The Delaware Botanic Gardens is Planning for Spring!

For immediate release January 25, 2018

It’s January. The days are lengthening minute by minute, but the ground is frozen, the nighttime temperatures are bitterly cold, and spring seems a distant hope.  Still, the seeds have arrived at the hardware stores and garden centers, and just the sight of them inspires dreams of summer’s flowering gardens.

At the Delaware Botanic Gardens on Pepper Creek, there has been no pause for winter.    It is a giant leap of faith and a boatload of blood, sweat and tears to create a botanic garden from 37 acres of fallow farm fields and sloping woodlands. There are the things seen…the flowers, trees and pathways…and the things unseen…electrical service, irrigation and utilities.  All in need of donations to make them happen.

In December, the DBG was awarded a generous multi-year grant from the Ellice & Rosa McDonald Foundation toward the creation of the Entry Garden which includes the drive in from Piney Neck Road, the parking area, and the Rhyne Garden which will capture and filter run-off water from the adjacent building and paved surfaces.

Many of our volunteers at the 2017 Delaware Botanic Gardens Volunteer Appreciation dinner stand behind Gregg Tepper, Cam Yorkston, Ray Sander and Sheryl Swed who are displaying the grant check from the Ellice & Rosa McDonald Foundation.

Executive Director, Sheryl Swed said, “We are grateful for this leadership grant for this important garden that will welcome visitors to the Delaware Botanic Garden, and hope that it will inspire others to donate so that it can go forward.”                                

Ray Sander, DBG President of the Board expressed thanks to the 137 friends and members who made donations to the Gardens between ‘Giving Tuesday’ in November and the year end, totaling nearly $30 thousand, but said “there is still a steep hill to climb and many new friends to be made.  As we begin 2018, we have raised over $2 million for this visionary project and 95% of these funds have been spent here in Delaware with local firms and businesses, which in turn helped create and sustain jobs in our region.  $1.5 million is still needed to complete the work in Phase One to ‘Open the Garden Gates.’” He noted that for those who would like to make a legacy gift, there are opportunities for individuals to name a garden in memory or in honor of a loved one or family.

Creating a botanic garden from the ground up is a costly endeavor. Gregg Tepper, DBG Director of Horticulture said, “We are grateful for the tremendous encouragement and support we’ve received from the horticultural community. The in-kind donations from these partners and the work of our volunteers is so important to our success.”

In September, the DBG will hold it’s annual ‘farm dinner’ in the Gardens for the first time—it will be a chance for the public to get a first look at the Delaware Botanic Gardens and see the Meadow Garden, designed by internationally renowned Dutch garden designer Piet Oudolf, in bloom for the first time. Tickets will go on sale this summer.

The mission of the Gardens is to create an inspirational, educational, and sustainable public garden in Delaware for the benefit and enjoyment of all. The Delaware Botanic Gardens will celebrate the coastal plain with a sustainable garden that delights and educates visitors and inspires them to preserve Delmarva’s native landscapes.

Further information on the Delaware Botanic Gardens, including membership and donations, go to delawaregardens.org and facebook.com/delawaregardens.

Press release as seen in the Cape Gazette.

Delaware Botanic Gardens Makes Major Leap Forward Toward ‘Opening the Garden Gates’ in 2019

This month the Delaware Botanic Gardens on Pepper Creek took a major leap forward in its drive to become a landmark public garden in the region, and a tourist destination for Delaware

The internationally renowned Dutch garden designer, Piet Oudolf, whose planting design for New York City’s famed greenway, the High Line, draws millions of visitors each year, arrived in Dagsboro just after Labor Day to oversee the planting of the first phase of the Delmarva Meadow at the Delaware Botanic Gardens.  This is his first installation in the mid-Atlantic region. 

For the DBG, Mr. Oudolf designed one of his iconic perennial meadows using over 65,000 plants, primarily native varieties, each placed to create a landscape of year-around beauty with color, texture and movement.  Gregg Tepper, DBG Director of Horticulture, noted that “butterflies, bluebirds and goldfinches arrived to the meadow while we were still planting—a great sign that the meadow will not only inspire and delight people, but will attract the birds, bees and other pollinators so essential to our gardens and to our farms on Delmarva.”

Holly Shimizu, former Executive Director of the United States Botanic Garden and Advisory Council member for DBG said that, “This garden will confirm the astounding beauty that can be achieved through the artistic, thoughtful and sensitive placement of beautiful plants in a meadow environment.

