Phebe Westcott Humphreys

Her work was favored by experts including the botanist Charles Howard Shinn, who lauded Humphreys' "amazing wealth of knowledge,"[1] and the tastemaker Ruby Ross Wood.

Among her topics are farms and factories run by immigrants;[3] architectural preservation work; environmental sustainability; philanthropies donating plants to the poor;[4] and newly patented household appliances.

[49] Floral Life editors reported that the publication "has no more popular contributor" than Humphreys,[50] and The Delineator's Charles Hanson Towne lauded "her sane view of things.

"[51] Creating harmonious landscapes, experimenting with newly imported houseplants and protecting indigenous species were recurring themes, for instance in her regular columns for Success With Flowers and Arthur's Home Magazine.

Her 1905 book, The Automobile Tourist, suggests sightseeing routes around Philadelphia, based on her own years of driving and studying what she described as "alluring byways, and places of unsuspected delights.

[59] Publishers' Weekly noted that the book's surprising ideas could create scenery where "you half expect to find in some big tree a door leading into fairyland.

"[60] The Historical Society of Pennsylvania owns about 200 of Humphreys' landscape and workplace photos including images of women employed at canneries, invalid children at seashore retreats and African-Americans preparing shad.