I recently had the pleasure of touring the University of Delaware Botanic Gardens, part of the College of Agriculture & Natural Resources with Melinda Zoehrer, the assistant director of the program. Although a Delaware native, I was honestly unaware the University offered such an extensive horticultural program. Undoubtedly, this is an incredible resource that I will embrace to further my knowledge of gardening. Melinda’s passion for her field is contagious. It has inspired me to broaden my horizons on the fascinating art of gardening.
Please visit University of Delaware Botanic Garden’s site to learn more about their educational programs, workshops, upcoming events and their mission of‘changing relationships between plants and people through education, research, and community support.’
Wednesday, July 20th, UDBG will be hosting the Mid-Summer Night’s Garden Stroll in the Herbaceous Garden. The event is free to the public. Join in and tour the beautiful gardens at the peak of the season, with live music and the opportunity to purchase a few of their seasonal plants in bloom.
Enjoy the photos below from my visit. Melinda shared a wealth of knowledge; she graciously answered all of my questions in great detail covering everything from the various plant species in my photos to the many valuable learning opportunities in our surrounding area.
Bio of Melinda Zoehrer
Assistant Director
University of Delaware Botanic Gardens
Melinda received her undergraduate degree in Environmental and Systematic Biology at California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo. While in college, she worked as an Environmental Biologist for the City of San Luis Obispo.
After graduating from the LGP in 1991, she spent a couple months traveling and visiting gardens throughout Europe and Scandinavia. When she returned, she accepted a position at the Delaware Center for Horticulture as its horticulturist, where she managed special events, such as the Rare Plant Auction, planned educational lectures, workshops and both national and international garden tours, and designed and maintained the gardens. In her last 3 years at DCH, she was the Development Director. While at DCH, she enrolled in a year-long Leadership Program through the Delaware Association of Nonprofit Agencies and also began serving on the Board of Trustees at Goodstay Gardens and the London Britain Township Land Trust. She’s been at the University of Delaware Botanic Gardens for five years, where she has her hand in all aspects of its management.
On her role in the University of Delaware Botanic Gardens Program:
We have a very small part-time staff, so we all wear a wide variety of interesting hats. I’ve been in this field 25 years and my role here pulls from and blends experience and skills in horticulture, ecology, fundraising, education, and planning. It includes a fantastic mix of hands-on gardening with volunteers and interns, publishing a plant sale catalog and newsletter, managing the membership program, marketing the organization through its website and educational and interpretive brochures, and involving other disciplines within the University community in UDBG’s programs.
Click here to see the full Q&A with Melinda at the Dilwyne Designs blog.
