7 ways to celebrate the first day of spring in Delaware

Spring is only a few days away.

The season kicks off Monday, March 20, and lasts till summer arrives on Wednesday, June 21.

Chirping birds, blooming flowers and days spent relaxing on the patio are spring staples. However you prefer to spend the season, make sure you treat yourself to a celebratory spring activity on Monday.

Get your free Rita’s Italian Ice

Maybe you’ve been getting your free treat since childhood. Or maybe you started the tradition with your own kids.

Regardless of how the practice came to be, we can all agree that getting a free Italian Ice from Rita’s is a sweet way to start spring off.

Monday will be the 31st anniversary of Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard hosting the annual giveaway.

All customers will receive a free Italian Ice in the flavor of their choice, including a new flavor that will be released on Monday called the Gummy Bear Ice, to celebrate the first day of spring.

Rita’s expects to give away 1 million free cups of Italian Ice. Make sure you’re one of them by visiting the location near you.

Free ice cream from Dairy Queen

If Italian ice isn’t your preferred dessert, Dairy Queen has you covered.

The beloved chain is kicking off the start of the season with Free Cone Day. Small vanilla cones, with Dairy Queen’s signature ice cream curl, will be offered free of charge.

The limit is one per person while supplies last. The offer may not be valid on delivery or mobile orders.

Our advice? Check out your local Dairy Queen and get your cone early to avoid being left without a satisfied sweet tooth.

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Take a walk on the wild side

Trust us, we know it has been a long winter and we’ve all been cooped up inside for too long.

Now that the weather is more welcoming, celebrate spring by visiting some of Delaware’s gardens and nature centers.

Read House and Gardens, New Castle

Located in New Castle, Read House & Gardens is a historic house museum that serves as an early example of high-style Federal period architecture.

The 14,000-square-foot house was built in 1797 to 1804 for George Read Jr. and sits on land once known as Lenapehokink, traditional home of the Lenape people for tens of thousands of years. The town had passed through Swedish, Dutch and British colonial control by the time the house was built.

The gardens are open daily from dawn to dusk, year-round, free of charge.

42 The Strand, New Castle, (302) 322-8411; readhouseandgardens.org

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Marian Coffin Garden, Wilmington

Marian Coffin Garden in Wilmington is located on the grounds of the empty Gibraltar estate, a 19th-century mansion with about 80 acres of landscaping. The estate features a conservatory, a greenhouse, a garden, a carriage house, a swimming pool and a garden.

The gardens are open to the public year-round and feature 19th-century statues and original plants, flagstones and marble stairs.

The pool was converted into a lotus pond and now supports local wildlife like frogs and dragonflies.

1405 Greenhill Ave., Wilmington, (302) 322-7100; preservationde.org

University of Delaware Botanic Gardens, Newark

In Newark, the University of Delaware is home to botanical gardens and an arboretum located on the southern part of campus near UDairy Creamery.

The gardens are open to the public without charge and feature plenty of greenery, colorful flowers and some wildlife visitors, too.

502 Mopar Drive, Newark; canr.udel.edu/udbg

Delaware Center for Horticulture, Wilmington

The Delaware Center for Horticulture, headquartered in Trolley Square, emphasizes environmental appreciation through horticulture, conservation and education.

The center advocates for greener communities, often organizing tree-planting days and other nature events, and features garden centers that make it a welcomed local oasis.

The Demonstration Garden includes reused structural materials and artifacts of historic value to Wilmington. The center also offers up the space for special events.

The gardens are open to the public during daylight hours and most areas are handicap accessible.

Delaware Botanic Gardens at Pepper Creek, Dagsboro

Dagsboro’s Delaware Botanic Gardens features a mix of plateau, woodlands and more than 1,000 feet of tidal waterfront on Pepper Creek.

The gardens include professional horticultural displays while educating, engaging and inspiring the public about conservation in southern Delaware and its unique ecological habitats.

Aside from the walking trails through 37 acres and garden galleries, the site boasts 12.5 acres of stratified forest, including woodland gardens and wetlands; 1,000 feet of shoreline at Pepper Creek featuring salt water and fresh water; meadow gardens with native grasses, seasonal flowering blooms and thousands of butterflies, birds (including hummingbirds!) and pollinators; a freshwater pond and gardens with bridges, wildlife and, eventually, a waterfall; a great lawn with a 360-degree view of the garden; and children’s spaces where kids can climb, hide and explore their way through plants and wildlife.

Activities found on the grounds include art classes, special events, walking tours and classes. Weddings will be held in the garden soon.

The space reopened for the season on March 16 and is now open Thursday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Guided tours are available Thursday through Sunday at 10 a.m.

30220 Piney Neck Road, Dagsboro, (302) 321-9061; www.delawaregardens.org

Got a tip or a story idea? Contact Krys'tal Griffin at kgriffin@delawareonline.com. 

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Free ice cream and gardens: Celebrate first day of spring