In 2020, the Mary Duke Biddle Rose Garden was artfully reimagined in response to a plant ailment called rose rosette disease (RRD), now featuring a variety of low-resource plants that provide longer seasonal interest.
Rose rosette disease (RRD) has become prevalent on Duke’s campus and in the late 2010s it made its way into the rose garden. It causes abnormal growth in the form of witches’ brooms, as well as excessive thorniness, enlarged canes, malformed leaves and flowers, and eventually death of the plant. At this time there is no cure nor any roses that are immune to the virus.
In response, we have reimagined the rose garden in the style of renowned Dutch landscape architect Piet Oudolf. While we continue to display roses, we have also incorporated a wide variety of companion plants that require little to no maintenance, such as agave, yarrow and echinacea. These plants both provide longer seasonal interest and demonstrate sustainable low-resource gardening practices.
Questions about the Mary Duke Biddle Rose Garden?
Please contact us at gardens@duke.edu.