Adult Programs

Calling birders of all skill levels to build your observation skills on a slow stroll through Duke Gardens as you gather a list of different birds that use the Gardens, in celebration of International Migratory Bird Day. If you have ever found yourself wondering about the birds that are flying or singing around you, bring those questions with you to learn together as a group. You’ll leave with an appreciation for the global communities of life that migration facilitates. Bring your own binoculars if you have them (not required) and a sense of curiosity.  

Participants will confirm the relationship they hold with plants that brings life to mind, body, and soul. This workshop will provide the opportunity to explore the benefits of garden herbs commonly used in the kitchen and reflect on the intuitive wisdom gained from interacting with them. This program is designed specifically for BIPOC adults (18+ years old). Participants will receive a garden kit that includes herbs, soil, one planter, seeds, journal and herbal guide to take home.

Between television commercials promoting green, healthy lawns and online influencers trumpeting climate-savvy lawn alternatives, the average gardener or homeowner would need a bushhog to cut through the noise. Join us for a stroll through the gardens to learn how we develop turfgrass and groundcover solutions that balance our commitment to climate-resilient gardening and our passion for high-impact beauty – and how you can too!  

Join tree expert Matt Archibald from Leaf & Limb for a walk to wonder at the beauty of trees and learn fascinating facts about various species, their ecological importance and their role in our environment. Matt Archibald is a huge nerd for trees and nature. He is an ISA Board Certified Master Arborist, Tree Risk Assessment Qualified and a veteran in the industry for 10 years and counting. Coming from a rock climbing background, Matt discovered his passion and purpose in life when he started learning about trees and their ever-expanding universe of information. The more we learn, the more we realize how little we know!

Build your bird observation skills on a slow stroll through Duke Gardens as you gather a list of different birds that use the Gardens. If you have ever found yourself wondering about the birds that are flying or singing around you, bring those questions with you to learn together as a group.

Forming a land-based relationship with place is an ongoing process, whether you live and garden on your own land, in an apartment or another setting. Together you’ll explore what it means to arrive in an ecosystem, become a part of it and take responsibility for your shared future.

This program is designed as an affinity space for BIPOC participants with any level of birding experience. Whether this is your first time, or you are an experienced birder, join Naturally Wild LLC to meet the birds that call Duke Gardens home. Led by bird guide Deja Perkins, participants will learn how to identify various birds, help contribute to the NC Bird Atlas and learn how to monitor birds in their own neighborhoods using Merlin and eBird.

Mums can be carefully cultivated to produce amazingly large blooms in a spectacular range of flower types and colors. Learn the secrets of display mums as Michelle takes you to see the flowers on exhibit in the Culberson Asiatic Arboretum.

Join Bobby on a stroll to meet Duke Gardens’ collection of Japanese maples at their time of peak seasonal splendor. Learn about the variety of leaf colors and shapes that these charismatic trees are known for, along with horticultural advice about ways to feature them in your garden. 

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. The November walk will focus on fall color change.

Learn to weave a basket using the iris and daylily leaves cut back from the garden in autumn. This class will cover material preparation and the twining method of weaving. Students will leave with a tiny and sweet-smelling basket.

Spend your lunch hour getting to know some of the best go-to plants for building ecologically sound landscapes. We'll take a deep dive into a handful of specific native plants, focusing on a landscape situation or plant adaptation that makes them particularly helpful. The November session focuses on deer-resistant perennials. From phytochemicals to structural adaptations, many plants have evolved strategies to minimize browsing. No plant is completely off limits with the hungry hordes, but there are species that rarely make the menu. Join us for a look at native perennials that will give you beauty and ecological benefits even if you’re gardening in deer territory. 

Join us for a conversational stroll in the garden that deepens your relationship with plants. Swap plant stories, dig into horticultural history, question what you know and practice multisensory observation on a playful amble through the Gardens that delights and disrupts your understanding of what a garden can be. Expect to learn from each other, share what you know and leave with more questions than you started with. Look for an additional Midday Meander on Dec. 12

Forming a land-based relationship with place is an ongoing process, whether you live and garden on your own land, in an apartment or another setting. Together you’ll explore what it means to arrive in an ecosystem, become a part of it and take responsibility for your shared future.

This North Carolina State Natural Area is a gem, with a diversity of natural plant and animal communities not found anywhere else in the Triangle region. Join Paul Manos and Alec Motten on a 2- to 3-mile mountain hike of moderate difficulty. Both Alec and Paul bring a deep expertise in plants and ecology; they will “read” the landscape and give you a unique view of Occoneechee Mountain.

Join Chizuko Sueyoshi and members of the Japanese Tea Practitioners of Durham for a moment of respite in the Duke Gardens teahouse, where you will experience the centering calm of a traditional Japanese tea gathering.

Horticulturists Michelle Rawlins and Megan Brown will demonstrate how to construct a holiday wreath for your front door using fresh cut greenery from the Gardens. Each participant will learn how to build a wreath using provided greenery and other interesting botanical material.  Please bring a pair of hand pruners and any additional adornments you would like to include. All other material will be provided. 

Join Chizuko Sueyoshi and members of the Japanese Tea Practitioners of Durham for a moment of respite in the Duke Gardens teahouse, where you will experience the centering calm of a traditional Japanese tea gathering.

Join Chizuko Sueyoshi and members of the Japanese Tea Practitioners of Durham for a moment of respite in the Duke Gardens teahouse, where you will experience the centering calm of a traditional Japanese tea gathering.

