Visitors to the 2001 Philadelphia Flower Show were mesmerized by everything from geraniums and orchids to bonsai trees and caterpillars. Caterpillar construction equipment that is.

A Cat 301.5 mini-excavator was featured at this year’s Fairmount Park Commission exhibit. The excavator was donated by Giles & Ransome, Bensalem, PA.

“ Three years ago we got a grant to do a trail and forest restoration. With this being the fourth of the five-year grant, we decided to use Urban Ecological Restoration as the official theme of the display,” said Charles Dougherty Jr., assistant director of operations, Fairmount Park Commission.

The display was set up in three parts to depict a typical stream bank in an urban area undergoing the stages of restoration. The current conditions, the restoration process and the restored area were painstakingly planned by the Commission.

To help depict real-world conditions, the Cat 301.5 was used in the middle of the display.

“In putting the concept together, we thought it would be realistic to add the actual construction equipment. This allowed us to show visitors that what they saw was real,” said Dougherty. “Overall, it worked out real well.”

With a 90-ft. stream running through the display, thousands of attendees enjoyed the Commission’s exhibit.