Chestnut Hill’s flower power on full display this year

Chestnut Hill’s impact on this year’s Philadelphia Flower Show is huge. First, Chestnut Hill resident Drew Becher is now president of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, which puts on the Flower Show.

Add to that, Robertson’s Flowers of Chestnut Hill is again one of the “Showcase” exhibitors and you can see that Chestnut Hill gets a big green thumbs-up.

NewsWorks caught up with Robertson’s exhibit designer, Eric Schellack, on Thursday at the Pennsylvania Convention Center as he worked feverishly on the exhibit. As you’ll see in the video, the flowers don’t get put up until Friday.

Robertson’s exhibit is called Impressions of Notre Dame.

The wedding scene is set on backside of the cathedral under the flying buttresses.

“Obviously in the real world I don’t think that wouldn’t really happen,” Schellack said. “We are taking some liberties.”

One such liberty is that the gargoyles that usually sit high atop a cathedral are standing guard on the floor level of the exhibit. It will give visitors a chance to see how Schellack used succulent plants to create an armored look for the statue.

Schellack says the wedding scene will be decorated with different shades of pink flowers. There will be a gazebo covered with plum and quince branches. And white lilies will highlight the cathedral’s exterior structure.

Finally, visitors are likely to notice Wissahickon Schist stones used to create the foundation’s exterior areas.

Schellack said if he meets his goal for the display, people will see it as “the most romantic wedding ceremony possible,” he said.

The Flower Show runs March 5-13 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

Visitor tips: Quietest times will be Mon-Thurs after 3 p.m. Small private group tours are available in the early morning. The cost for those is $105 per person.