Join Katie Rose Levin on a winter walk where we’ll learn how to identify trees while they are fast asleep! You’ll learn about a mix of evergreen and deciduous trees by closely observing buds, bark and other clues that reveal tree identity. We will talk about how trees influence our gardens, the birds, butterflies and bees, even while they are deep in their winters repose. 

Winter is the time for pruning. Pruning can help minimize disease, direct a tree’s growth and reduce future problems. Bobby Mottern, Duke Gardens horticulture director, will discuss goals, methods and timing while demonstrating proper pruning techniques on a small tree under 15 feet tall. We will begin by evaluating a tree for its health and architecture and then demonstrate several pruning strategies.  

Join us for a conversational stroll in the garden that deepens your relationship with plants. Swap plant stories, dig into horticultural history, question what you know and practice multisensory observation on a playful amble through the Gardens that delights and disrupts your understanding of what a garden can be. Expect to learn from each other, share what you know and leave with more questions than you started with.

Whether or not it feels like it in February, spring is just around the corner. Join Horticulturist Martin Jahn for a workshop on how to prepare yourself and your garden for the upcoming season. Together you will consider the different tasks to get done before the big bloom begins. Participants will learn how and when to fertilize, crop planning and rotation, irrigation systems from ancient cultures to modern classics and how to garden smoothly through the busy growing season that lies ahead.  

This interactive program will combine the scientific and artistic aspects of plant specimen preservation. Participants will learn the process of creating herbarium specimens, from plant collection and pressing to proper mounting techniques, including exploration of historical practices. Through hands-on activities, attendees will gain an appreciation for both the scientific and aesthetic value of preserved plant specimens in museum collections and everyone will leave with a prepared plant specimen from the Duke Gardens plant collection. 

Build your bird observation skills on a slow stroll through Duke Gardens as you gather a list of different birds that use the Gardens, just in time to participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count taking place Feb. 14-17. If you have ever found yourself wondering about the birds that are flying or singing around you, bring those questions with you to learn together as a group. Bring your own binoculars if you have them (not required) and a sense of curiosity.    

Pruning can help minimize disease, direct growth and lessen future problems. Horticulture director Bobby Mottern will discuss goals, methods and timing while demonstrating proper pruning techniques on several shrubs. You will see demonstrations of structural pruning techniques, renewal pruning and hedging methods, along with tool and safety reviews.   

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 April 3, May 1 and June 5.   

Join us for a one-hour online class that invites you to explore the relationship between your body and the natural world through the lens of ecosomatics. Rooted in somatic awareness and ecological connection, ecosomatics offers a framework for deepening your embodied understanding of place, self and the environment. Through a series of short, guided prompts and exercises, we will engage the senses, tune into the rhythms of nature and cultivate a sense of presence and connection. Whether you are new to somatic practices or an experienced practitioner, this class offers an accessible and refreshing way to reconnect with the living world around you. This program will be recorded and shared with all registered participants.   

Late winter is the time to start planning your spring and summer vegetable garden. Starting your vegetables from seed gives you the opportunity to expand the varieties of plants you grow, from that unusual bean variety to the squash you can’t find in a grocery store. Learn the benefits of growing vegetables from seed as horticulturist Megan Brown guides you through the process from germination to harvest. Imagine crisp greens, juicy tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers and other garden-grown delights in your kitchen. Learn what to start from seed now for transplanting later and what should be sown directly into the garden. Participants will plant several varieties of vegetables from seed to take home to your garden and receive other resources for garden planning. All materials provided.   

Build your bird observation skills on a slow stroll through Duke Gardens as you gather a list of different birds that use the Gardens. If you have ever found yourself wondering about the birds that are flying or singing around you, bring those questions with you to learn together as a group. Bring your own binoculars if you have them (not required) and a sense of curiosity.    

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.      

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.

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.

With ethnobiologist Marc Williams. Learning to notice plant family patterns can greatly aid in demystifying the “green wall” of plant species around us. Nearly 350,000 species of flowering plants are known to global science, and these species have been grouped into over 400 flowering plant families. By learning the top 30 plant families growing around you, you will begin to recognize plants everywhere you go. After an indoor presentation on the major plant families common to the Southeastern U.S., reinforce your plant identification skills on a walk in the Gardens to observe family patterns in leaf, flower and fruit types. Discuss edibility, medicinality, craft, wildlife support and landscape beauty as you gain a more holistic understanding of the major plants comprising Southern U.S. flora and their potential ecological and ethnobotanical applications.

Build your bird observation skills on a slow stroll through Duke Gardens as you gather a list of different birds that use the Gardens. If you have ever found yourself wondering about the birds that are flying or singing around you, bring those questions with you to learn together as a group. Bring your own binoculars if you have them (not required) and a sense of curiosity.    

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 24 session will focus on the theme of impermanence. Explore the beauty and wisdom of impermanence through guided movement, sensory practices and reflective exercises, we will attune to the ever-changing rhythms of life and consider how embracing impermanence can deepen our connection to ourselves and the environment. This class offers a space to reflect on growth, decay and renewal, and to explore how impermanence shapes the ways we navigate personal and ecological change. Join us in the garden to cultivate presence, adaptability and a sense of peace within life’s dynamic flow.  

Spend an afternoon in Duke Forest, learning about the common mosses of North Carolina woods. Learn about the biology of mosses and liverworts and gain basic moss identification skills as you explore a world beneath your feet. With Blanka Aguero, bryophyte data manager at the Duke University Herbarium, in collaboration with the Duke University Herbarium.