“Piet Oudolf’s design for the Delmarva Meadow is absolutely brilliant, and the planting that has just been completed brings that brilliance to life,” said Donald Rakow, DBG

Advisory Council member and Associate Professor at Cornell University and Fellow at the Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future. Rodney D. Robinson, Advisory Council member and landscape architect and designer said, “The creation of this extraordinary Meadow Garden is a major accomplishment for any public garden.  I can't think of a better way to introduce the Delaware Botanic Gardens to the public.” 

Over five days, 17,000 plants were placed and planted by more than fifty volunteers working in teams, each led by professional horticulturists and landscape contractors, many volunteering their time for the opportunity to work with Piet Oudolf.

Barbara Katz, Advisory Council member and owner of London Landscapes, who worked with DBG Horticulturist, Gregg Tepper to plan and organize the monumental planting project, lauded “the exceptional enthusiasm, patience and skill of the myriad volunteers that created a laser-focused atmosphere, vibrating with positive energy.”

“Many horticulturists and landscape contractors not only shared their expertise but also made generous in-kind donations, to help propel the project,” said Executive Director Sheryl Swed.

Looking ahead, DBG Board President, Ray Sander said, “"When the public sees the beauty of this Delmarva Meadow, there will be a realization that having a Piet Oudolf Meadow in Delaware is the gardening equivalent of having Amazon and Apple select Delaware for their headquarters."  

The world is already taking notice. In a Washington Post article published this week, author and veteran gardening columnist Adrian Higgins recalled walking the site alone with Oudolf, “…the rock star from Hummelo turned to me and said: ‘The garden scene here is small.  But so much energy.  It’s unbelievable.’”

After visiting the Gardens, Mr. Higgins had his own high praise, “If cultural institutions were boxers, the DBG would be Rocky Balboa, an underdog with a seemingly uncrushable spirit.”

The Board of Directors of the Delaware Botanic Gardens hopes to ‘Open the Garden Gates’ in 2019.

A series of videos documenting the planting of the meadow can be viewed on the DBG website at delawaregardens.org  Other videos of the Gardens are on the DBG YouTube channel at youtube.com/channel/UCAvrTN_li6I2gDR6NswkvsA

The Delaware Botanic Gardens at Pepper Creek has embarked on a multiyear, multiphase plan to establish a flagship botanic garden for Delmarva that manifests the values motivating all garden lovers everywhere—from the magnificence of nature to the role of horticulture in learning, enjoyment, health and conservation.

Founded in 2012 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Delaware Botanic Gardens will celebrate the coastal plain with a flagship sustainable garden that delights and educates visitors and inspires them to preserve Delmarva’s native landscapes.

Further information on the Delaware Botanic Gardens, including membership and donations, go to delawaregardens.org and facebook.com/delawaregardens

Carla Markell Appoints Four Members to the Delaware Botanic Gardens Advisory Council

The Board of the Delaware Botanic Gardens (DBG) and Carla Markell announced the appointment of four new members to the DBG Advisory Council.  In naming the new members, Shawn M. Garvin, Barbara Katz, Sally Boswell and Diane Maddex, Markell, chair of the Advisory Council said, "As the vision of this world class public garden becomes a reality, we are honored to welcome these experienced new advisers to our team."    

DBG Executive Director, Sheryl Swed said, "We are honored that this exceptional project continues to attract the interest and support of thought leaders from across the region offering their experience and expertise to this landmark project."

Shawn Garvin, Secretary of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) has 25 years of experience in environmental matters and public health, most recently as Environmental Protection Agency regional administrator prior to his DNREC appointment.  He joins his two DNREC predecessors on the Advisory Council; David Small, now a Senior Consultant with Duffield Associates, and Collin O’Mara, President and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation. “Having the participation and guidance of these three environmental leaders, will ensure that DBG achieves our vision, mission and commitment to preservation and land stewardship,” said Swed.                    

Barbara Katz, a widely respected landscape designer and landscape industry leader brings 30 years of experience to the Advisory Council, strengthening the DGB’s connection to leading professional nurseries which are important sources for the public gardens' creation. Katz was responsible for introducing world renowned landscaped designer, Piet Oudolf, to the Delaware Botanic Garden. Oudolf is designing the Delmarva Meadow, one of the major features of the DBG and his first installation in the mid-Atlantic region.  Katz has worked closely with DGB Director of Horticulture, Gregg Tepper, to identify and secure over 65 thousand plants that Oudolf selected for the Delmarva Meadow. Planting of the meadow is scheduled to begin in September.

