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Historic Gardens & Terraces

The seeds that grew today’s Duke Gardens were planted in the Historic Gardens more than 85 years ago. 

The Historic Gardens are where Sarah P. Duke Gardens began in 1934. The iconic Italianate-style Terrace Gardens, designed by pioneering landscape architect Ellen Biddle Shipman, were dedicated in 1939, and the curated gardens grew from there. Surrounding the Terraces are smaller gardens, including the Walker Dillard Kirby Perennial Allée, Memorial Garden, Azalea Court, Butterfly Garden, Camellia Garden and Cherry Allée. The Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) near the foot of the Terraces, a species once thought extinct, was planted in 1949.

Enjoy these Historic Gardens highlights, which are featured on the Gardens map below.

A gravel circle with a sculpture in the center and multi-colored azalea shrubs growing all around, with trees in the background.

Azalea Court

Gardens Map H1

A couple sits together in a wooden pavilion; an example of the formal portraiture covered by Duke Gardens' photography policies.

Dawn Redwood

Gardens Map H3. Learn More >

Doris Duke Discovery Garden

Fisher Amphitheater

Gardens Map H4

A Japanese garden pavilion with a wooden wall and circular window with purple and green shrubs around it.

Frances P. Rollins Overlook

Gardens Map H5

A ravine filled with ferns and other lush green plants, with a wooden boardwalk running down the center and an iron bridge in the background

Hanes Iris Garden

Gardens Map H6

An arched red bridge with a reflection in a large pond, with trees all around and a Japanese lantern sculpture to the left of the bridge.

Historic Terraces, Fish Pool & Cindy Brodhead Pergola

Gardens Map H7.  Learn More >

A close-up image of pink peony flowers in full bloom

Iris Bridge

Gardens Map H8

A close-up image of the torreya evergreen plant

Leubuscher Rock Garden

Gardens Map H9

A garden bed of white, purple and pink roses and a green agave plant

Mary Duke Biddle Rose Garden & Roney Fountain

Gardens Map H10.  Learn More >

A stone path through the Memorial Garden lined with spring flowers.

Memorial Garden

Gardens Map H11.  Learn More >

A ravine filled with ferns and other lush green plants, with a wooden boardwalk running down the center and an iron bridge in the background

Spengler Camellia Garden

Gardens Map H13

A Japanese garden pavilion with a wooden wall and circular window with purple and green shrubs around it.

Sundial & Butterfly Garden

Gardens Map H14

A ravine filled with ferns and other lush green plants, with a wooden boardwalk running down the center and an iron bridge in the background

Walker Dillard Kirby Perennial Allée

Gardens Map H15

A ravine filled with ferns and other lush green plants, with a wooden boardwalk running down the center and an iron bridge in the background

South Lawn

Gardens Map H16

A ravine filled with ferns and other lush green plants, with a wooden boardwalk running down the center and an iron bridge in the background

Cherry Allée

Gardens Map H17

Duke Gardens map with the Doris Duke Center Gardens highlighted in green

The seeds that grew today’s Duke Gardens were planted in the Historic Gardens more than 85 years ago. 

The Historic Gardens are where Sarah P. Duke Gardens began in 1934. The iconic Italianate-style Terrace Gardens, designed by pioneering landscape architect Ellen Biddle Shipman, were dedicated in 1939, and the curated gardens grew from there. Surrounding the Terraces are smaller gardens, including the Walker Dillard Kirby Perennial Allée, Memorial Garden, Azalea Court, Butterfly Garden, Camellia Garden and Cherry Allée. The Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) near the foot of the Terraces, a species once thought extinct, was planted in 1949.

Enjoy these Historic Gardens highlights, which are featured on the Gardens map below.

 

A gravel circle with a sculpture in the center and multi-colored azalea shrubs growing all around, with trees in the background.

Azalea Court

Gardens Map H1

A couple sits together in a wooden pavilion; an example of the formal portraiture covered by Duke Gardens' photography policies.

Dawn Redwood

Gardens Map H3. Learn More >

Doris Duke Discovery Garden

Fisher Amphitheater

Gardens Map H4

A Japanese garden pavilion with a wooden wall and circular window with purple and green shrubs around it.

Frances P. Rollins Overlook

Gardens Map H5

A ravine filled with ferns and other lush green plants, with a wooden boardwalk running down the center and an iron bridge in the background

Hanes Iris Garden

Gardens Map H6

An arched red bridge with a reflection in a large pond, with trees all around and a Japanese lantern sculpture to the left of the bridge.

Historic Terraces, Fish Pool & Cindy Brodhead Pergola

Gardens Map H7.  Learn More >

A close-up image of pink peony flowers in full bloom

Iris Bridge

Gardens Map H8

A close-up image of the torreya evergreen plant

Leubuscher Rock Garden

Gardens Map H9

A garden bed of white, purple and pink roses and a green agave plant

Mary Duke Biddle Rose Garden & Roney Fountain

Gardens Map H10.  Learn More >

A stone path through the Memorial Garden lined with spring flowers.

Memorial Garden

Gardens Map H11.  Learn More >

A ravine filled with ferns and other lush green plants, with a wooden boardwalk running down the center and an iron bridge in the background

Spengler Camellia Garden

Gardens Map H13

A Japanese garden pavilion with a wooden wall and circular window with purple and green shrubs around it.

Sundial & Butterfly Garden

Gardens Map H14

A ravine filled with ferns and other lush green plants, with a wooden boardwalk running down the center and an iron bridge in the background

Walker Dillard Kirby Perennial Allée

Gardens Map H15

A ravine filled with ferns and other lush green plants, with a wooden boardwalk running down the center and an iron bridge in the background

South Lawn

Gardens Map H16

A ravine filled with ferns and other lush green plants, with a wooden boardwalk running down the center and an iron bridge in the background

Cherry Allée

Gardens Map H17

Duke Gardens map with the Doris Duke Center Gardens highlighted in green

Click map to enlarge

Duke Gardens has a rich history, with pioneering women playing a pivotal role in its growth.  Learn more about the history of Duke Gardens.

