Signature Gardens Signature Gardens Image Image Rob Cardillo Rose Garden The Rose Garden was created in 1888 and is one of the oldest features of the Morris estate. Originally comprised of fruits, vegetables, flowers, a few roses, and a specimen chestnut tree, Lydia Morris transformed this mixed garden into a Rose Garden in 1924. Once a monoculture of roses, today the Rose Garden contains a mix of roses, perennials, annuals and woody plants with height elements and garden ornaments added to create a look reminiscent of the Victorian era. Image Rob CCardillo English Park John Morris created the English  Park around 1912, filling it mainly with plants from China. In keeping with English tradition, the area provides light and open vistas of the surrounding landscape. Today, the English Park is marked by gently rolling lawns bordered by significant collections of maples, witchhazels, dogwoods, cherries, and stewartias. One of the most noticeable features of the English Park which remains today is the Step Fountain. The fountain was commissioned by Lydia Morris in 1916 in honor of her brother John who had died shortly before. In 1988, the Step Fountain underwent a restoration and the sculpture “After B.K.S. Iyengar” was installed. Image Rock Wall Garden The Rock Wall Garden was built in 1924, about the same time the area was changed into a Rose Garden. The six-foot-high wall is made of Wissahickon schist, and is filled with a variety of perennials. It is a sunny, south-facing location, with well-drained, cool cracks, providing conditions similar to those in alpine regions. Plants with short stems, dense, tough or hairy foliage and those with long fibrous roots or taproots grow well in this environment. The wall provides a unique display for colorful cascading plants in early spring. Image The Alice & J. Liddon Pennock Flower Walk A garden of vibrant color and texture, the Alice and J. Liddon Pennock Flower Walk represents the realization of a dream envisioned by …

Apprenticeships Apprenticeships Image Image Apprenticeship Program  Morris Arboretum & Gardens is a historic public garden and research and educational institution. Through education, research, and horticultural display, it inspires an understanding of the relationship between plants, people, and place. The endowed apprenticeship program provides hands-on experience and an education that prepares individuals for careers in public gardens and related fields.     Our apprenticeship program offers hands-on experience across various departments, providing practical work in an arboretum/public garden setting. Apprentices receive training and develop valuable skills for careers in public gardens and related fields. Monthly cohort trips explore plant sciences, including botany, arboriculture, curation, and natural lands management. Candidates must have a high school diploma or higher. The program typically lasts 9 – 12 months, depending on the position and performance.  Open Positions Applications for the following positions and detailed descriptions are currently open! All applications MUST be submitted through the online Careers@Penn system; we are unable to consider candidates who do not submit an online application. Payment  Apprentices are temporary staff members of the University of Pennsylvania, working 40 hours a week at an hourly rate of $16.00+, paid weekly.  More Opportunities to Grow  Apprentices can enroll in Morris classes, some of which are free, and attend Morris-sponsored conferences and symposia to further their professional development.  Image Fieldtrip to Hay Honey Farms, 2025. Image Regional Intern Day at Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve, 2025. Image Field trip to Ott's Exotic Plants, 2025. Image Botany walk with retired John J. Willaman Director of Plant Science Dr. Timothy Block, 2024. Image Learning about tree care with retired Associate Director of Urban Forestry Jason Lubar, 2024. Image  Laurel Hill interns gathering, 2024. Image The 2023 Hay …

What's in Our Flower Pots What's in Our Flower Pots Image Image   Curious about what's growing in our containers this season? Learn more by downloading our  Seasonal Container Lists: Welcome Center → Rose Garden → …

Garden Map Garden Map Image Image Download the map →   Location 100 E. Northwestern Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19118 …

Pursuit of Happiness: Finding Joy in Nature Pursuit of Happiness: Finding Joy in Nature Image Pursue your joy this summer at Morris Arboretum & Gardens New exhibitions, special weekends, and seasonal experiences celebrate history, beauty, and the simple pleasure of being in nature As the nation marks 250 years of independence with parades and public festivities, the Morris offers a refreshing alternative, a sanctuary where visitors can recharge Image and rediscover happiness through the restorative power of nature. Visitors can enjoy tree swings that evoke the freedom of childhood for adults and children; explore a Sensory Cottage that engages sight, sound, touch, and scent; and encounter three Singing Trees, activated by windchimes, that offer Joyful, Meditative, and Gathering soundscapes. Colorful Adirondack chairs invite lingering across the gardens, while a giant floating rubber duck adds an element of surprise and whimsy.  Pursuit of Happiness: Finding Joy in Nature  encourages visitors to immerse themselves in artful plantings, interactive installations, and moments of quiet discovery that inspire wandering, play, and reconnection with nature. Running in conjunction with Pursuit of Happiness is  Garden Railway: Revolutionary Philly, which invites visitors of all ages to take a miniature journey through eighteenth‑century Philadelphia, along with  Plants from the Colonial Era , a self-guided tour that highlights the trees, herbs, and flowers that would have been familiar to area residents during that era. Together, these exhibitions reveal how ideas rooted in the past continue to shape how we experience nature and joy today. Find your joy at an all-ages event this season! Image Bloomin' Bubbles Every Tuesday May 26  –  Tuesday, August 25 • 11 AM Free with general admission Join us every Tuesday for Bloomin' Bubbles, when the Whimsical Woods transforms into a bubble landscape for children to use their imaginations and play.  Learn More Image SENSE-sational …

Garden Railway Garden Railway Image Image Morris Arboretum & Gardens’ beloved Garden Railway returns with a new theme, Garden Railway: Revolutionary Philly , placing this signature attraction at the center of the Morris’s America 250 storytelling. Set within lush garden plantings, the immersive miniature landscape celebrates Philadelphia’s pivotal role in the nation’s founding and brings Revolutionary history vividly to life. Visitors of all ages can take a miniature tour of eighteenth-century Philadelphia along more than a third of a mile of track, featuring seven loops and tunnels, fifteen rail lines, two cable cars, and nine bridges, including a trestle bridge that guests can walk beneath. Bustling model trains move through scenes inspired by colonial Philadelphia, highlighting landmarks and historic moments such as the Battle of Germantown. Every structure in the Garden Railway is handcrafted from natural materials such as bark, leaves, twigs, hollow logs, mosses, acorns, dried flowers, seeds, and stones. Each building faithfully replicates its historic counterpart, interpreted through organic materials to create a richly detailed miniature world. Philadelphia-area landmarks, including a striking replica of Independence Hall, complete the scene and underscore the connection between history and nature. Learn about our other upcoming exhibitions celebrating America’s 250th → Garden Railway Special Events Image Magic Railway Weekend Saturday, June 13 – Sunday, June 14  Free with general admission Everyone's beloved cartoon train can always be found chugging along in his own section of our Garden Railway, but a few weekends a year he and his friends run free on all the tracks. Join us this weekend to experience the magic!  Learn More Image Circus Week Friday, June 26 – Sunday, July 5 Free with general admission Listen for the call of the ringmaster as you watch the colorful railroad cars bring the “Big Top” to the garden.  Learn More Image Magic Railway Weekend …