Events

events

Pink coneflowers with dark centers bloom among tall green grasses in a lush garden. The scene captures a natural, vibrant mixture of colors and textures, conveying a sense of tranquility and wild beauty.
August 5, 2022

PPA 2022 National Symposium

— Studio Garden Tour —

PPA members will be welcomed into our studio gardens as part of this year’s National Symposium. Early bird deadline for registration is June 24th. Registration closed on July 22nd. 

A lush garden features a colorful array of wildflowers, including purple coneflowers and yellow Black-eyed Susans, surrounded by tall grasses. The scene is vibrant and natural, with a backdrop of green trees.
June 25, 2022

The Garden Conservancy Open Day

— Studio Garden Tour —

From 10 am to 4 pm, tour the studio gardens at their peak. Registration is through the Garden Conservancy, beginning April 1st.
 
A gravel path winds through a lush garden with various green plants and tall grasses. Trees create a shaded backdrop, enhancing the vibrant, natural scene. The garden appears peaceful and verdant.
August 5, 2021

PPA Pop-up at Cavano’s Perennials

— Planting Demonstration —

Attendees will gather at Cavano’s and be broken into two groups – each group will visit SIX different education stations, enjoy a catered boxed lunch, visit sponsor display tables and more. The day will wrap up with a social and shopping at Cavano’s! PLUS, Attendees have the option to start their day with a Pre-Pop-Up Adventure at Putnam Hill Nursery, which is opening exclusively for the PPA Pop-Up for private shopping and a self-guided tour. Special Bonus: receive a complimentary entry voucher to visit Ladew Gardens while you’re in town.

A lush garden with winding grass paths surrounded by diverse greenery and colorful flowering plants. Tall trees stand in the background, creating a serene and natural landscape.
October 9, 2021

The Garden Conservancy Open Day

— Studio Garden Tour —

Take the day to explore the extensive gardens at our studio, situated on a historic 14-acre farm in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Here we welcome guests into an immersive garden experience of innovative plant communities and unique species. Photography welcome. 

A vibrant garden scene with purple and orange flowers amidst lush green grasses and plants. The background includes trees and a part of a building, creating a serene outdoor atmosphere.
April 8, 2021

The Great American Landscape Meets the Philadelphia Flower Show

— Webinar —

In this presentation, learn about Don’s design approach, his ideas about the most important elements of a successful home landscape (and what we can do without) and how he plans to translate these ideas into his first-ever Flower Show exhibit.

A scenic view of a lakeside pavilion decorated with vibrant floral garlands. The columned structure is adorned with mixed colorful flowers, creating a bright and lively atmosphere against the backdrop of water and greenery.
June 4-13, 2021

PHS Philadelphia Flower Show

— 100 N 20th Street, Philadelphia, PA —

As the nation’s largest and longest-running horticultural event, the PHS Philadelphia Flower Show is a stunning and educational look at the world of floral design and gardening. Annually, the event features breathtaking displays by the world’s premier floral and landscape designers.

A vibrant meadow with tall grasses and yellow wildflowers under bright sunlight, creating a lively and natural scene. The background is slightly blurred, emphasizing the rich green and yellow hues.
March 7, 2019

 The Wild Garden Designed

— 90 min lecture with Q&A —

Ecological Landscape Alliance 25th Annual Conference. We’ll look at the regional and cultural landscapes that inform how Donald Pell thinks about composing beautiful plantings. Space, better realized with native and cosmopolitan plants can bring us a dynamic life experience achieved by developing an understanding of their adaptive strategies and how we help bring about thriving plant communities.

Green plants with clusters of small white flowers in the foreground. A blurred background features a stone cone structure and a rustic red and white building, with trees and a gray sky.
April 16–May 7, 2018

The Wild Garden Designed

— Berula Room, Longwood Gardens —

The notion of a wild garden carries an array of interpretations and emotions. These gardens can be beautiful, romantic places worthy of study and exploration. Creating such places requires understanding their state of succession and the cultural landscape in which they belong. Utilize an understanding of individual plant morphology to create a thriving landscape. Looking at cultural, spontaneous, regional, and designed landscapes can help us learn how we might consider programming a garden for beauty and success.

A man wearing a dark blue shirt stands outdoors, smiling, with greenery in the background.
September 24, 2016, 10:00am-12:00pm

 Embracing the Regional Landscape

— South Coastal Library,
43 Kent Avenue Bethany Beach, DE —

An artist who works with perennial plants, Donald Pell calls his gardens “impressionistic models of regional landscapes.” Understanding the biology of specific plants and how they integrate into any given landscape is the key to programming these gardens. He will discuss how cool- and warm-season plants are selected to stabilize soils and create desirable compositions.

A lush garden features vibrant purple flowers, pink coneflowers, and soft green ornamental grasses. The mix of textures and colors creates a lively and serene natural scene.
February 24, 2016

Outside Lies Magic: Gardens Inspired By A Romantic Landscape

— Main Line School Night’s Creutzburg Center —

We’ll look at images that inspire garden designer Donald Pell in his search for places and moments that awaken a visceral experience, and inform us how we might actually go about building a garden that allows for this. We’ll discuss programs to develop thriving and sustainable gardens and look at remarkable plants that are functional and beautiful.