Philadelphia’s Bartram’s Garden considered the birthplace of gardening in the U.S
Seeking learnings from Indignenous people as far away as Florida and Nova Scotia — the waterfront farm he transformed stands as the oldest surviving botanical garden in the country.
By Layla A. Jones
Billy Penn
July 18, 2020
Excerpt:
As his renown spread, Bartram kickstarted an enterprise. On the encouragement of some wealthy plant lovers in England, he launched what is basically the predecessor to today’s 1-800-FLOWERS.
He and workers would carefully package small plants, seeds and seedlings along with meticulous growing instructions, fortify them to survive transatlantic voyages, and ship them to rich people who wanted a little piece of America in their country.
His garden became known as the center of trans-Atlantic botany trade, helping introduce dozens of new species to British horticulture.
While alive, he scored other impressive accomplishments. In 1743, he co-founded the American Philosophical Society with friend Benjamin Franklin.
Bartram and his son William “discovered” and named a Georgia species of tree, now called Franklinia alatamaha after Franklin. Planted locally in 1777, the Bartram’s are credited with rescuing the tree from extinction.
