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This page offers all of Delaware Public Media's ongoing coverage of the COVID-19 outbreak and how it is affecting the First State. Check here regularly for the latest new and information.

Delaware Botanic Gardens keeps working through the COVID-19 pandemic

The Delaware Botanic Gardens (DBG) - located along Pepper Creek in Dagsboro - opened to the public last September after several years of planning.

 

The 37-acre coastal garden was supposed to reopen for a new season in March, but did not because of the coronavirus crises.

 

 

Brian Trader is the deputy executive director and director of horticulture at the Delaware Botanic Gardens.

 

He says even though the Gradens are currently closed to the public, staff and volunteers have remained busy.

 

“While we’ve not been welcoming guests to the Gardens, we have been very active in building new gardens and working on projects for when we do open - hopefully later in 2020," said Trader. "So in the last several months we’ve expanded our woodlands. We’ve been planting our Rhyne Garden, which is the garden that greets our visitors and our guests when they arrive.” 

Trader says the design and planning for the Entry Garden restrooms is also underway - along with work to build a living shoreline - with help from Delaware’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) and the Center for the Inland Bays (CIB).

 

He says one of their challenges is finding a way to allow people to experience what they have to offer this time of year.

 

“Spring is a time for gardens." said Trader. "And you know so much happens with plants and nature in the springtime and we’re really conscientious of that; we don’t want our guests and our members and our volunteers to miss out on what’s happening here in the Gardens. So we’ve been building these virtual tours.”

Trader notes a lot of flowers are in bloom right now, including a beautiful two-acre Meadow Garden.

 

You can take a virtual tour of the Gardens at their website.

 

Kelli Steele has over 30 years of experience covering news in Delaware, Baltimore, Winchester, Virginia, Phoenix, Arizona and San Diego, California.