This Saturday, May 24, the Historic Wyck House Garden will hold its annual Celebration of the Roses event from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at 6026 Germantown Ave.
Located in Germantown, the Wyck House has long contributed to Philadelphia’s (and Germantown’s) culture. It was established as an historic site in 1973, as a National Historic Landmark in 1991, and is the oldest rose garden still in its original site plan in the United States. The property was owned by the same Quaker family for nine generations, from 1690-1973.
Quaker Hans Millan initially owned the property in 1690 with his wife, Margaret. In 1820, Millan’s descendant Reuben Haines III, married Quaker Jane Bowne. In 1821, she designed the rose garden. Her original plan remains preserved by the Wyck House.
The Wyck family’s contributions to the surrounding community extend beyond their historic house and garden. Jane Bowne Haines II, great-grandchild to the first Jane Bowne Haines, who created the garden, founded the Pennsylvania School of Horticulture for Women in 1910, which is now called Temple University Ambler.
Contemporary community contributions
Today, the Wyck-House contributes to the Germantown area with its farm, garden, and community-focused education. The Celebration of the Roses serves as its annual showcase. Kim Staub, Executive Director for Wyck Historic House, Garden, and Farm, is thrilled about this year’s celebration. “This year's a really exciting year. We're doing a big restoration project, so we're actually excited to talk about how the history of the garden ties into the history of the house.” She views the Celebration of the Roses as a highlight of “our historic world” that “show[s] off our little hidden gem, in Germantown.”
Unsurprisingly, the Wyck House and Celebration of the Roses attracts a steady crowd. Annually, Wyck typically receives around 7,000-8,500 visitors. However, the rose festival alone hosts approximately 450-500 attendees, depending on the weather.
What makes the Wyck House truly accessible is that it offers free admission to the grounds and the house. Many events are free as well. Staub said that the accessible admission helps make the location inclusive to all in the area, “We offer almost all of our programs for free to the community. So that figure equals equality of access. We want everyone to be able to enjoy.”
The all-day event will feature mostly vendors who specialize in handmade products such as Soaps by Alana, the Bearded Carver, botanography, Design Your Own Jewelry, Xoxoa Chocolate, Black and Planted, and Indigo Child Bath and Body. Attic Brewing Company will supply a beer tent while local favorites 2 Street Sammies and Random Tea House will offer food options. One of the event’s many compelling features is the hourly tours of the heritage rose collection, courtesy of Jackson Warren, manager of Living Collections. This family-friendly event, happening on May 24, is definitely a rose without a thorn.
If you can’t attend in person, check out the virtual tour on the Wyck House website.
Upcoming events
Don’t worry if you can’t stop and smell the roses this Saturday. There are numerous chances to experience its other community offerings. On May 29, the young Friends of Wyck will feature Rosé and Roses. The Lantern Theater offers a collaborative Jazz Around the World event on June 20. And, a recurring Carillon Recital series will take place on Monday evenings in July. If you want to tour the grounds or visit the house, the Wyck House’s grounds are open to the community Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., with historic house tours available Thursday-Saturday, noon-4 p.m.
For more information, on Celebration of the Roses, visit https://wyck.org/celebration-of-the-roses.
