About Bartram’s Garden

Located on 50 acres on the Tidal Schuylkill River in Southwest Philadelphia, Bartram’s Garden is a free public park and North America’s oldest surviving botanic garden. Named for botanist John Bartram, who established his home and garden here in 1728, the site now welcomes more than 100,000 visitors annually.

Since 1893, the Garden has been operated by the non-profit John Bartram Association in partnership with the City of Philadelphia. The Association’s mission is to create equitable relationships among people and nature through immersive, community-driven experiences that activate the Bartram legacy, Garden, and House, on land and on the Schuylkill River, in Southwest Philadelphia.

Press Photos

The following high-res images are available for download and free use for media coverage of Bartram’s Garden.

Historic House

The Historic Bartram House, as seen from the Ann Bartram Carr Garden adjacent to the Bartram’s Mile Trail. John Bartram began building the house in 1731. Photograph courtesy Steve Weinik/Art@Bartram’s.

Download Photo

Fishing

Neighbors enjoying weekly free fishing sessions on the Bartram’s Garden dock on the Tidal Schuylkill River, where more than 40 species of fish abound. Rods, tackle, bait, and basic instruction are provided. Photograph courtesy KromahStudio/Bartram’s Garden.

Download Photo

Planting Chard

A youth leader plants chard at the Sankofa Community Farm at Bartram’s Garden. Founded in 2011, the 4-acre farm focuses on the food and farming traditions of the African Diaspora, employing more than 20 local high school students each year. The term “Sankofa” comes from a longer phrase in the Akan language of West Africa; literally translated, it means, “It is not taboo to go back and fetch what you forgot.” Photograph courtesy Alan Brian Nilsen/GlaxoSmithKline.

Download Photo

Storytime

An outdoor storytime at Bartram’s Garden for children and families. Photograph courtesy KromahStudio/Bartram’s Garden.

Download Photo

Drum Line Parade

After leading a procession through Southwest Philadelphia, the West Powelton Steppers & Drum Line and Moko.Motion stilt walkers arrive at Bartram’s Garden for a festival. Photograph courtesy LJ Brubaker/Bartram’s Garden.

Download Photo

Outdoor Yoga

Jean-Jacques Gabriel leads outdoor yoga along the Bartram’s Garden riverfront as part of “Verse and Vinyasa,” an outdoor workshop series featuring movement paired with spoken word by poet Nina “Lyrispect” Ball. Photograph courtesy Bartram’s Garden.

Download Photo

Grief Altar

A visitor places an offering at can anybody help me hold this body, a public grief altar installed temporarily by artist devynn emory at Bartram’s Garden. Photograph courtesy KromahStudio/Bartram’s Garden.

Download Photo

Photo Reproduction Requests

Contemporary images of Bartram’s Garden may be requested for reproduction in publications, presentations, and other media using the form below. Fees for all requests support our mission and ensure that the Garden remains open and welcoming for all our neighbors.

Reproduction Terms & Fees

For personal, non-profit, non-commercial, and academic uses: $25 first image, $5 additional images

For commercial uses: $50 first image, $25 additional images

High-resolution (300 dpi) digital images of materials from our collections can be supplied via secure online file transfer. We are not able to mail prints or other physical materials.

All reproductions must be credited as follows in a caption or credit: © John Bartram Association, Bartram’s Garden, Philadelphia. Credits should appear in close proximity to the image or in a special section devoted to credits. Altering the original image beyond standard cropping requires written permission; these changes must be indicated in the accompanying caption. If requested by the Association, the applicant agrees to provide one free copy of the work containing the reproduction.

Please allow 2–4 weeks for the fulfillment of reproduction requests.

For historic images or archival materials from the John Bowman Bartram Special Collections Library, please click here.

Photo courtesy KD Morris Photography. Click here to download.

About Executive Director Maitreyi Roy

Maitreyi Roy serves as Executive Director for Bartram’s Garden, home of famed 18th-century botanist John Bartram (1699–1777).  Bartram’s Garden is a legendary landscape that inspires audiences of all ages to care for the natural world.

Before joining Bartram’s Garden in 2012, Maitreyi served as senior vice president for programs at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS), overseeing its nationally recognized urban greening program, Philadelphia Green; its education programs; and publications. She provided leadership and oversight for program direction, funding strategies, and partnership and staff development.

Maitreyi has also served as a landscape architect with the Boston Parks & Recreation Department to plan and implement a citywide capital investment initiative focusing on revitalizing and restoring neighborhood parks across the city.

As a 2007 Eisenhower Fellow, Maitreyi traveled to urban centers in Spain, Germany, Belgium, France, and Ireland to study best practices in urban open space policies, planning standards, and landscape design. She examined sustainable development strategies, successful open space revitalization models, and public/private partnerships that support open space infrastructure.

Trained as an architect in India, Maitreyi’s interest in open space issues took her to the School of Design at Harvard University where she earned a master’s degree in Landscape Architecture in 1988. As a landscape architect, Maitreyi focused on community-based design and has been involved in the creation and preservation of green space throughout her career.

You may also be interested in:

Photo/Video Permission

Whether snapping family photos or directing a major production, planning your photography or videography project at Bartram’s Garden is simple.

Reproduction of Archival Materials

Materials from the John Bowman Bartram Special Collections Library may be requested for reproduction in publications, presentations, and other media.

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

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.