The largest and longest international flower show is held in Philadelphia each Spring. It is the Philadelphia Flower Show which attracts approximately 250,000 attendees each year. It is not only a highlight for the City of Philadelphia but also for Lakeside School.
Each year in the greenhouse work study program, a number of our students help to design, plan and build an impressive display for this international forum. Within our current greenhouse program our students and staff actually build the entire display in all of its detail. Then, at the beginning of the calendar year it gets torn down, packed up in trucks and is driven to the Philadelphia Convention Center where it is reconstructed in a week’s time. At the end of the week, the display is judged in the education category.
This year’s display was extremely distinct. The 2026 Philadelphia Flower Show theme was “Rooted: Origins of American Gardening,” celebrating the nation’s 250th anniversary by exploring the history, diverse cultures, and people who have shaped American gardening. Lakeside’s design was created by Jon Klinger, who is in charge of our greenhouse program. Titled “The Wright Way,” it celebrated the historical gardener Frank Lloyd Wright. The exhibit featured an impressive two-sided construction of models of Wright’s two homes complete with their contextual gardens, two styles of horticulture, and even included music from both regions. It was a historical reference to one of the most memorable gardeners in American history.
It is always impressive to me how a small group of students from an alternative school like Lakeside can compete with such integrity with much larger educational institutions. What is more impressive is that the Lakeside School exhibit won a silver medal in this international flower show, and won the gold medal from the prestigious Massachusetts Horticultural Society for the educational exhibit demonstrating the best use of design.
We are incredibly proud of our staff and students. They were able to staff the display while thousands of people enjoyed its uniqueness. They saw the impact of their work and heard the affirmations from the public about all that they had accomplished. This was such a positive confidence builder for our students and an experience they will never forget. For students who often have been through so much adversity, this is a huge life accomplishment that will help to set a new path for their life as they reflect on their achievement at the Philadelphia Flower Show.
Gerry Vassar
President/CEO
