pennsylvania horticultural society

Robert Buist: The Scotsman Who Shaped American Gardens

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. November 14, 1805 Robert Buist, florist and nurseryman was born near Edinburgh, Scotland. Trained at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Buist emigrated to Philadelphia in 1828 at age 23, where he would become…

First Pennsylvania Chrysanthemum Show: History, Symbolism, and Global Traditions

The 1883 Philadelphia Chrysanthemum Show

Mum Floriography & History November 5, 1883 On this day in Philadelphia, The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society held its first Chrysanthemum Show in Horticultural Hall. This would be the first of several Chrysanthemum events presented by PHS to the public. Chrysanthemums have a fascinating history. In 1790, Chrysanthemums were brought back from China and introduced to…

David Landreth and the First American Seed Company

First Commercial Seed Business Today, David Landreth started the first American commercial seed business in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. David and his family immigrated to Montreal from England in 1780. Four years later, David relocated his family to Philadelphia and named the company simply David Landreth. David was one of the first nurseries to propagate seeds from…