Parties and Social Gatherings Parties and Social Gatherings Image Daytime Events Escape the rush of everyday life and host your daytime event at the Morris Arboretum & Gardens, where stunning landscapes create a setting unlike any other. Choose from a variety of indoor and outdoor spaces, each offering seamless access to our gardens. Perfect for guests to explore and enjoy during public hours. From spring through fall, our outdoor tented space showcases the Morris at its most vibrant, while our indoor spaces provide year-round options for gatherings of all kinds. Complimentary on-site parking ensures a smooth arrival, and our selection of approved caterers offers diverse cuisine options to suit any taste and budget. Reservations may be made up to six months in advance. Create a memorable experience surrounded by natural beauty and tranquility.  Image Birthdays, Bridal and Baby Showers  Celebrate birthdays, showers, and life’s special moments surrounded by the beauty of the Morris. Our outdoor reception tent offers a charming garden setting for gatherings of up to 150 guests, with flexible layout options to match your vision. Choose from three party tiers (up to 50, 51–100, or 101–150 guests) with tables and reception chairs included for your convenience. During public hours, the reception tent is shared with our members and visitors, with your event space thoughtfully partitioned for visual privacy. For more intimate celebrations, our Upper Gallery accommodates indoor events of up to 50 guests and includes A/V capabilities, with optional access to the McLean Room for catering setup. Daytime events are typically scheduled between 10 AM and 2 PM, with a two-hour minimum, based on availability. Prefer a more exclusive experience? Explore our Evening Events options for fully private celebrations below. Image Photo: Rob Cardillo Celebrations of Life  Honor and celebrate the life of a loved one in a gorgeous, natural setting at the Morris Arboretum & Gardens. Surrounded …

Signature Gardens Signature Gardens Image The Signature Gardens showcase some of the most iconic and inspiring spaces on the grounds. Each garden highlights a unique blend of plants and design that reflects the character of the Morris. Wander through these standout areas to experience the landscape at its most expressive. Image Rob Cardillo Rose Garden Created in 1888, this garden is one of the oldest features of the Morris estate. Designed by John Morris, it closely followed the principles of landscape designer Andrew Jackson Downing, who advocated placing a four‑part kitchen garden near a country gentleman’s mansion as both a functional and aesthetic component of the estate. Originally planted with a diverse mix of fruits, vegetables, flowers, a small collection of roses, and a specimen chestnut tree, the garden reflected the productive yet ornamental ideals of the Morrises. In 1924, Lydia Morris reimagined this space as a Rose Garden, transforming the mixed kitchen garden into a formal horticultural landscape. While the garden was once a monoculture of roses, today it has evolved to reflect best practices in public‑garden stewardship. A diverse palette of roses, perennials, annuals, and woody plants now support greater resilience, seasonal interest, and ecological health. Vertical elements and garden ornaments add height and rhythm, evoking the spirit of Victorian‑era gardens. Image Rob CCardillo Step Fountain The Step Fountain was commissioned by Lydia Morris following the death of her brother John in 1915. Designed by Robert Rodes McGoodwin, a former trustee of Penn’s School of Fine Arts, the Step Fountain is a refined architectural element that reflects European baroque influence through its formal composition and three lion heads that supply flowing water at the top of the water staircase. Constructed of Indiana limestone and Pennsylvania bluestone, the fountain’s materials and craftsmanship lend a sense of permanence and regional connection to the …

Conferences Conferences Image Morris Arboretum & Gardens hosts conferences and partners with a variety of organizations to bring together experts, researchers, and practitioners to explore pressing topics in plant science and the natural world. These gatherings create opportunities to share knowledge, exchange ideas, and explore current research. Conferences are designed for professionals and dedicated learners, with many offering continuing education units (CEUs) to support ongoing professional development. Our annual conferences include: Mid-Atlantic Plant Research Conference held in May and hosted by Morris Arboretum & Gardens The Woody Plant Conference held in July in partnership with Scott Arboretum, Longwood Gardens, Chanticleer, PHS, and Tyler Arboretum The Tree Canopy Conference held in October in partnership with Haverford College   Upcoming Conferences  Image Woody Plants for the Mid-Atlantic Region & How to Use them in Landscapes Friday, July 17, 2026 • Scott Arboretum & Gardens Approved for the following CEUs: 5 ISA CEUs • 5.5 LA CES CEUs Early Bird registration (In-person and Virtual):  $119 – Available until June 19 Regular registration (In-person and Virtual):  $149 – Available until July 10 Growth and Access registration:  $30 Virtual Watch Party registration:   Early Bird: $250 • Regular: $280 The Woody Plant Conference was created to inspire learning and conversation about woody plants in our landscapes, bringing together nursery and garden center professionals, landscape designers, horticulturists, and passionate gardeners. Each year, the conference committee invites experienced, knowledgeable speakers to share their expertise and enthusiasm for woody plants. The Woody Plant Conference is a wonderful opportunity to discover new trends in woody plants and connect with others who share your interest. Learn More & Register …

