The Garden Club of Philadelphia and the Wissahickon Garden Club Collaborate on Planting Project

Two Philadelphia clubs work together to enhance stream bank in beloved Pastorius Park

December 13, 2023

The Garden Club of Philadelphia (GCP) and the Wissahickon Garden Club have deep-rooted connections with Pastorius Park, a beloved community park located in the heart of Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia. Established in 1915, this 16-acre park serves as a gathering place for neighbors and friends, offering a picturesque setting with mature trees, a newly restored amphitheater, and a serene pond. This past spring, the two clubs planted 31 container trees and native shrubs along the stream bank, as well as mulched and fenced around new garden beds to safeguard the young plantings.  

In 2020, WGC made a generous $5,000 donation to the Friends of Pastorius Park, a non-profit dedicated to the park's maintenance. The following year, in collaboration with local landscape architect Rob Fleming and former Morris Arboretum director Paul Meyer, the Friends of Pastorius Park initiated a restoration project focused on the park's amphitheater and the installation of native hedges.

Since then, the two clubs have actively participated in "workdays" organized by the Friends of Pastorius Park. These workdays involve essential tasks such as pruning, weeding, planting native flora, and eradicating invasive species. 

As each workday passes, the clubs see more native flowering trees and shrubs, all of which benefit pollinators and wildlife. Together, these thoughtful organizations and volunteers are committed to preserving the park's original design and promoting biodiversity, making Pastorius Park a tranquil environment where the community seamlessly blends with nature.