PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — As many people are reinventing their backyards and seeking outdoor activities, one of Abington Township’s little-known horticultural gems is getting ready to reopen.
The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s Meadowbrook Farm will reopen to the public in a couple of weeks. It features pollinator and xeric gardens — the latter of which must exist in dry climates and use water wisely.
Andrew Bunting, vice president of public horticulture, said the farm is designed to inspire people, especially during a time like the coronavirus pandemic.
“The idea is that any homeowner can come to Meadowbrook Farm and see a variety of types of gardens. They can learn and then apply to their own home garden,” he said.
The farm opened to the public about two decades ago, but Bunting said interest in gardening has skyrocketed since the pandemic.
“Even though it’s kind of an old estate … (it’s) actually on a scale that is comparable to a homeowner’s property,” he explained. “They can look at those different spaces and either apply the design, approaches or even apply the size of the space to their own home garden.”
According to Bunting, the site may have been a farm 100 years ago.
“The original garden was made up of 19 kinds of small garden spaces, or what would have been referred to as ‘garden rooms,’ so those are kind of formal spaces with formal ponds, a swimming pool,” he said.
Meadowbrook Farm is free to visit starting April 14, but timed tickets are required, either for the morning or afternoon. Sessions last for about three hours.