Sally Boswell has demonstrated her leadership and commitment to conservation and environmental protection as an educator and nonprofit leader in Delaware. She brings more than three decades of experience in public affairs, communications, project management and strategic planning.  For twelve years, she directed the education and outreach program at the Delaware Center for the Inland Bays.   “Boswell’s experience directing environmental education programs will be a great accelerator to DGB's education mission and the Dogfish Head Outdoor Living Classroom being built in conjunction with Envirotech Environmental Consulting.  We also look forward to benefiting from her extensive knowledge of the Delmarva region in support of public outreach and fundraising on behalf of the DBG.” according to Swed.

As a DBG Board member, Diane Maddex was a major contributor in the development of the Delaware Botanic Gardens’ branding, bringing her skills and aesthetic eye to the design of the website and publications. She is an award-winning architectural author and had a key role in attracting Lake/Flato, an architectural firm known for its leadership in ‘place-based sustainable architecture’ to the DBG project.  “A DBG Board Member the past several years,” Swed said, “we are grateful that Diane will continue to share her great knowledge of architecture and design as a member of the Advisory Council.”

Ray Sander, DBG President, said, "With the addition of these four outstanding professionals to the Advisory Council plus the previously announced appointment of Susan Ryan, our former DBG President, we go forward with a group of remarkable individuals who have achieved exceptional public and private sector accomplishments. As members of our Advisory Council they are bringing their intellectual firepower and energy to help create this wonderful addition to life on Delmarva -- the Delaware Botanic Gardens"

Upcoming events include a September 8th lecture by Piet Oudolf, including a preview of a recently completed documentary of Oudolf's work at Lewes Public Library; followed by a private reception with Oudolf at the Dogfish Head Inn in Lewes. The Annual DBG Farm Dinner at Good Earth Farm is planned for September 28.  Tickets for these events are on sale now at delawaregardens.org.

The Delaware Botanic Gardens at Pepper Creek has embarked on a multiyear, multiphase plan to establish a flagship botanic garden for Delmarva that manifests the values motivating all garden lovers everywhere—from the magnificence of nature to the role of horticulture in learning, enjoyment, health and conservation. Founded in 2012 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Delaware Botanic Gardens will celebrate the coastal plain with a flagship sustainable garden that delights and educates visitors and inspires them to preserve Delmarva’s native landscapes.

Further information on the Delaware Botanic Gardens, including membership and donations, go to delawaregardens.org and facebook.com/delawaregardens 

Delaware Botanic Gardens goes over the top

The Delaware Botanic Gardens has leveraged a $750,000 grant from the Longwood Foundation into $1.25 million to help it open Delmarva’s first botanical garden. The foundation challenged the nonprofit organization to raise a 2-to-1 match for a $250,000 portion of the grant. The garden went over the top of the challenge, amassing some $560,000 in less than a year, exceeding the goal by $60,000.

“To add to our achievement,” responded DBG President Susan Ryan, “we reached this amazing level with six months to spare.” When the Longwood Foundation, based in Wilmington, announced its award in November 2015, it set a deadline of March 25, 2017, for the garden to reach the matching requirement. “For this feat, heartfelt thanks are due our dedicated business and individual supporters, members, and volunteers,” added Ryan.

Well over half of the fundraising total was raised from pledges and pledge payments to support development of the garden. Another large portion represents grants from the Welfare Foundation ($75,000) and the Marmot Foundation ($40,000). The remainder originated in other donations, memberships, and event income.

The annual Good Earth Market Farm Dinner, held this year on September 15, brought in about $50,000. A challenge made at the dinner from Chuck Coltman of Bethany Beach, president of the Coltman Family Foundation, raised $31,000, including his $10,000 challenge. Sponsorships, ticket sales, and a silent auction increased the evening’s total.

Presenting sponsors for the farm dinner were Bancroft Construction Company, Banks Wines & Spirits, the meadow designer Piet Oudolf, Pennoni Associates, Robinson Anderson Summers, and SoDel Concepts. Other key sponsors were Coastal Tented Events, Good Earth Market and Organic Farm, and the Sussex County Land Trust. In all, 43 individuals and businesses served as sponsors for this popular local event.

“We are indeed over the top at this great accomplishment,” said Raymond J. Sander, DBG vice president and chair of its capital campaign committee. “These funds move us much closer to opening the garden gates. But beyond that, this phenomenal support shows how much people and organizations across Delmarva understand what a great addition this garden will be to our region and how much it’s needed.”

Other members of the DBG Capital Campaign Leadership Committee are Susan Ryan, David Green, Kathy Green, Sheryl Swed, Gregg Tepper, and Cam Yorkston.

Over the top! With six months to spare.