Join us for a range of engaging programs that will deepen your connection to plants, expand your gardening skills and introduce you to new ways of learning.
This program season, big changes are underway! Construction for the transformative Garden Gateway project is scheduled to begin in February. A range of engaging education programs will continue but will feel slightly different during this period of exciting growth. Registration is open now, and a few more programs will be added throughout the season. You’ll find plant-inspired programs to engage your mind and body that take place onsite, offsite and virtually.
Please note that during construction, the Doris Duke Center and main visitor parking lots will be closed. General visitor parking will only be available on weekends. Special parking will be available for most onsite programs and detailed directions will be included in program reminder emails sent the week before each program.
If you have already registered for a program in 2025 and would like to register for more, you will need your confirmation code included in previous registration emails. For assistance and to cancel your registration in accordance with our refund, cancellation and privacy policies, please email GardensEducation@duke.edu or call 919-668-1707.
Upcoming Adult Education Programs
Pruning Ornamental Trees
Pruning Ornamental Trees
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 a...
Midday Meander
Midday Meander
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 obse...
Preparing Your Garden for Spring
Preparing Your Garden for Spring
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. Togeth...
Making Herbarium Specimens for Science and Art
Making Herbarium Specimens for Science and Art
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...
Birding for Beginners: The Great Backyard Bird Count
Birding for Beginners: The Great Backyard Bird Count
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 taki...
Elements of the Garden Series: Air
Elements of the Garden Series: Air
A garden is a balance of choices made in relationship with the elements of earth, wind, fire and water. Join horticulturist Martin Jahn to explore the way these elements show up in a garden and in the...
Member Monday Garden Walks: Winter in the Culberson Asiatic Arboretum
Member Monday Garden Walks: Winter in the Culberson Asiatic Arboretum
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 Proje...
Bearing Witness with Leaves: A Grief Journey with Gaza (virtual)
Bearing Witness with Leaves: A Grief Journey with Gaza (virtual)
Bearing Witness Gaza is an ongoing creative grief-processing practice combining art and elements of nature. Please come share virtual space with us at a challenging time for our joint humanity and hea...
Pruning Shrubs
Pruning Shrubs
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...
Member Monday Garden Walks: Late Winter in the Doris Duke Center Gardens and Beyond
Member Monday Garden Walks: Late Winter in the Doris Duke Center Gardens and Beyond
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 Proje...
Walk on the Wild Side
Walk on the Wild Side
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 seasona...
Introduction to EcoSomatics (virtual)
Introduction to EcoSomatics (virtual)
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 con...
Seed Starting for Spring and Summer Vegetables
Seed Starting for Spring and Summer Vegetables
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 un...
Beginning Birding for Adults
Beginning Birding for Adults
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 ar...
Elements of the Garden Series: Water
Elements of the Garden Series: Water
A garden is a balance of choices made in relationship with the elements of earth, wind, fire and water. Join horticulturist Martin Jahn to explore the way these elements show up in a garden and in the...
Pruning Ornamental Trees
Pruning Ornamental Trees
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 tre...
Midday Meander
Midday Meander
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 disr...
Preparing Your Garden for Spring
Preparing Your Garden for Spring
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 bl...
Making Herbarium Specimens for Science and Art
Making Herbarium Specimens for Science and Art
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 hist...
Birding for Beginners: The Great Backyard Bird Count
Birding for Beginners: The Great Backyard Bird Count
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 t...
Pruning Ornamental Trees
Pruning Ornamental Trees
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 tre...
Midday Meander
Midday Meander
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 disr...
Preparing Your Garden for Spring
Preparing Your Garden for Spring
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 bl...
Making Herbarium Specimens for Science and Art
Making Herbarium Specimens for Science and Art
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 hist...
Birding for Beginners: The Great Backyard Bird Count
Birding for Beginners: The Great Backyard Bird Count
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 t...
Upcoming Adult Education Programs
Pruning Ornamental Trees
Pruning Ornamental Trees
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 tre...
Midday Meander
Midday Meander
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 disr...
Preparing Your Garden for Spring
Preparing Your Garden for Spring
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 bl...
Making Herbarium Specimens for Science and Art
Making Herbarium Specimens for Science and Art
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 hist...
Birding for Beginners: The Great Backyard Bird Count
Birding for Beginners: The Great Backyard Bird Count
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 t...
Pruning Ornamental Trees
Pruning Ornamental Trees
Winter is the time for pruning. Pruning can help minimize disease, direct a tree’s growth and reduce future problems. Bobby Mottern, Duke Gardens ho...
Midday Meander
Midday Meander
Join us for a conversational stroll in the garden that deepens your relationship with plants. Swap plant stories, dig into horticultural history, que...
Preparing Your Garden for Spring
Preparing Your Garden for Spring
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 yourse...
Making Herbarium Specimens for Science and Art
Making Herbarium Specimens for Science and Art
This interactive program will combine the scientific and artistic aspects of plant specimen preservation. Participants will learn the process of creat...
Birding for Beginners: The Great Backyard Bird Count
Birding for Beginners: The Great Backyard Bird Count
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...
Elements of the Garden Series: Air
Elements of the Garden Series: Air
A garden is a balance of choices made in relationship with the elements of earth, wind, fire and water. Join horticulturist Martin Jahn to explore the...
Member Monday Garden Walks: Winter in the Culberson Asiatic Arboretum
Member Monday Garden Walks: Winter in the Culberson Asiatic Arboretum
Stay connected to the most recent garden updates and seasonal highlights by learning directly from Duke Gardens staff on a casual stroll. While constr...
Bearing Witness with Leaves: A Grief Journey with Gaza (virtual)
Bearing Witness with Leaves: A Grief Journey with Gaza (virtual)
Bearing Witness Gaza is an ongoing creative grief-processing practice combining art and elements of nature. Please come share virtual space with us at...
Pruning Shrubs
Pruning Shrubs
Pruning can help minimize disease, direct growth and lessen future problems. Horticulture director Bobby Mottern will discuss goals, methods and timin...
Member Monday Garden Walks: Late Winter in the Doris Duke Center Gardens and Beyond
Member Monday Garden Walks: Late Winter in the Doris Duke Center Gardens and Beyond
Stay connected to the most recent garden updates and seasonal highlights by learning directly from Duke Gardens staff on a casual stroll. While constr...
Adult Education Calendar
Please click the blue rectangles on the calendar below to learn more about upcoming events.
Video Highlights
Enjoy these how-to highlights from our YouTube channel, where you will find more video resources to continue your Gardens learning journey at any time, in any location.
Video Highlights
Enjoy these how-to highlights from our YouTube channel, where you will find more video resources to continue your Gardens learning journey at any time, in any location.
Visit our resource library for more learning opportunities, from nature meditations to collaborative science and so much more.
Learn More ›
Questions about adult education?
Please contact us at 919-668-1707 or GardensEducation@duke.edu.