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:

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

2023: Food & Wine: North Carolina's "Triangle" is the Perfect Destination for a Weekend of Eating.

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: "10 Durham Attractions You Cannot Miss," from WRAL.

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

2022: Voted “best place to take visitors from out of town" in IndyWeek's Best of the Triangle poll.

2022: One of "Three Best Places to See in Durham."

2021: Voted “best place to take visitors from out of town" in IndyWeek's Best of the Triangle poll (6th year in a row).

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

2021: Featured in Fine Gardening magazine.

2021: Our State magazine feature, 8 Public Gardens Perfect for a Picnic.

2020: One of "16 Top Romantic Getaways in North Carolina," in U.S. News & World Report.

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

2020: Voted “best place to take visitors from out of town" in IndyWeek's Best of the Triangle poll.

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.

2019: Voted “best place to take visitors from out of town" in IndyWeek's Best of the Triangle poll.

2019: Included in "6 Best Things To Do in Spring in North Carolina" at tripstodiscover.com.

2019: No. 2 in "25 Best Things to Do in North Carolina" on vacationidea.com.

2019: Voted "best place to take visitors" in the Carolina Parent readers' poll. Also voted 2nd place for best picnic spot and best free activity in the Triangle.

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

2018: Duke and Duke Gardens named No. 1 in "The 35 Most Pristine College Campuses in America" on yourgreenpal.com.

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

2018: Durham Magazine "Best of Durham" readers' choice award for Best Event Space

2018: Voted "best place to take visitors" in the Carolina Parent readers' poll.

2018: Voted “best place to take visitors from out of town" in IndyWeek's Best of the Triangle poll.

2018: Experts' Choice Award from tripexpert.com

2018: Featured in the "Spring in the South" edition of Southern Lady Classics magazine.

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

2018: One of Durham's top 3 best places to see in ThreeBestRated.com.

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

2017: Durham Magazine "Best of Durham" readers' choice award for Best Event Space

2017: Included in New York magazine travel feature "Why Durham, N.C., Is Worth a Weekend Trip - Long-Distance Lover or No"

2017: Indy Week Readers' Choice Award for best place to take visitors from out of town

2017: Carolina Parent Readers' Choice Award: No.1 Place to Take Visitors

2017: Southern Living named Duke University one of "The South's Most Beautiful Colleges"

2017: Downtowner Award for Best Place to Take Tourists

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

2016: Duke Gardens and Duke University honored in Condé Nast Traveler as one of The 20 Most Beautiful College Campuses in America

2016: Duke Gardens and Duke University included in Fodor's Travel's "7 Reasons to Visit Durham, N.C"

2016: Charlotte Brody Discovery Garden featured in Landscape Architect and Specifier News magazine (Oct. issue)

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

2016: Included among top U.S. highlights in "The Land of Many Wonders," by Australia's Horizons magazine

2016: Durham Magazine Readers' Choice Best of Durham platinum award (1st place) for Best Event Space and Best Outdoor Family Outing Location

2016: Indy Week Readers' Choice winners: "best place to stop and smell the flowers" and "best place to take visitors from out of town"  

2016: Included in housely.com's "10 Fun Things To Do in Durham"

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: Durham Magazine Readers' Choice Best of Durham platinum award (1st place) for Best Event Space and Best Outdoor Family Outing Location

2015: One of 50 Most Amazing University Botanic Gardens and Arboretums in the U.S.

2015: Duke Gardens' 56-page souvenir photo book won first place for print quality in Printing Industry of the Carolinas Awards (PICA)

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

2015: One of Durham's three best places to see: threebestrated.com

2015: No. 1 in "17 Best Things To Do in Durham": vacationidea.com

2015: Best of Hip Green Scene national awards: Best Public Garden to Stroll

2014: Carolina Parent magazine Family Favorites readers' choice award: 2nd place in "best place to take visitors"

2014: Placed No. 4 in international list of "50 Most Stunning University Gardens and Arboretums"

2014: Named among the nation's "insanely beautiful public gardens" by The Huffington Post

2014: tripadvisor.com/flipkey: Duke/Duke Gardens named North Carolina's top campus worth traveling for

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

2014: Duke University & Duke Gardens named No. 1 in "Top 10 Best Landscaped Colleges: East Coast"

2014: Durham Magazine Readers' Choice Best of Durham platinum award (1st place) for Best Event Space, and gold award (2nd place) for Best Outdoor Family Outing Location

2014: Carolina Parent magazine Family Favorites readers' choice award: Best place to take visitors

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: Durham Magazine Readers' Choice Best of Durham first place awards for Best Event Space & Best Family Outing Location

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

2012: Indyweek Best of the Triangle readers' choice awards - Best Place to Take a Blind Date (finalist for Best Place to Chill). Also a finalist in either or both categories in 2011, 2013 and 2014

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

2011: Cary Magazine readers' choice "Best of Western Wake" award: Best Place to Take Visitors (also honorable mention in 2014 & 2015)

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

2010: Cary Magazine readers' choice "Best of Western Wake" award: Best Place to Take Visitors

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