The Woodlands in Bloom

The route begins and ends at the main gates of the cemetery, designed by architect Paul Cret.

In the Catherwood Family lot you'll see an early blooming mix of Hyacinth orientalis 'Delft Blue' and Narcissus 'Canaliculatus'. In the Victorian era family lots such as this were often treated as gardens, filled with ornamental plants instead of turf grass.

More about Hyacinths from Van Engelen bulbs:

The original species, Hyacinthus orientalis, was found in the wild of the eastern Mediterranean around 1562. The sweet perfume and colorful rainbow of H. orientalis varieties have filled the finest of gardens since 1850 or so when the Dutch began extensive hybridization. The cultivar 'Delft Blue' was first introduced around 1944.  

Also known as 'Van Sion' or 'Butter and Eggs' this bulb has been in cultivation since at least 1620. Like other Narcissus, 'Telamonius plenus' is a very long lived bulb, happy to live for decades in a single spot without dividing or fertilizing. You'll see lots of this tangly beauty around the grounds. A clump of 'Telamonius plenus' in the woods may indicate a long gone home site. It can be identified even before it starts to bloom by its fat, paint brush tip shaped buds.

Dotted around The Woodlands you'll find many dancing daffodils, planted years ago and recently. Like 'Telemonius Plenus', most Narcissus are a particularly long lived plant, surviving decades with little to no care. We don't know the names of many of these blooms but appreciate their joyful expression of spring exuberance year after year.

Buried here is Henry A. Dreer, a noted plantsman of 19th century Philadelphia. Check out our recent blog post  "Hamilton, Dreer, and the Grave Gardeners: Our Horticultural History."  Here's an excerpt:

During the mid-19th century, all needs for the hobbyist gardener and botanist alike could be fulfilled by Henry A. Dreer, Inc., one of the premiere seed and florist stores in Philadelphia at the time.

Henry Dreer first opened his business at just 20 years old in a modest storefront at 97 Chestnut Street.[1] Business bloomed rather quickly and by the end of the following year he expanded his operations to include nurseries in six small greenhouses within The Woodlands; grounds already rich in horticultural history. "

Some of West Philadelphia's favorite trees are Magnolia x soulangeana aka saucer magnolia. While this specimen is still in it's youth, you can learn its name and get an up close look at it's beautiful blooms here. 

Sturdy stemmed, reliably perennial, and always the first tulip to bloom!

William Henry Maule was another prominent seedsman in late 19th century Philadelphia who is buried at The Woodlands. Read more about his seed catalog business and impact on Philadelphia's built environment  in this Hidden City article . 

Ann Bartram Carr was the third generation of the Bartram family to carry on the family business. Her husband Colonel Robert Carr's headstone is pictured here; Ann is buried just to the right, but no headstone marks her final resting place.

From the  Bartram's garden website :

From 1810 onward, Ann Bartram Carr (1779-1858), a daughter of John Bartram, Jr., continued the family garden. Ann was educated by her uncle William and inherited his skill for illustration and the family passion for plants. With her husband, Colonel Robert Carr (1778-1866), the international trade in seeds and plants continued. During the Carr era, the garden was enlarged and, at its peak, featured ten greenhouses and a collection of over 1,400 native plant species and as many as 1,000 exotics. Financial difficulties led to the sale of the family garden by the Carrs in 1850.  

We don't know this beauty's name, but appreciate its vibrant, plum colored blooms and compact habit.

Smaller in overall size and flower than M. soulangeana, Magnolia stellata, or star magnolia, is even more delicate than its cousins. And it smells wonderful!

Pieris japonica is a broad leafed evergreen like holly with fragrant blooms in late winter or early spring - qualities that make it popular as a Victorian cemetery planting. It came into cultivation in 1870 and appears widely in catalogs by the early 20th century.

The weeping willow aka Salix babylonica is a common cemetery planting as its drooping habit reminds us of human grief. There is much more to the plant, however, as it is fast growing, leafs out early in spring, and the bark contains salicylic acid, a predecessor to aspirin (Please don't harvest at The Woodlands).