Bartram's Garden: Serenity & Magnificence

We recently decided to spend a glorious summer afternoon at Bartrum's Garden along the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia.
The vivid June colors of this historic garden are simply spectacular. And here's the best part: Your visit to the Garden is free!
Just minutes from the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and the Betsy Ross House is America’s oldest living botanical garden, a pastoral 18th century homestead surrounded by the urban bustle of Philadelphia.
You won’t believe you are in the city when you see the wildflower meadow, majestic trees, river trail, wetland, stone house and farm buildings overlooking the Schuylkill River, and, of course, the historic botanic garden of American native plants.
George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson have all been here. So have thousands of present day gardeners, history buffs, families, and schoolchildren.
Philadelphia is a world-renowned center of trees, flowers, plants and gardens. And this is where it all started.
On this site more than 250 years ago, John Bartram, a Quaker farmer, was stopped in his tracks by a daisy while plowing his fields. The plant’s simplicity and beauty inspired John and his son, William to spend the rest of their lives exploring, collecting and seeking to understand all forms of nature.
Today, John Bartram’s legacy, now called Bartram’s Garden inspires visitors from far and near. His spirit lives on at the enchanting 45-acre site.
All photos copyright 2010 by Dan Cirucci.