SPRING HAS SPRUNG IN THE MID-ATLANTIC

A Sampling of Flower Shows and Gardens

(U.S. MID-ATLANTIC – February 8, 2010) This Spring as the snow melts and temperatures rise, travelers to the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States will find plenty of places to stop and smell the roses. From spectacular private gardens to seemingly endless flower shows visitors to the Mid-Atlantic region can welcome the warmer weather with open arms. The members of the Mid-Atlantic Tourism PR Alliance (MATPRA) invite travelers to discover this exciting region of the country.
 
Here’s what’s blooming in the Mid-Atlantic States:
Delaware

Nemours Mansion reopens for guided tours in May. Built for Alfred I. du Pont and modeled after Marie Antoinette’s Le Petit Trianon, the mansion features the finest example of a formal French garden in North America complete with parterres, huge fleur de lis jardin, magnificent reflecting ponds and incredible sculptures. Greater Wilmington Convention & Visitors Bureau, Lyn Lewis, LynLewis@wilmcvb.org, www.VisitWilmingtonDE.com
 
Delaware's State Capital, Dover bursts with spring colors as a multitude of flower beds exceed expectations each year. Strategically placed around the city, residents and guests alike cruise the streets to see and photograph the well maintained beds of spring colors. Flower lovers come to Dover in the Spring. Kent County & Greater Dover, Delaware Convention and Visitors Bureau, Robin Coventry, rcoventry@visitdover.com, www.visitdover.com
 
Take a self-guided tour of spectacular private gardens in the historic seaport town of Lewes, Delaware during the 20th Annual Lewes Garden Tour on June 19, 2010. Complimentary activities include a garden market with vendors specializing in garden related retail items and free lectures and demonstrations on gardening related topics. Southern Delaware Tourism, Aubrey Manzo, aubreym@visitsoutherndelaware.com, www.visitsoutherndelaware.com
Maryland

Gardeners and flower-admirers of all kinds can experience the 24th Annual Towson Gardens Day on April 22, 2010 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Held at the Towson Courthouse Fountain Plaza, visitors will enjoy plants, crafts, gifts, food, music, exhibits, awards, and a guided tour of the Courthouse Gardens. Baltimore County Conference and Tourism, Jill Feinberg, info@towsonchamber.com, www.visitbacomd.com
 
Amaze, entertain, and educate your senses while strolling through our sculpture garden and Arts Center in scenic Solomons, Maryland. Annmarie Garden, a Smithsonian Affiliate, is a thirty-acre sculpture garden and arts center containing permanent and loaned works of sculpture. The Arts Center presents dynamic exhibits, programs and events. Calvert County Department of Economic Development- Tourism Division, Joyce Baki, bakija@co.cal.md.us, www.ecalvert.com
 
Each May, several thousand garden enthusiasts descend upon downtown Frederick for the chance to explore the elegant, whimsical and inventive gardens nestled behind the gates of private Frederick homes and in public parks. This year’s tour includes a garden market. All proceeds support local beautification projects within the historic district.  Tourism Council of Frederick County, Tiffany Ahalt, tahalt@fredco-md.net, www.fredericktourism.org
 
Welcome spring the Baltimore way with the 93rd annual Flower Mart on May 7-8, 2010. Vendors selling everything from arts and crafts to food to, yes, flowers and perennials, cluster around historic Mount Vernon Square to welcome warm, sunny weather and thousands of Baltimoreans. Visit Baltimore, Monee Cottman, mcottman@baltimore.org, www.baltimore.org 
 
Pennsylvania
 
Longwood Gardens presents - Making Scents: The Art & Passion of Fragrance opening April 10, 2010. Delve into the art of perfumery and discover our innate connection to a fragrant world beginning with the glorious gardens where the fragrance story begins, to the exacting science required to create perfume. Chester County Conference and Visitors Bureau, Nina Kelly, nina@cccvb.org,  www.Brandywinevalley.com
 
“Anticipation” is everything as winter white turns to spring green. The Main Line’s famous Pleasure Garden, Chanticleer, features courtyards of tropicals and perennials, woodlands, a water garden and ruin garden. Tyler and Scott Arboretums, and the Heinz National Wildlife refuge make Brandywine Country the perfect region for lovers of blooms! Brandywine Conference & Visitors Bureau, Barbara Lehman, blehman@brandywinecvb.org, www.brandywinecountry.org
 
Let your senses go wild at the Ninth Annual Pennsylvania Lavender Festival, held June 18-20, 2010, in Fairfield, Pa., just minutes from Historic Gettysburg. Fields of aromatic lavender are the centerpiece of this festival of floral, culinary and musical event. Try some lavender ice cream, made exclusively for the event. Gettysburg Convention & Visitors Bureau, Carl Whitehill, cwhitehill@gettysburg.travel, www.gettysburg.travel
 
Green thumbs and admirers of buds and blooms can visit the Philadelphia International Flower Show, February 28-March 7, 2010. The oldest and largest indoor show of its kind is themed “Passport to the World” this year and celebrates the cultures and flora of dozens of destinations around the world. Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation, Morgan Obidowski, morgan@gptmc.com, www.visitphilly.com
 
