Holiday cheer in the Doris Duke Center

If you're in need of some holiday cheer, try to check out the Doris Duke Center this month. We've got five trees decorated to the hilt, courtesy of local community groups. The decorations vary each year, with themes assigned to the groups in advance. This year, the theme was primary colors.

Below is a taste of the decorating day festivities. If you'd like to see the trees up close, the Doris Duke Center is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Visitors can tour the reception hall during those hours, except during special events. The trees will remain up through January 5.

Thanks to all the inventive minds who created such a beautiful scene. We at Duke Gardens are thankful for your contributions, and each day we spot new details in the trees that we hadn't noticed before.

Happy holidays!

Orange was the Hillsborough Garden Club's theme. Here's Pat Lopp working on some finishing touches.

The tree included dried oranges, indian corn, wisteria beans, cotton, okra pods, dried grasses, Japanese lanterns, gold yarrow, sweet gum balls, and historical tidbits about Orange County.

Club members with their tree.

Jerry Sheehy and Inga Headrick with the Durham Women's Club's gold-themed tree.

Clarice Bullock adds more gold to the tree.

Jewell Simpson adjusts an ornament.

The Town & Country Garden Club was inventive with its purple theme, embellishing also with starfish, ivy and moss.

More details of the purple tree, with its complementary colors.

The Duke Campus Club took on a red theme.

Some details of the Heritage Garden Club's green-themed tree, which is in the main entrance to the Doris Duke Center.

And two more views of the Heritage Garden Club's tree.