Demonstration Gardens
New Castle County Demonstration Gardens
Stop by our demonstration site at the Cooperative Extension office, 461 Wyoming Road in Newark, to learn more about growing fruit and vegetables, composting and plants native to our region.
Designed to create an awareness of the cumulative environmental benefits that can be achieved through the use of native plants by providing an aesthetically pleasing demonstration garden easily adaptable to the home landscape. The garden consists of different niches, each planted with material appropriate for the site: a butterfly garden, bio-retention system (rain garden), meadow, foundation plantings, shrubs and paths, and perennial border.
Fruit and Vegetable Teaching Garden, and Compost Demonstration Site:
Designed for outreach to homeowners who want to learn how to compost, and grow fruit and vegetables in a small space.
The compost site includes a 3-bin system, 2 black plastic hoop bins, a chicken wire bin, a garbage can composter, and a leaf composting area, to show workshop, open house, and other audiences best practices for composting.
The fruit and vegetable garden has been designed to show first time vegetable gardeners how to grow vegetables in raised beds, perfect for small spaces. This garden demonstrates:
- Composting techniques.
- Planting perennials that will attract beneficial insects to your vegetable garden to help combat insect pests.
- Raised bed vegetable gardening.
- Gardening in small spaces; growing vertically.
- Cool and warm season vegetable production.
- Strawberry, raspberry and blackberry, blueberry, and gooseberry production.
- Sustainable growing techniques such as maintaining a healthy soil, integrated pest management (IPM), water conservation, companion and succession planting.
All produce harvested from the Master Gardeners’ Vegetable Garden is donated to the Food Bank of Delaware as part of the “Plant a Row for the Hungry” campaign. Each year approximately 900 pounds of fresh produce is donated!
Kent County Demonstration Gardens
Construction of the Kent County Master Gardener Demonstration Garden began in 2007. Kent County Master Gardeners, as a volunteer arm of Delaware Cooperative Extension are coordinated jointly with the University of Delaware and Delaware State University. Kent County’s Demonstration Garden is located at the DSU Outreach and Research Center in Smyrna, Delaware.
The demonstration vegetable garden has been prospering this year due to the many volunteer hours from Master Gardeners. Vegetables are gathered weekly and distributed to needy families in the local community.
Gardens are used to enhance educational efforts by providing hands-on learning experiences. These gardens also help to provide opportunities for meaningful volunteer service and facilitating the development of partnerships.
Garden Location:
884 Smyrna-Leipsic Road
Smyrna, DE 19977
From Delaware State University, travel approximately 8 miles north on US Route 13.
Turn right onto Rd 12/Smyrna Leipsic Rd
Sussex County Demonstration Gardens
The Sussex County Master Gardeners Demonstration Garden is a labor of love, designed, planted and maintained by dedicated Master Gardener Volunteers. The garden has evolved and grown since its installation nearly 20 years ago! Our garden boasts several permanent features as well as areas that change to accomodate public interest or address special topics.
The public is invited to visit via the many scheduled events and workshops held throught the year. Bookmark our workshop website and try and keep up! Individual and group visits are welcomed, howevever, we do ask that you call ahead (302) 856-7303 to make certain your visit does not conflict with a scheduled event or maintenance day. For safety reasons, we always need to know when someone is visiting.
The Demonstration Garden is located at the Sussex County Extension Office in Georgetown, behind the Carvel Center located at 16483 County Seat Highway, Route 9, west of Georgetown, Delaware. Parking is plentiful and free!
Click below for more about the Sussex Demonstration Garden
Are you new to Delaware or simply want to learn what grows best in the First State? Watch as our amazing space as it evolves throughout the season. There is somethin interesting to observe almost every month! In our garden you will find:
- An ADA-complinant pathway for easy navigation around the main garden
- Delaware certified backyard habitat
- Monarch Waystation
- Mixed annual and perennial beds
- Native plants suitable for sun and shade
- A delightful Children's Garden - a sensory extravaganza for our youngest explorers!
- A variety of raised beds and table gardens
- Several shady situations! A dry shade garden, deep shade garden, gardening under a tree and outside workshops under the blue and gold tent
- Herbs and culinary plants
- Specialty gardens including sections on hydrangeas, junipers, azaleas, climbers and yes, even weeds!
- Compost demonstration area
- Multiple meadows for your Liveable Lawn
- Garden patio and garden art
- Container examples
- Garden Smart and Garden Easy for accessible gardening