Room to Grow, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society

Established in 1827, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s mission is to motivate people to improve the quality of life and create a sense of community through horticulture. In 1971 through a partnership with the Wissahickon Garden Club and the support of the Founders Fund Award, the PHS produced a 16mm film titled Room to Grow.

This educational program created for city children in grades five through twelve reveals the opportunities for rewarding careers in the varied fields of horticulture. The film follows two 6th graders as they watch professional horticulturalists at work; an arborist working high in the trees, a turf specialist caring for golf courses, a scientist finding ways to help plants grow better and stronger, a landscape architect designing city parks and playgrounds, a farmer working with modern machinery to grow food and a nurseryman and florist growing and arranging plants for ornamental uses. It was offered free of charge to any school or youth organization.

The GCA Founders Fund Award film, Room To Grow, was a catalyst for years of award winning and cutting edge PHS youth programming which continues today with exciting events, classes and activities focused on three fundamental categories: Gardening, Greening and Learning