As the city continues its celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, the Philadelphia Zoo is embracing the season with the return of its ZooTopiaries and a brand new guided garden tour, both coming to the grounds later this month.
Partnering with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS), the Zoo will reimagine its famous 42-acre gardens with captivating horticultural displays, including three new ZooTopiary creations made with 8,800 plants and tours that weave together the horticulture, history and habitats of the grounds.
For America’s 250th anniversary celebration, the Zoo will be adding a 10-foot-tall, 8-foot-long (from beak to tail) bald eagle for America's 250th anniversary — and a subtle nod to the hometown Philadelphia Eagles.
In addition to the eagle, the Zoo will add a 7-foot-tall, 12-foot-long Galapagos tortoise, celebrating their oldest resident and world-famous mom, Mommy, who last year gave birth to four critically endangered Western Santa Cruz Galapagos tortoises for the first time in the Zoo’s 150-plus-year history.
Finally, the Zoo will add a playful mother and baby bear to be featured at the newly renovated and expanded Bear Country, which opens this spring. These three new additions will debut Saturday, April 18.
Also beginning April 18, running through May 31, the Zoo will offer hour-long guided tours every Tuesday (from 10 to 11 a.m.) and Saturday (from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.). These tours highlight the plants that shape the garden, people and the history of the grounds. Led by knowledgeable docents, the tours will also explore the diverse habitats of the birds, pollinators, and other wildlife found on the grounds.
Tickets to these tours can be purchased for $8 to 10 per person in addition to Zoo admission or membership and are subject to weather and capacity.
“Our small but mighty team of horticulture experts puts their all into creating beautiful spaces and wow moments for our guests to immerse themselves in,” said Horticultural Manager Tim Dunham. “What started 150+ years ago as Victorian gardens has now transformed into an ecologically friendly garden landscape focused on being an oasis for wildlife and native species. We like to call it ‘pretty with a purpose.’ You’ll notice all the fine details if you look for them.”
To learn more about the Philadelphia Zoo and its latest exhibits, visit philadelphiazoo.org.
