There are certainties in this world: if you put a pair of socks in your dryer, you will only ever get one back. If you drop your toast, it will land butter-side down. And if are unsure of a location for your photoshoot, you can guarantee I will always suggest Bartram’s Garden. 

No, it’s not just because it is 5 minutes from my house (wEsT pHiLLy 4 lyfe); afterall, I love to travel for shoots. The truth is, I always recommend Bartram’s Garden because it is just so gosh darn freaking pretty. 

Given its rich history, it would have been easy for Bartram’s to be for, well, rich people only. In fact, for a while, it did lean towards a certain socioeconomic status, unavailable to its own neighbors. However, the John Bartram Association changed its model, deciding it wanted to be a meeting place for its own neighborhood, with free and sliding scale events and classes for the locals. They invest their funds in smaller community organizations and even collaborate with local black and brown owned restaurants to plant foods that the chefs can utilize. Their newest idea? A mussel farm to raise awareness of how the sea creatures’ ability to clean water. So cool. 

I feel good about recommending Bartram’s Garden to my clients. Not only does it provide a stunning backdrop for your couples and family photos, but it has a heart for the neighborhood in which it is planted. I can’t wait to share it with you!