Philadelphia Flower Show Black-Tie Gala and Afterparty

The grand entrance way to the 2015 PHS Flower Show. Make sure you check out the Butterfly Experience on the grand concourse. For $3, you can walk among the butterflies as they feed and perch on plants. Then stop by the Pop-Up Beer Garden and enjoy cider bottled especially for the PHS.

From left: David Devan, artistic director of Opera Philadelphia, David Schellenberg, Keith Straw, Jim Straw and David A Dubbeldam.

Cecily Tynan and Adam Joseph do their annual 6ABC flower show special during the kick-off preview party. Under Cecily's dress she has a full knee brace after tearing her ACL skiing in January. Cecily told me she was quite surprised by the accident as she has been skiing since she was 12 years old.

From left: Gene London, TV personality, Sharon Pinkenson, executive director of Greater Philadelphia Film Office, which consulted on this year's flower show, and Drew Becher, executive director of Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS). Check out Gene London's Hollywood Collection, which has more than 50 costumes worn by stars such as Vivien Leigh, Madonna, Sarah Jessica Parker and Grace Kelly. (It's in room 203 and costs $5.)

From left: Dan Vaughn and Ron Mulray (both AIFD, CFD) enlisted 60 members of the American Institute of Floral Designers from across the country to curate an exhibit called "Princess" which won Best of Show for floral, and was honored by several organizations.

From left: Theresa Sage, Kathy Moore, Liz Weber, Tracey Carney and Cindy Pelton (the girls were out celebrating Tracey's birthday). Do you see what's happening in the background? A woman removed her shoes and climbed into the display to stop and smell the flowers.

Eileen and Nicholas DeBenedictis, chairman, president and CEO of Aqua. The couple is looking forward to a relaxing summer after Nick retires. They chose to pose in front of this bonsai that is the same age as Nick — 70!

From left: Bow Wheeler and Brandon Jackson of Potted Perfection. I found Brandon admiring a few of the ferns. He told me that the pots were pefect as they were small. Ferns flourish in smaller pots.

From left: Rachel Sill, Dr. Aryam Modesto, Rittenhouse Dental Group, and Alexis Danilo.

One of my favorite displays: Ratatouille

This year the Flower Show did something different: Instead of having the dinner upstairs in the Grand Ballroom, the guests ate among the flower displays.

From left: Joe Rivera, Space and Company, Michael Toub, Brad Hemler, Matthew Ray, Chatterblast, Bryan Hoffman (Hoffman Designs created the Green Mountain Energy display), Michael Braunstein and Jim Lonsdale.

From left: Matt Bruno, Ashley Damore, Chris Spay and Danelle Damore enjoyed the after party.

Bayley Luutomes, New Zealand, and Leon Kluge, South Africa. Kluge created his floral vision of the movie "Maleficent" (next slide), which won Best of Show for exhibition.

Leon Kluge's "Maleficent" won Best of Show for exhibition.

From left: Helena and Ambassador Harold Doley (formerly the United States Representative to the African Development Bank and Fund), Dr. Patricia Mikols, Ph.D., and Oliver St. Clair Franklin, consul at Honorary British Consulate/Vice Chairman.

Stuart Alter, Tim Moir, chair Friends of the Avenue of the Arts, and Robert Taglieri. On Thursday night Moir hosted a fundraiser for the Avenue of the Arts at the business preview of the Flower Show, raising $25,000 to fund the plants to be put in the planters along Broad Street.

From left: Al Fuchs and Eric Schellack. Eric created one of my favorite displays, Robertson's Flowers' interpretation of "Cinderella's Table" (next photo).

Robertson's Flowers' Cinderella's Table created by wedding and event specialist Eric Schellack.

From left: DJ Montone and DJ Jason Weiss kept the party going at the afterparty, which began at 10 p.m. Offered at a lower ticket price, guests enjoyed specialty cocktails, snacks, dessert and dancing, as well as being able to enjoy all the Flower Show exhibits.

Earl Joseph and Lena Anderson.

From left: Evan Urbania, Ben Haney, Jamie McFadden, Michael Callahan and Jonathan Wright.

Dr. Joe Sobanko and Colleen Kivitz enjoyed the after party.

From left: Judy Kersaint, Stephanie Wheeler, Sam Klug and Lottie Rummel at the afterparty.

Frank and Heather Montgomery were big fans of last-year's PHS Pop-up garden, and were so excited to learn what the Flower Show was all about after hearing about it there.

Troy Taylor and Amy Beaumont fill out a form to guess which movie the Jim Fogarty exhibit is depicting. Hint: He's from Australia.

The afterparty was going on full steam well past midnight when this exhausted paparazzo called it a night.