meadow with a staff educator.
September 5, 2023

“There’s Nothing a Child Cannot Learn”: New Connections with Patterson Elementary School & Bartram’s Garden

A conversation about learning with Leslie Gale, School Education Manager at Bartram’s Garden, and Beverly Ritter, first-grade English Language Arts teacher at John M. Patterson School.   This interview originally…

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August 1, 2023

Bike Hub hosts a summer camp!

Last Friday, July 28th, the Bartram’s Garden Bike Hub welcomed a group of 6-12 year olds from the Finnegan Playground Summer Camp.  On one of the hottest days of the…

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July 26, 2023

River Staff Featured by PennEnvironment

Did you catch members of the Bartram’s Garden river staff in the news last week? River Program Coordinator Valerie and Alliance for Watershed Education Fellow Ammarava were featured in a…

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April 10, 2023

It’s time for spring planting!

Spring plant catalog is now available! Shop at our Welcome Center beginning April 15.

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March 30, 2023

Remembering Joel T. Fry (1957–2023)

Acclaimed historian Joel T. Fry, the long-time curator at Bartram’s Garden, died on March 21, 2023. Beyond his family, his memory is cherished by the dozens of gardeners, historians, archaeologists, scientists, and colleagues, both here in Philadelphia and worldwide, who relied on Joel as an inexhaustible source of scholarly expertise, dry wit, and constant inspiration.

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Sketch of Ailanthus Altissima leaves. Labeled as "'Rhus sinense foliis alatis, foliolis oblongis acuminata, ad basin subrotundis & dentati"
December 15, 2022

Ailanthus: John Bartram and Philadelphia’s Most Notorious Tree

Few trees define America’s urban environments more than Ailanthus altissima, or the “Tree-of-Heaven.” If you are not familiar with that name, you are undoubtedly familiar with the tree itself. Ailanthus…

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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.