A scaled-down
version of the Betsy Ross House and a replica of the Liberty Bell (not
shown) are surrounded with herbs, trees, and herbaceious perennials in
this major exhibit by the Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades,
a private tuition-free high school in Media, PA. The plants were selected
because they have a unique and historical past that has impacted American
people and culture. The students begin planning each year's exhibition
a year in advance and are divided into teams -- planning, landscaping,
plant growing, construction, and research/education. This year's education
component included a "smell the herbs" display with small pots
of popular herbs and a number of well executed interpretive signs.
The Williamson students also collaborated with exhibit "neighbor," the floral designer Jamie Rothstein, in the selection of perimeter plantings that would serve as a good backdrop for both exhibits, and the students also did the hardscaping for Rothstein.