Water lily pond at Dreer's Nursery, circa 1907

About this postcard

A still nursery pond is covered with floating lily pads and a scatter of pale blossoms, with a dense bank of trees and shrubs behind and open sky above. The printed caption names it directly as the water lily pond at Dreer's Nursery, one of the aquatic displays that seed and plant firms kept to show off their stock. Henry A. Dreer, a Philadelphia seedsman and nurseryman, sold seeds, plants, and bulbs largely through illustrated catalogues that circulated widely among American gardeners in the early 1900s. Ponds of this kind served both as growing beds and as scenery for the trade views that horticultural businesses used to promote their grounds and wares.