Our History >

Plant Highlights in the Historic Gardens

 

Evergreen needles of Duke Gardens plum yew.
‘Duke Gardens’ Plum Yew
Cephalotaxis harringtonia
'Duke Gardens'
Read more
A garden setting with a potted plant with long, upward-reaching blue-green leaves, and a garden wall with more trees and plants in the background.
Agave
Agave
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Close-up of Algerian iris flower.
Algerian Iris
Iris unguicularis
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A female ruby-throated hummingbird perches on an anise-scented sage plant in flower.
Anise-Scented Sage
Salvia guarantica
Read more
About a dozen coral pink azalea flowers in a close-up with a soft-focus background.
Azaleas
Rhododendron
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A trained weeping bald cypress over a staircase.
Bald Cypress (Weeping)
Taxodium distichum
‘Cascade Falls’
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Pink hydrangea flower clusters.
Bigleaf Hydrangea
Hydrangea macrophylla
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Leafy foliage of cast iron plant.
Cast Iron Plant
Aspidistra elatior
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Green China fir foliage with yellow pollen catkins at the tips.
China Fir
Cunninghamia lanceolata
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Pink Chinese fringe flower in bloom.
Chinese Fringe Flower
Loropetalum chinense
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Close-up of a purple climbing aster flower.
Climbing Aster
Ampelaster carolinianus
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Coast redwood foliage and developing cones.
Coast Redwood
Sequoia sempervirens
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Red coral honeysuckle flowers
Coral Honeysuckle
Lonicera sempervirens
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Tangled corkscrew hazel branches
Corkscrew Hazel
Corylus avellana
'Contorta'
Read more
Creeping fig on Duke stone
Creeping Fig
Ficus pumila
Read more
Close-up of three yellow daffodil flowers with orange centers, and deep green leaves below.
Daffodil
Narcissus
Read more
Trunk of dawn redwood tree in a grassy lawn.
Dawn Redwood
Metasequioa glyptostroboides
Read more
Close-up of white cherry blossoms and pink buds, with more blossoms in soft focus in the background.
Daybreak Ornamental Cherry
Prunus × yedoensis
'Akebono'
Read more
Close-up of delicate white and pink flowers, with twisting branches in a soft-focus background.
Dwarf Fuji Cherry
Prunus incisa
‘Kojo-no-mai’
Read more
Eastern redbud flowers.
Eastern Redbud
Cercis candensis
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Lavender plants in bloom next adjacent to a stone wall
English Lavender
Lavandula × intermedia
Phenomenal™ 'Niko' PP24193
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Flowering dogwood blooms.
Flowering Dogwood
Cornus florida
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Pink flowering plum blossoms with a soft focus background.
Flowering Plum
Prunus mume
Read more
Close-up of brown and purple toned grasses.
Fountain Grass
Pennisetum
Read more
Yellow ginkgo foliage in a woodland setting.
Ginkgo
Ginkgo biloba
Read more
A bee sits on pale green leaves with tiny white flowers at the center, and more leaves and flowers in the background.
Hoary Mountain Mint
Pycanthemum incanum
Read more
Pink Japanese anemone flower with a background in soft focus.
Japanese (Chinese) Anemone
Anemone hupehensis
Read more
Extreme close-up of a deep red flower with dark green leaves.
Japanese Camellia
Camellia japonica
‘Professor Charles Sargent’
Read more
Close-up of a pink and white lotus flower with a yellow center, and ferns and other leafy plants surrounding it.
Lotus
Nelumbo nucifera
Read more
Close-up of orange flowers with large green leaves.
Osmanthus ‘Auranticus’
Osmanthus fragrans
'Auranticus'
Read more
Close-up of tree trunk with red strips of peeling bark.
Paperbark Maple
Acer griseum
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Pauline Lily
Pauline Lily
Cercis canadensis
Read more
Close-up of a Persian ironwood flower cluster with a soft focus background.
Persian Ironwood
Parrotia persica
Read more
Water plants in a pond
Powdery Alligator-Flag
Thalia dealbata
Read more
Blue rosemary flowers and foliage.
Rosemary
Salvia rosmarinus (Rosmarinus officinalis)

Read more
Close-up of pale peach roses with a patio and fountain in the distance.
Roses (‘Reve d’Or’)
Rosa
‘Reve d’Or’
Read more
Purple magnolia flowers breaking bud
Saucer Magnolia
Magnolia × soulangeana
'Alexandrina'
Read more
Close-up of pale pink and cream flowers with an orange butterfly on it.
Sedum
Sedum
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Close-up image of the cream and pale green flowers of oakleaf hydrangea.
Snowflake Oakleaf Hydrangea
Hydrangea quercifolia
‘Brido’
Read more
Close-up of a white magnolia flower with yellow carpals and stamens.
Southern Magnolia
Magnolia grandiflora
Read more
Close-up of a deep pink flower with willowy pteals and narrow green leaves.
Spider Azalea
Rhododendron linearifolium
Read more
Succulent plants growing amidst vertical pieces of stone in a scree garden, with bright red flowers and greenery in the distance.
Succulents

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Purple Tatarian aster flowers in bloom
Tatarian Aster
Aster tataricus
Jindai
Read more
A deep pink water lily among lily pads in a pond.
Water lily
Nymphaea
Read more
A bumblebee on weeping rostrinucula flowers.
Weeping Rostrinucula
Rostrinucula dependens
Read more

Questions about the Historic Gardens?

Please contact us at gardens@duke.edu.