We’ll present a brief (15 minute) overview of Duke Gardens – the spaces and other resources available, the work we do, and how you can get more involved or connected during your time at Duke – and then take questions before sending everyone off to explore further.

Maximum group size: 150

Length of time: 15 minutes overview; no constraint on self-guided visit

We’ll present a brief (15 minute) overview of Duke Gardens – the spaces and other resources available, the work we do, and how you can get more involved or connected during your time at Duke – while leading an informal tour of garden areas of interest to your group.

Maximum group size: 25

Length of time: 30 minutes – 2 hours

If you have a specific topic you’re interested in us leading a program or tour about, please let us know! Examples of past custom requests are: dermatology-related plants, garden hardscape design, Japanese tea garden practices, plant identification, sustainability.

Maximum group size: 25

Length of time: 1 – 4 hours

Thank you for the work you do organizing and leading orientation for new students! We’re excited to welcome incoming students to our community with you.

All orientation groups interested in coming to Duke Gardens must submit a request form here, including visits for picnics and walks that you lead for your group.

This applies to both undergraduate and graduate & professional programs.

All groups coming to Duke Gardens must start your visit with a brief orientation led by a Duke Gardens staff member, and you must follow our visitation policies during your time in the garden. If you’re interested, you can also request a facilitated tour/workshop or a hands-on volunteering opportunity. We do not have the capacity to provide any plants or planting supplies.

Please note: the deadline for finalized 2025 orientation visits is Friday, August 1. For the best chance of approval by this deadline, we strongly recommend submitting your request no later than Sunday, July 20. Earlier is better!

Duke Gardens is a great place to hold your class or student assignments! We require registration for all of these, even if you’re not interested in Duke Gardens staff support for your visit.

At least once a semester, submit a request form for your class/visits. We ask that you submit the form at least two weeks in advance. We will try our best to accommodate requests with less notice, but it’s not always possible. We accept requests up to one year in advance.

Please note that the garden is always open to the public and spaces can’t be reserved to the exclusion of other visitors.

University visits must follow all Gardens group visit policies. These include staying on paths, not picking any parts of plants, bringing out what you bring in (including trash), and not bringing in any equipment (including tables/chairs, mics/speakers, and games/sports equipment). Exceptions may be possible with a close partnership and training by Gardens staff; please inquire about your particular interests in your request.

Duke Gardens is a great place to hold your class, meeting or student assignments! We require registration for all of these, even if you’re not interested in Duke Gardens staff support for your visit.

We ask that you submit our request form at least two weeks in advance. We will try our best to accommodate requests with less notice, but it’s not always possible. We accept requests up to one year in advance.

Please note that the garden is always open to the public and spaces can’t be reserved to the exclusion of other visitors.

Visits must follow all Gardens group visit policies. These include staying on paths, not picking any parts of plants, bringing out what you bring in (including trash), and not bringing in any equipment (including tables/chairs, mics/speakers, and games/sports equipment). Exceptions may be possible with a close partnership and training by Gardens staff; please inquire about your particular interests in your request.

All student group events, meetings, or other activities must be registered to take place in Duke Gardens, even if you’re not interested in support from Duke Gardens staff; please submit our request form. Be aware that our typical response time for reviewing requests and granting approval is at least 1 week; the sooner you send in your request the better.

Your event must follow all of our group visit policies. Some highlighted policies are:

