“Fall into Bartram’s Garden”

This article appeared in the print edition of our special issue of the October Southwest Globe Times

Fall into Bartram’s Garden

By Maitreyi Roy

Every season is beautiful here at Bartram’s Garden, but there’s something especially inviting about the fall: I love to see the bustling return of school groups, the joy of our autumn celebrations like Indigenous People’s Day and Harvest Fest, and the transformation in the landscape as growers here and throughout the neighborhood prepare for cooler temperatures, fall planting, and abundant harvests. It is a wonderful time of year to gather with friends and neighbors to enjoy the beauties of the season. We are so excited to share our hard work with you, and we hope to see you in the Garden soon!

When you visit, make sure to enjoy all the colors of the fall: check out the bloom calendar in this issue or on our website––or ask at the Welcome Center!––to see what’s in season now throughout these 50 acres. The vibrant flowers of Chrysanthemums, Autumn Crocus, and Franklinia are complemented by equally colorful berries from plants like American Beauty berry and Hearts-A-Burstin’, which support the many birds in our ecosystem. And speaking of birds: fall is migration season, so remember to look up! Binoculars are available to borrow in the Welcome Center, and you can check out the bird sightings in this issue or online to keep track of what you’re spotting.

And, of course, there are the trees! As the weather gets colder, you can find me on ginkgo watch, waiting for the tall, historic Ginkgo Tree to turn a magnificent, glowing yellow. It always seems to happen overnight, like a beacon of much-needed sunshine just when I need it amidst the transition to winter. Fall is also a wonderful season for planting if you are looking to add to the ecosystem of your own home: we are excited to partner with TreePhilly to provide free yard trees for residents in the 19143 and 19142 zip codes, and our ROOTS Tree Crew students will be working with the Southwest Tree Tenders to help expand and strengthen the tree canopy throughout our neighborhood.

There’s plenty to do at Bartram’s Garden this season: stretch your legs during a walk or a bike ride on the Bartram’s Mile Trail with WeWalkPHL or the Bicycle Coalition, create your own masterpiece at an art gathering, learn from the natural world with an herbalism class or a SWWAG workshop, or join us to celebrate, reflect, and share at our upcoming fall festivals. And, of course, we hope we’ll see you in the Garden, making the space your own: it’s a perfect season for a picnic or a walk through the landscape. We hope you’ll try it all! We can’t wait to see you here soon.

Maitreyi Roy is the Executive Director at Bartram’s Garden.