DBG Receives New Plant Label Donation

peter carter with plant label

Ray Sander, President of the Delaware Botanic Gardens (DBG), thanked Peter Carter of Lewes, Delaware, 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. Sander said, “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.”

Carter said, “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 towards the purchase of classic 2” x 4” plant labels on 20" stakes.”

Executive Director Sheryl Swed said, “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’s 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.”

The Delaware Botanic Gardens opened to the public for the 2021 season on Thursday March 18. There are new features this year, including a new observation platform overlooking Pepper Creek and new trails.

Swed also said, “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.” The DBG is open Thursday through Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Reservations are required and can be made at the website www.delawaregardens.org/hours-admissions. For non-members, tickets are $12 for adults. Anyone under age 16 is admitted free of charge.