• Duke Gardens is open daily from 8 a.m. to sunset. Your visit must happen during this time, including any aspects before and after the gathering itself.
• Groups cannot reserve or block off any locations for your exclusive use. If you are hoping to use a particular location, you can check on it when you arrive and share it if there’s space available, but you cannot tell anyone else to leave either before or during your visit.
• Possible picnic or group gathering locations are the South Lawn (named on the Gardens map), the lawn next to the Butterfly Garden (near H14 on the Gardens map) and the lawn around the Dawn Redwood (near H3 on the Gardens map).
• Groups of more than 25 people must split up into smaller groups while in the garden.
• If you will be having food, you must bring it in yourself. Catering and delivery are not allowed. No cooking or alcohol is permitted.
• You may bring blankets or mats to sit on, as well as any personal items. Materials and equipment that are not allowed include tables & chairs, mics & speakers, signs, decorations like balloons/banners, confetti, and games/sports equipment. You may bring in your own portable chair in the case of accessibility needs.
• Duke Gardens is not an appropriate location for field days or playing games like Frisbee, spikeball or soccer. Please find another lawn on campus or a city park for these activities.
• You must collect all waste and take it out with you or place it inside a recycling or trash can (please do not leave anything next to a can).
• Do not dump any ice or drinks onto the ground, including on grass or gutters, or into sinks in the Gardens. This damages plants and can disrupt the functionality of our infrastructure.

All student group events, meetings, or other activities must be registered to take place in Duke Gardens, even if you’re not interested in support from Duke Gardens staff; please submit our request form. Registration is not required for picnics or social gatherings for other groups.

All picnics and social gatherings must follow all of our group visit policies. Some highlighted policies are:

• Duke Gardens is open daily from 8 a.m. to sunset. Your visit must happen during this time, including any aspects before and after the gathering itself.
• Groups cannot reserve or block off any locations for your exclusive use. If you are hoping to use a particular location, you can check on it when you arrive and share it if there’s space available, but you cannot tell anyone else to leave either before or during your visit.
• Possible picnic or group gathering locations are the South Lawn (named on the Gardens map), the lawn next to the Butterfly Garden (near H14 on the Gardens map) and the lawn around the Dawn Redwood (near H3 on the Gardens map).
• Groups of more than 25 people must split up into smaller groups while in the garden.
• If you will be having food, you must bring it in yourself. Catering and delivery are not allowed. No cooking or alcohol is permitted.
• You may bring blankets or mats to sit on, as well as any personal items. Materials and equipment that are not allowed include tables & chairs, mics & speakers, signs, decorations like balloons/banners, confetti, and games/sports equipment. You may bring in your own portable chair in the case of accessibility needs.
• Duke Gardens is not an appropriate location for field days or playing games like Frisbee, spikeball or soccer. Please find another lawn on campus or a city park for these activities.
• You must collect all waste and take it out with you or place it inside a recycling or trash can (please do not leave anything next to a can).
• Do not dump any ice or drinks onto the ground, including on grass or gutters, or into sinks in the Gardens. This damages plants and can disrupt the functionality of our infrastructure.

Approval and registration are required for group wellness or physical activities, such as those that have a leader/instructor or those organized by a student group. This applies to all wellness or physical activity programs taking place in Duke Gardens, even if they’re led by Duke staff, students or faculty. Registration is not required for personal wellness or physical activities (for example, coming to Duke Gardens to meditate on your own).

All wellness and physical activities must follow all of our group visit policies. Some highlighted policies are:

• staying on paths
• not picking any parts of plants
• bringing out what you bring in (including trash)
• not bringing in any equipment (including tables/chairs, mics/speakers, and games/sports equipment).

Exceptions may be possible with a close partnership and training by Gardens staff; please inquire about your particular interests in your request.

Please note that the garden is always open to the public and spaces can’t be reserved to the exclusion of other visitors.

Duke groups, or groups sponsored by a Duke department or other group, may request a partnership with Duke Gardens to hold a performance in the Fisher Amphitheater (location H4 on the Gardens map). Performances cannot take place without an approved Duke Gardens partnership.

All performances must be free to attend and open to drop-in attendees from the public. Performances must use the space as-is; very limited props, decorations, or other materials are permitted.

Duke Gardens has limited capacity to provide donations of compost, plants, or other materials. Please submit the request form to inquire about these.

Please note that we cannot provide donations for new student move-in.