Bartram’s Garden is the oldest surviving botanical garden in North America. Located in an urban neighborhood, it is a gem of nature that may seem incongruous to first-time visitors. In the 1720s, botanist John Bartram built a stone house overlooking the Schuylkill River, and began farming the 107 acres of land around it. In his spare time, Bartram followed his interest in native plant species and traveled widely collecting plants and seeds from th northern shores of Nova Scotia to the southern tip of Florida. He founded a botanical garden on the five acre plot between his house and the river and developed a nursery that sold native plants and served as a base for correspondence with other botanists on both sides of the Atlantic. To this day, Bartram’s Garden is one of the most accessible places to visit nature close to the neighborhoods of Philadelphia.

Batram's Garden: The Seasons is an exhibition of photographs taken by Robert G. Smith on his walks through Bartram’s Garden, on view at Studio 34 through the Philadelphia Fringe Festival. Visit the Gallery Monday through Thursday from 5:00 to 7:00 PM, or while attending any Fringe show at the Studio 34 Hub.