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.
Spend your lunch hour getting to know some of the best go-to plants for building ecologically sound landscapes. In the Native Plant Solutions series, we take a deep dive into a handful of specific native plants, focusing on a landscape situation or plant adaptation that makes them particularly helpful. This session addresses the challenge of what to plant on slopes. Most of us garden on sites that aren’t flat. We deal with hills, ditches, banks, ridges, and all the ups and downs that come with them. It’s physically more difficult to work on them, and they’re particularly vulnerable to erosion when rainfall going downhill gathers speed and volume. What plants work best on slopes? In this session, we’ll discuss objectives for managing slopes and connect them to plant attributes that fulfill those objectives. The plants you choose are part of a larger community on which native fauna and flora rely. Learn how to approach slopes as an opportunity to improve function and add ecological benefits without sacrificing aesthetics.
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.
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 an additional walk on June 5.
This one-day workshop will cover making a hanging basket, traditionally used for storing garlic or onions, from start to finish. It’s a great introduction to working with natural reed and creating a structural vessel by following a simple weaving pattern. Students will leave with their own basket to hang in the kitchen. Materials and tools included.
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. 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.
Stay connected to the most recent garden updates and seasonal highlights by learning directly from Duke Gardens staff on a casual stroll. While construction for the transformative Garden Gateway Project is underway, enjoy special access on this monthly walk. Use your members' free code or become a member today! Spend a May afternoon under the shade of native trees and visit an exciting new garden area developed within the Blomquist Garden of Native Plants.
Join ComMotion for a virtual exploration of spring in Duke Gardens designed to get your body moving. Music will guide our attention to the sights, sounds, and smells of nature. We will perform simple movements for all abilities inspired by the Gardens, stretching our bodies and relaxing our minds.
