Awards and Media Highlights

Sarah P. Duke Gardens is proud to have been recognized by the following organizations for its world-class horticulture and excellent programs:

2024: Paul Jones, curator of the Culberson Asiatic Arboretum, named one of five Duke Chron15 Pioneers.

2024: Finding What They Don't Like: Gardening in Deer Territory, Izel Native Plants

2024: ‘Ambassador’ Allium: A Towering Beauty for the Early Summer Garden, Fine Gardening magazine

2024: Durham Magazine award: Favorite Family Friendly Outings

2024: IndyWeek Best of the Triangle - Best Garden or Arboretum. Also past multi-year winner of “best place to take visitors from out of town,” “best place to chill,” “best place to stop and smell the flowers" and “best place for a blind date.”

2023: 36 Hours in Durham, by The New York Times.

2023: Paul Jones, founding curator of the Culberson Asiatic Arboretum, named Duke Blue Devil of the Week.

2023: Blomquist Garden & H Lot pocket prairie featured in Managing Native Plant Landscapes manual by New Hope Audubon Society.

2022: "Transplanting Hedgerows to the American Garden," Growing Greener podcast with curator Annabel Renwick.

2022: "Hedgerows are an English Tradition that Could Benefit the Contemporary American Garden," Berkshire Eagle.

2022: "Scenes of Spring at Duke Gardens," in Walter Magazine.

2021: Voted "finest public garden in North Carolina" in Carolina Country magazine's Carolina's Finest awards.

2021: Featured in Fine Gardening magazine.

2020: Featured in "The Best Botanical Gardens in America" by theactivetimes.com.

2020: No.1 in "The 11 Best Things to Do in North Carolina" on wheninyourstate.com. 

2020: Travelers' Choice Award from TripAdvisor. Also included in the  TripAdvisor.com Hall of Fame, and consistently ranked as Durham's No.1 attraction.

2018: Included in Fodor's article "Stunning Botanical Gardens You Won't Believe Are Free"

2018: Durham Golden Leaf People's Choice Award for the Piedmont Prairie Classroom in the Blomquist Garden of Native Plants

2018: Named one of five N.C. must-visit gardens in Trips to Discover.

2017: No. 4 in USA Today poll of 10 top North Carolina attractions

2016: Charlotte Brody Discovery Garden won an annual award from the N.C. Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects

2016: UNC-TV featured our Japanese Tea Gatherings in a feature titled "One Moment, One Meeting."

2015: Charlotte Brody Discovery Garden chosen for Landscape Architecture Foundation's Case Study Investigation (CSI) Award

2015: Gothic gates kiosk honored with Durham's Golden Leaf Award for Neighborhood Garden & Landscape

2015: Inclusion in Esquire magazine's "What Makes a Good Summer" roundup (August issue)

2014: Green Star Grand Award from the Professional Grounds Management Society

2013: Horticulture Magazine Award for Garden Excellence from the American Public Gardens Association

2013: Named one of the top 10 public gardens in the U.S. by tripadvisor.com

2013: Duke Presidential Award for Paul D. Jones, curator of the Culberson Asiatic Arboretum

2013: Duke Sustainability Outstanding Leadership in Waste Reduction Award for Jason Holmes, curator of the Doris Duke Center Gardens

2012: Charlotte Brody Discovery Garden certified by the Sustainable Sites Initiative

2012: Golden Leaf Award for Landscape & Maintenance for the Charlotte Brody Discovery Garden

2011: Preservation North Carolina's highest honor, the Minnette C. Duffy Preservation Award, given to the Roney Fountain restoration project

2010: Golden Leaf Award for Community Properties for the Durham-Toyama Sister Cities Japanese Pavilion

2009: Named among the top 10 public gardens in the South by Southern Living Magazine

1999: Recognized as a national landmark for outstanding landscape architecture by the American Society of Landscape Architects

1990: Merit Award from the American Society of Landscape Architects for design improvements to the Culberson Asiatic Arboretum