WEST WINDSOR – Mercer County Community College (MCCC) continues to excel at the Philadelphia Flower Show – the oldest and largest flower show in the world – once again taking home a gold medal (the College’s fifth since 2017) in the “Education” category for its “Peter Henderson to Present: The Horticulturist of the Garden State,” exhibit at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. MCCC was also chosen for “Best in Show” as well as the prestigious Chicago Horticultural Society Flower Show Medal, awarded to an educational exhibit showing outstanding horticultural skill and knowledge in a nationally recognized flower show.

The challenge given to this year’s “Education” category participants – MCCC’s 13th – was to select a person or group who inspires them horticulturally in correspondence with this year’s Flower Show theme “Rooted: Origins of American Gardening.” Leaning into the College’s New Jersey roots, students decided to devise their exhibit based on three New Jersey innovators, each coming from a specific area of the industry: floriculture pioneer Peter Henderson, Princeton Nurseries Flemer Family, and greenhouse innovator William Roberts.

A team of students in the award-winning Horticulture and Plant Science program, led by MCCC Professors Amy Ricco and David DeFrange, prepared for the show through weekly meetings and work sessions along with their regular course work all conducted in the College’s greenhouse complex. During the planning process, the students had to learn how to work within the design parameters for the project, select and force appropriate plant material, and develop the language for the educational posters based on their research. Over 400 different plants are featured in the exhibit including varieties and cultivars created by Peter Henderson and Princeton Nurseries. Horticulture and Plant Science students received support from Digital Film students who created a video installation, and a student and staff member from the MCCC Art Department who worked on the graphics for the educational signage. “It has been a great experiential learning process for the students,” said Ricco. “Starting with research and learning new things is incredibly rewarding. Then building on it to showcase horticulture from New Jersey with a diverse group of students has been wonderful.”

“Participating in the Philadelphia Flower Show is a very special opportunity for our students,” said Dr. Deborah E. Preston, MCCC President. “Seeing the students work together to combine what they learn in our Horticulture program, brainstorm ideas, and bring that creativity to life on such a high level is a testament to their skill, talent, and imagination, and that of the MCCC staff that guides them.”

The Philadelphia Flower Show is organized by the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society and has been in existence since 1892. This year’s show runs from February 28 through March 8, 2026. For more information about the Mercer County Community College horticulture program, visit mccc.edu/hort.

About Mercer County Community College
Established in 1966, Mercer County Community College is a publicly supported comprehensive institution that provides opportunities for higher education through an open-door admission policy. The scenic 292-acre West Windsor Campus was opened in 1972 to serve the needs of Mercer County residents. MCCC’s James Kerney Campus, located in downtown Trenton, serves as an educational and cultural hub for city residents that meets the changing needs of thousands of students and community members seeking educational fulfillment and personal and career growth. President: Deborah E. Preston, Ph.D.; www.mccc.edu


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