Photo by James Short.
The original Iceberg lettuce, thee first white marigold, and the biggest beefsteak tomato on record were all grown and bred on an internationally-known brand’s farm in Doylestown Township.
The W. Atlee Burpee Company – an international seed producer for 150 years – opened its forbidden doors for its free once-a-year, behind-the-scenes look at its breeding and trial operations during a free public event Saturday at the historic Fordhook Farm at 150 New Britain Road.
The hot, sunny weather made the event jam-packed; area parking lots filled up faster than a blueberry basket in June. All roads surrounding the event were closed due to high-traffic volume.
Four gardens were open to the public: Kitchen, Heirloom, Veranda and Happiness. The “Stumpery” was a place of solace with shady shrubs and trees.
Burpee Open also had live music and speakers, and a seed sale, naturally. Burpee also recreated its Philadelphia Flower Show exhibit.
Children’s activities included flower arranging and a scavenger hunt.
Fordhook Farm, founded in 1888, is a working farm where Bucks County’s Burpee breeds and trials fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers for end-result customers and gardeners.
For more information on the Burpee Open, visit their website.
Check out some aerial photos from the successful event below:
By James Short 
By James Short 
By James Short 
By James Short 
