At 1610–1612 Latimer Street, in the heart of Center City, is a true pastoral retreat. Tucked beside a three-story property housing the law firm Lyman & Ash and Cletus Lyman’s private residence, this enchanting garden has maintained its English cottage-inspired plantings with the help of Philadelphia Gardens, an urban gardendesign company founded by Toni Ann Flanigan in 1984. “There’s a marvelous old look to it that I find really appealing,” says Flanigan, who has been the garden’s caretaker since 1986. “Even though it’s a great deal of work to keep it in the condition it’s in, there’s a simplicity to it that I think makes it endearing.” Passersby frequently pause to get a glimpse of the greenery, which has served as the backdrop for romantic aspirations. Gussied up for a festive summer season, the flower boxes here overflow with yellow bidens, calibrachoa, red verbena and cordylines.
