Our Trip to Nemours

Wilmington DE, May 23, 2010:  District I's bus trip to Nemours was generally well received.  There was rain on and off but not when it really counted. Participants were divided into small groups for the mansion tour and each received a flower on the way in.  The Nemours horticulturist addressed those who walked the gardens. Those who later toured the garage received a bottle of Nemours water.

Lunch followed at the nearby Dupont Country Club. 

Heavy traffic on I-95 southbound prevented the planned visit to Draycott Gardens.
The docents continue the tradition of Alfred DuPont's third wife who greeted all guests with a fresh flower.  Here flowers are received an Arleen and her sister Betty:






--photos above by Carolyn Fichtel.
The parterres:
The English gates on the east of the mansion.





The Catherine the Great gates to the west gardens: 





 Some toured the French style gardens on foot.  Others by bus.  The Nemours horticulturist addressed those walking the gardens.






 The DuPonts actually used the main fountain pool for recreation.

A tulip poplar in bloom.







 

A late lunch at Dupont Country Club:
 --above photos by Michael Giese.

Cheverly Tours National Wildlife Visitors Center

April 19, 2010: Cheverly Garden Club toured that National Wildlife Visitors Center at the Patuxent Research Refuge of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  The refuge occupies 12,841 acres off the BW Parkway via Route 197.  It is one of 540 national wildlife refuges and has the only National Wildlife Visitors Center.

Along the entrance road from Route 197, we saw a dozen deer:

 


Before the sun set, the group observed this deer across Lake Redington:


Nell Baldacchino led the tour.  Here she discusses the center's schoolyard habitat, a demonstration habitat to show how small spaces can be inviting to wildlife:
 

Then we toured the indoor exhibits:



--photos by Bill Dean