Adult Programs

Plants are amazing organisms, with many capable of cloning themselves from a stem cutting. Jason Holmes, curator of the Gateway Gardens at Duke Gardens, will guide you through the process and timing of collecting, preparing and growing new woody plants from cuttings. Participants will gain hands-on practice and take home cuttings to continue growing.

Join Kavanah Anderson, director of learning and community engagement at Duke Gardens, 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

In this two-hour class with Julia Gartrell, artist and creator of the Radical Repair Workshop, students will learn how to embroider botanical designs onto garments.  This is a great way to jazz up a shirt, bag, hat or any fabric that could use an embellishment.  These designs can also be used for visible mending, covering up a small hole or stain that needs disguising.  While no sewing experience is needed, a basic understanding of hand stitching will be helpful.  Supplies will be provided.

Shrubs are an important layer in natural plant communities, serving multiple functions and supporting other plants and wildlife. In cultivated landscapes, they’re often relegated to foundation plantings or shrub islands surrounded by turf. There is so much more they can do! Join Shannon Currey of Izel Native Plants to explore the benefits of a shrub layer in creating more resilient, biodiverse landscapes that serve humans and wildlife. Learn about a range of North American woody species that create habitat, lend structure and beauty and even offer tasty treats!  

Join Jason Holmes, curator of the Gateway Gardens at Duke Gardens, on a walk through Duke Gardens to learn about different techniques and necessary materials for propagating plants. Learn which propagation techniques work best for plants you encounter along the way. You’ll leave knowing how to turn one plant into many in your own environment, whether through taking a cutting, making a division, grafting or growing from seed. Everyone will take home cuttings to root at home. 

This workshop with Brittaney Whitenhill of Our-Backyard.org invites participants to explore the multifaceted world of herbs. Discover their medicinal properties, aromatic benefits and creative uses beyond cooking. This workshop offers practical insights into growing, harvesting and integrating herbs into everyday wellness routines, fostering a deeper connection to nature's remedies. Participants will make an herbal tea blend to take home.