PLEASE NOTE: If your photo shoot date does not appear on this form, it is not available and the transaction is not allowed. Applications must be submitted at least one week before your date for booking.
Si la fecha de tu sesión de fotos no aparece, significa que no está disponible y no se puede reservar. Las solicitudes deben enviarse al menos una semana antes de la fecha deseada.
Please contact marica.julien@duke.edu with questions about photography permits.
We're pleased to announce that the Garden Gateway project will open to the public on Wednesday, April 8.
If you plan to visit before the Garden Gateway project opens on April 8, please note these important construction-related changes that will impact your visit:
* No visitor parking Monday-Friday.
We strongly recommend using alternative transport options to get here on weekdays.
* Limited parking is available on Saturday & Sunday in the Duke University H lot,
located next to the temporary Gardens pedestrian entrance at 2000 Lewis St.
* Dogs are only permitted before 10 a.m. and after 5 p.m.
During construction of the Garden Gateway (Feb. 2025-spring 2026), the outdoor areas of Duke Gardens will remain open, but the main entrance, visitor center and parking lots are closed. Visitors may enter the Gardens through a temporary pedestrian entrance located at 2000 Lewis St., one block north of the main entrance.
Importantly, there is no visitor parking on Monday through Friday. Parking is available to visitors on weekends only in the Duke University H lot, which is adjacent to the new pedestrian entrance on Lewis St. We encourage visitors to use alternative transportation whenever possible or visit on the weekends when parking is available.
Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work to complete these much-needed upgrades.
The Garden Gateway project will open to the public on Wednesday, April 8. At that time, the Duke Gardens public parking lot, which features accessible parking spaces, will open to visitors from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. (March-October) and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (November-February), seven days a week.
Until April 8, there is no visitor parking on Monday through Friday. Parking is available to visitors on weekends only in the Duke University H lot, which is adjacent to the new temporary pedestrian entrance on Lewis St. We encourage visitors to use alternative transportation whenever possible. Learn more on this page.
Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work to complete these much-needed upgrades.
NEW DOG HOURS
Dogs are only allowed in the gardens before 10 a.m. Dogs are no longer permitted in the gardens after 5 p.m.*
Dogs must be on a non-retractable leash that is 6 feet or shorter at all times. Additionally, dogs are not permitted in the Blomquist Garden of Native Plants, Charlotte Brody Discovery Garden, buildings and posted areas at any time. No other pets are permitted.
*Service dogs trained to perform tasks for a person with disabilities are permitted in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Duke Gardens will not hold a plant sale in Spring 2026 due to construction of the Garden Gateway. Please check back in Fall 2026 for future plant sale dates.
Duke Gardens will be welcoming registered self-guided groups later in the spring of 2026. Registration will open after construction of the Garden Gateway project is complete. Check back here for the registration link once it becomes available.
Guided field trips are not available in spring 2026 while we unpack and set up our new classroom space. We are excited to welcome students back to the Gardens for guided field trips in the 2026-2027 school year. Registration will become available after Labor Day 2026.
The Gardens Café in Reiffel-Kefer Café Pavilion will open to the public on Wednesday, April 8, in conjunction with the opening of the Garden Gateway project.
We currently are not accepting reservations for weddings, private events and meetings, as the Doris Duke Center will be closed for construction of the Garden Gateway. You can sign up here to receive the latest news and updates about the Garden Gateway, including when reservations resume for special events.
For this special half-day symposium, we’ll feature three speakers with a little something for everyone, from beginner to experienced veggie growers. This program is part of the Hattie Meadows Gardening School, a free community learning project to spread knowledge and love of gardening. Classes will take place at the Stanford L. Warren Library from January through June 2026. This program is presented in partnership with Stanford L. Warren Library, Sarah P. Duke Gardens and Durham County Cooperative Extension and made possible by the Durham Library Foundation.