Bucks County Community College’s floral design program has earned recognition for the second year in a row, taking home a bronze medal at the 2026 Philadelphia Flower Show.
This year’s theme, “Rooted: Origins of American Gardening,” celebrated the nation’s 250th birthday by highlighting the history, people, and traditions that have shaped gardening in America as we know it.
The Philadelphia Flower Show functions as both a showcase and fundraiser. It has been held annually since 1829, making it the largest and longest-running horticultural event in the world. According to the Philadelphia Horticultural Society, the theme aimed to bring legacies to life through floral artistry.
The College’s floral design program embraced that idea by centering its exhibit on the legacy of visionary artist and philanthropist Stella Elkins Tyler, who believed in lifelong learning and saw art as a source of healing and balance.
Born in 1884, Tyler lived at Tyler Mansion – now known as Tyler Hall on Bucks’ Newtown campus – from 1934 to 1962. During that time, she developed a passion for sculpture, beginning her artistic career in her late 40s.
Working primarily with clay and bronze casting, Tyler created pieces ranging from cherubs and fairies to expressive female figures, often inspired by her own personal experiences.
One of her most renowned works is the 1949 bronze sculpture “Joan of Arc at Orleans”. It served as the centerpiece of the College’s exhibit. The sculpture was generously donated to the college by the Tyler family in 2024. It played a key role in the program’s bronze win in the “Rooted in Art” category.
Surrounded by pink, orange, and blush-toned roses, the piece was described as “evoking feelings of persistence and strength”.
This marked the first time “Joan of Arc at Orleans” had been publicly displayed since 1959. Before its recent donation, the sculpture’s whereabouts were unknown, with its last confirmed location being the Woodmere Art Museum in Chestnut Hill.
The exhibit reflected Tyler’s connection to art, education, and nature which continue to inspire Bucks students today. Her story encouraged participants to explore without boundaries, create with intetnion, and design artistic expressions that amplify the creative voices shaping our future.
The installation featured seven original floral designs along with six selected student works from the College’s School of Arts and Communication. A team of 20 students, alumni, and instructors from the floral design program collaborated to bring the exhibit to life, reflecting the colleges origins of being founded on the estate of a real artist,
Additional featured pieces included “Blooming in Balance” produced by Amparito Arriaga, Mary Rigau, and Melinder Spink; “Bronze Awakened” produced by Karen Kuyper; “Petals of Dawn and Dusk” produced by Maria Salinas; and “A Legacy in Bloom” created in remembrance of Ron Mulray – one of the founders of the Floral Design Program.
Although the Flower Show has concluded, those interested in Tyler’s work can visit the Tyler Gardens on the Newtown campus. The site’s “Sculpture Walk” showcases her artistic legacy and continues to enrich the College’s historic creative environment.
For more information about the floral design program or the history of the Tyler family, visit the Bucks County Community College website.