I am Shreya, currently in my 2nd year of MLA 1 program and the event coordinator with the Weitzman Gardeners. The Weitzman Gardeners club was created by a group of my peers in Fall 2024. The motivation behind starting the club came from a love of plants and horticulture, and a willingness to engage with them beyond our academic scope. We are interested in where plants come from, how they are grown and primed for use, and how they are maintained. Further, there are several subcommittees within the larger club that explore niche interests. For instance, the Urban Walks subcommittee organizes tours of Philadelphia landscapes with designers who created them. We have also had a pretty active events calendar, with some events held in-house, like Cocoas and Cuttings and Plant Tower and Pizza. We have also collaborated with organizations like the Morris Arboretum, Longwood Gardens, Bartram’s Garden, and PHS to create tours and workshops to learn more about their work.
I love being part of the club because it gives me an opportunity to step out and experience the city. Through most of our school year, we are sequestered in our studio. The club gives me a chance to step out and touch some grass (figuratively and literally)! It also gives me a chance to interact with practitioners who work closely with landscapes and plants, which in turn informs my design practices. Since the club is open to the entire school, it’s also a great chance to meet people from other majors with similar interests. We are open to welcoming people who have their own ideas of what the Gardeners should be exploring and hope to create a space where everyone has a chance to seek out their extracurricular interests!
To be in the loop of all of our activities, follow us on Instagram or fill out the interest form!
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