Adult Programs

Penny’s Bend, an 84-acre preserve, has a unique geology and therefore distinct soils that support rare plant species. Join Alec Motten, professor emeritus, and Paul Manos, professor of biology at Duke University, for a relatively easy hike, under 2 miles. The spring wildflower season is challenging to predict, but we will see plenty! Plan to wear weather appropriate comfortable clothes and good walking shoes. 

Explore different facets of transformation through the lens and practice of ecosomatics in a series of five workshops designed around a central theme that can also be taken as stand-alone classes. The March 27 session will focus on the themes of interdependence and transformation. Discover the profound connections between your body and the living world. Through guided movement, sensory awareness, and creative exercises, we will explore themes of interdependence and transformation as they unfold within the garden's vibrant landscape and in our own lives. This immersive experience invites you to attune to the dynamic relationships between yourself, the more-than-human world, and the elements, fostering a deeper understanding of the mutual exchanges that sustain life. Perfect for anyone seeking connection, creativity or simply a moment to move with deeper attention to the world around them.   

The 2nd African American Legacy in Gardening and Horticulture Symposium begins on Friday evening with a free film screening followed by a panel discussion. In Family Tree, Black land ownership and sustainable forestry are one and the same, and two North Carolina families take on the challenge of building intergenerational wealth while raising healthy forests. Historically, because of knowledge gaps around land stewardship, Black owners have sold their precious acreage to developers. Guided by forestry experts Sam Cook, Mavis Gragg, and Alton Perry, these families are empowered to cultivate a dream of restorative abundance. While the value of a tree is often overlooked, Tyrone and Edna Williams prepare their three sons to continue the family’s legacy by teaching them to balance economic potential with environmental protection. Newer owners, Nikki and Natalie Jefferies, learn that the seeds they plant now will have far-reaching consequences. In order to move fully into the future, the sisters and their father, Sidney, must confront deep wounds from the past to restore family unity. In her directorial debut, Jennifer MacArthur leans into the intimate and visionary process of protecting Black legacies through environmental sustainability.    

Back for a second year, The African American Legacy in Gardening and Horticulture Symposium will explore the unsung historical legacy of African American plantspeople, horticulturists, residential gardeners, and gardening clubs. These personal narratives and generational gardening practices have all too often been ignored, overlooked, or not fully appreciated within the framework of American landscape history, global ethno-botanical viewpoints, and contemporary environmental writing. This one-day symposium brings together a cadre of horticulturists, historians, beautification advocates and plantspeople to celebrate the contributions made by these gardening innovators and modern-day practitioners, while further educating and enlightening the public and future generations of plant lovers.  

Join horticulture staff and volunteers on a walk around the Blomquist Garden of Native Plants to learn about connections between people, plants and place.  Each month will feature a different seasonal topic related to gardening with native plants. Look for additional walks on May 1 and June 5.   

Walk the Gardens with Blanka Aguero, bryophyte data manager at the Duke University Herbarium, in collaboration with the Duke University Herbarium, to look for mosses and liverworts, discussing what they tell you about the site. You will learn identifying characteristics of these small plants by observing similarities and differences with a magnifying lens. Blanka will lead a separate program focused on the mosses of Duke Forest on April 29.

Explore different facets of transformation through the lens and practice of ecosomatics in a series of five workshops designed around a central theme that can also be taken as stand-alone classes. The April 10 session will focus on transformative frameworks for understanding and engaging with change. Bringing together ecosomatics and decolonial thought, this class invites participants to reflect on the profound transformations happening in our world and the ways we might show up differently in this era of climate change. Through guided movement, embodied reflection and sensory exercises, we will consider how our interdependence with the natural world can inspire new ways of being. Engage with the garden as a site of learning, connection and possibility, and leave with tools for grounding and action in these times of transformation.   

Join us for a moment of respite in the Duke Gardens teahouse, where you will experience the centering calm of a traditional Japanese tea gathering. Enjoy the aesthetics, poetry and serenity of this rich tradition over an enticing bowl of whisked green tea and a Japanese confection. Guests will meet onsite at Duke Gardens, to be escorted on a 10-minute walk to the teahouse. Seating is on the ground unless a chair is requested during registration by emailing GardensEducation@duke.edu. Capacity of eight; for ages 12 and up.

A special phenomenon happens in the native woodland garden every spring—sunlight reaching through bare branches warms the soil and a group of delicate spring wildflowers burst to life.  Due to their small stature and brief visible life span, it can be easy to miss these harbingers of spring. Join curator Annabel Renwick to learn more about spring ephemerals and spot what is popping up in the Blomquist Garden of Native Plants at this time of year.