Whimsical Woods Whimsical Woods Image Visit our Whimsical Woods, the Morris’s reimagined garden space specifically for children! The fun includes the Willow Wander, a 40’ long, 6’ high tunnel made of living willow, as well as a Fairy Garden that invites visitors to use materials found in the natural world to create their own enchanted fairy houses. Additional events and programs like scavenger hunts and story times will be scheduled throughout the year.  Image Fairy Garden The Fairy Garden invites visitors to use materials found in the natural world to create their own enchanted fairy houses.  Image Willow Wander Willow Wander is a 40’ long, 6’ high tunnel made of living willow that visitors are encouraged to walk-through and explore.  Image Play & Picnic Nestled underneath a tree between the Fairy Woods and Willow Wander is a table and stools for lunch and snack time.  …

Historic Structures Historic Structures Image The historic structures at Morris Arboretum & Gardens bring the story of the landscape to life. Explore charming buildings, stonework, and architectural details that reflect the Morris estate’s past and the vision and creativity of the people who shaped it. Each structure adds a new layer of character to the gardens and invites visitors to look more closely at the Morris and its history. The Log Cabin Image Visitors can step into the shoes of our founder, Lydia Morris, and take a trip back in time in the Log Cabin. From entertaining friends to enjoying quiet time on the porch watching the woodlands along the stream, Lydia used the Log Cabin as her private retreat. John Morris designed and ordered the construction of the cabin in 1908. Similar in style to the nostalgic vacation cabins of the Adirondacks, complete with a river-stone cobble chimney. The building was cool in the summer, and a fireplace provided warmth for the cold winter. The Log Cabin was later restored in 1995 and 2018, and remains an idyllic spot to enjoy spring bulbs and other short-lived native plants particularly.  The Springhouse Image Photo: Freddy Clark See one of the few remaining springhouses in Philadelphia and all its hidden treasures! This Springhouse pre-dates the Morris estate and can be traced back to when the property was first used as a dairy farm. In its home, alongside the spring-fed creek, the springhouse was used to store dairy products and other chilled perishables. However, the larger adjacent building remains a mystery. Its structural accents, like a chimney and fireplace, are speculated to have also been used for storage, dairy product preparations, or possibly even a smokehouse.  In 2004 this historical structure underwent a complex restoration. The stone walls were rebuilt, including a 38-foot wall with seating, granite steps, brick paving, new wooden beams to suggest a roof, and enhancements to the surrounding landscape.  The …

What's in Bloom: January What's in Bloom: January Image January at the Morris Image Lassie Koehne holly Ilex x koehneana ‘Lassie’ Morris Pond Boasting clusters of bright red berries, this broad-leafed evergreen tree is a cross between Ilex aquifolium (English holly) and Ilex latifolia (lusterleaf holly). Selected for its prolific fruit, the Lassie cultivar stands out in the garden this time of year. Image spicebush Lindera salicifolia Long Fountain After their vibrant display of fall color, the leaves of these spicebush shrubs turn a warm tan color and stay on through the winter. Image Japanese stewartia Stewartia pseudocamellia Bark Park Native to the mountainous regions of Korea and Japan, this small tree displays a patchwork of orange, tan, and gray bark as its outer layers shed off of the trunk. Japanese stewartias are in the tea family, Theaceae, and share similar flower characteristics to camellias as indicated in the species name which translates to “false camellia.” Image lacebark pine Pinus bungeana Hill & Water Garden Native to northwest China, this evergreen tree gets its common name from its flaking gray bark that exposes white, tan, and green layers of bark underneath. The lacebark pine at the Hill & Water Garden is original to the Morris Estate. Image Blue Atlas cedar Cedrus atlantica  ‘Glauca’ Between Rose Garden and Pennock Garden Blue-tinted needles create a spectacular display on this striking evergreen tree. Native to the Atlas Mountains in North Africa, Blue Atlas cedars are true cedars, which can be identified by their tight, whorled clusters of needles. The needles get their blue-green color from a waxy coating that helps the tree retain water. Image Winter Gold common winterberry Ilex verticillata ‘Winter Gold’ Sculpture Garden This cultivar of our native deciduous holly is selected for its vibrant orange fruit that stay on significantly into the winter months. Ilex verticillata shrubs are dioecious, meaning the male and female reproductive …