Created by Milton S. Hershey in 1937, Hershey Gardens is a 23-acre botanical garden open from late March through late December. The facility offers 14 themed seasonal displays, including 7,000 roses, a Children’s Garden with chocolate-scented flora and a Butterfly House. Hershey Entertainment & Resorts, Mindy Bianca, mbianca@hersheypa.com, www.hersheypa.com
 
Back by popular demand, the “18th Annual Rooms to View House Tour,” will highlight pools, patios, gardens, and kitchens on Saturday, June 5 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Year after year, Historic Bethlehem Partnership identifies distinctive homes that feature one of a kind kitchens and outdoor spaces. Lehigh Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau, Kim Lilly, kim@LehighValleyPA.org, www.lehighvalleypa.org
 
Lancaster County is home to the 27th annual Demuth Garden Tour, June 12-13. Beginning in the Victorian garden at the Demuth Museum, where Charles Demuth modeled many of his floral watercolors, the tour also explores the gardens and homes of approximately 10 additional distinctive Lancaster residences. www.demuth.org, Pennsylvania Dutch Convention & Visitors Bureau, Joel Cliff, jcliff@padutchcountry.com, www.padutchcountry.com
 
Experience Reptiland’s softer side – butterflies! Experience hundreds of butterflies in flight as you walk through a butterfly garden filled with all kinds of flowers. Did you know that butterflies can’t hear? Like snakes, they sense vibrations through the surfaces they touch. Learn more fun facts May 3 through late October. Susquehanna River Valley Visitors Bureau, Lisa@VisitCentralPA.org, www.VisitCentralPa.org
 
Visitors seeking out the Pearl S. Buck House, home to the cherished novel, The Good Earth, can find solitude in seeing just how “good the earth looks” on this picturesque 68-acre estate. Her award-winning (seventeen!) gardens boast a lovely respite with natural waterfalls emerging in a profusion of vibrant blossoms. Visit Bucks County, Michelle Greco, mgreco@visitbuckscounty.com, www.visitbuckscounty.com  
 
Let the sunshine in during the 18th Annual Mid-Atlantic Garden Show, March 4-7, 2010 at the York Expo Center. This year’s show themes include creative backyard getaways and sensational antique garden displays. Garden Show visitors are also treated to The Pennsylvania Flower Show, a celebration of natural color in bloom. York County Convention & Visitors Bureau, alison@yorkpa.org, www.yorkpa.org

Virginia
 
Explore formal gardens and wooded hiking trails at Gari Melchers’ Home and Studio at Belmont. The artist’s 27-acre estate along the Rappahannock River includes Long Walk, a boxwood-lined walk along a terrace below the house and four parterre beds on the south lawn, boasting brilliantly colored roses, annuals and tulips. Fredericksburg Area Tourism, Karen Hedelt, khedelt@fredericksburgva.gov, www.fredericksburgva.com
 
Indulge in a day of touring the private gardens and historic homes of “Robert E. Lee’s Neighborhood” in Lexington on April 24, 2010. Admire the spring blooms as you stroll through the charming town to visit the many places that were part of Lee’s daily life following the Civil War. Lexington and Rockbridge Area Tourism, Dell Taylor, marketing@lexingtonvirginia.com, www.lexingtonvirginia.com
“Swallows’ Rest,” a replica of a 16th-century Ennan teahouse, is the focal point of the Japanese Peace Garden in Newport News, Va. The ceremonial teahouse was originally part of a National Gallery of Art exhibit in the late 1980s. A picturesque wedding location, the Garden is open to visitors year-round. Newport News Tourism Development Office, Suzanne Pearson, spearson@ngov.com, www.newport-news.org
Richmond reflects on the beauty of nature in an exciting way with Glorious Glass in the Garden: The Art of Hans Godo Frabel at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden beginning April 1. This awe-inspiring exhibit coincides with Virginia Garden Week, April 17-25, featuring many homes and gardens in the Richmond Region. Richmond Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau, Erin Bagnell, ebagnell@richmondva.org, www.VisitRichmondVA.com.
 
Garden Day in Roanoke is scheduled during the 77th Historic Garden Week in Virginia. Visitors to the April 24, 2010 tour are invited to enjoy the many cultural, horticultural and artistic attractions including the wildflower garden on Mill Mountain and six beautiful gardens in South Roanoke. Roanoke Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau, Catherine Fox, rkecvbfox@aol.com, www.visitroanokeva.com
 
Located on Main Street in charming Smithfield, Virginia, Hayden's Lane was originally the driveway to historic Hayden Hall, an early girls' school. The Woman's Club of Smithfield created and maintains a lovely sitting garden to relax and enjoy the peaceful surroundings. Hayden’s Lane can also be rented for special events. Smithfield & Isle of Wight Convention & Visitors Bureau, Lois Chapman, lchapman@isleofwightus.net, www.visitsmithfieldisleofwight.com
 
The northern Shenandoah Valley will be blo
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