Delaware Botanic Gardens receives new plant label donation

Delaware Botanic Gardens President Ray Sander thanked Peter Carter of Lewes for his generous donation of 350 staked identification labels for plants and trees, which can now be seen throughout the gardens.

The labels provide both the Latin and common names of the plants and trees.

“Peter, as a member of the DBG board of directors, is well aware of our limited budget, so we are especially thankful for Peter’s generous donation,” said Sander.

“In a late-fall visit to the gardens, I realized that very few of our visitors could identify the hundreds of species of plant life that abound in our acreage. Given DBG’s budget limitations, I decided to donate something special and meaningful for the enjoyment of the visitors to our gardens and invested $3,600 toward the purchase of classic 2-by-4-inch plant labels on 20-inch stakes,” said Carter.

“Peter, as a retired teacher and superintendent of schools, has been our board’s educational outreach champion. He has engaged with both students and their teachers to ensure that DBG is a welcoming and educational place to enjoy nature. The latest example is Peter’s liaison with Sussex Technical High School carpentry instructor Edward Stough, who worked with his shop students to build a series of bird boxes for bluebirds, wrens and woodpeckers to be placed throughout the gardens. We thank Peter for his unique role both at DBG and within the local educational community,” said Sheryl Swed, executive director. 

Delaware Botanic Gardens opened to the public for the 2021 season March 18. New features this year include more trails and an observation platform overlooking Pepper Creek.

“We welcome everybody, and I want to remind our guests that our goal is to keep the gardens a safe and healthy place to enjoy the beauty of nature. We will be following CDC and state COVID-19 guidelines, and all staff, members and guests are required to wear face masks, practice social distancing and wash their hands,” said Swed.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Thursday to Sunday. Reservations are required. For nonmembers, tickets are $12 for adults. Anyone under age 16 is admitted free of charge.

Delaware Botanic Gardens is located at 30220 Piney Neck Road, Dagsboro. Its mission is to create a world-class, inspirational, educational and sustainable public botanic garden in southern Delaware for the benefit and enjoyment of all.

For more information or to purchase tickets, go to delawaregardens.org.