Spring Plant Sale Preview: Herb Garden in a Box

We’re excited to continue our “in a box” plant sale feature that we launched at our fall sale, this time with an Herb Garden in a Box.

You can mix and match your favorite organic herbs to create a ready-to-go garden at $18 for 6 plants at our Spring Plant Sale on Saturday, April 1, 8 a.m. to noon. We’ll even have a few veggies eligible for the mix. How can you lose?

In addition, Gardens members get 10% off all plants — making the in-a-box feature an even bigger bargain! Members also get first dibs via our Member Preview Sale on Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. Urge your friends and family to join as well, so you can shop together! Learn more about the sale and membership here.

Need advice? Our expert horticulturists will be available to answer any questions you may have.


Here’s a sampling of what we’ll be offering:

bronze fennel
lemon verbena
mint 'Julep'
peppermint
mint 'Mojito'
golden oregano
rosemary 'Foxtail'
rosemary 'Gorizia'
tricolor sage
tarragon
English thyme
aloe vera
catnip
chives

Hope to see you at the sale!


SPRING PLANT SALE: Saturday, April 1, 8 a.m. to noon. Free admission & parking. Please bring wagons/carts and boxes if you have them.

MEMBER PREVIEW SALE: Friday, March 31, 4-6 p.m. Sign up or renew your membership online in advance or on site. Your support helps Duke Gardens preserve the Duke and Durham communities and visitors from around the world with educational programs and nationally acclaimed horticultural design. Thank you!

Photos by Cecilia Xie.

Spring Plant Sale Preview: Spotted Beebalm, Eastern Teaberry and Cardinal Flower

cardinal flower

By Annie Yang
Photos by Jason Holmes

Spotted beebalms, eastern teaberries and cardinal flowers are not only attractive plants, they also have interesting histories of cultural, folkloric and medicinal uses. Whatever their practical attributes, their unique physical traits can add color and personality to your garden.

You can find them all at our Spring Plant Sale on April 1 from 8 a.m. to noon.  Gardens members get 10 percent off all plants at the sale, as well as first dibs via our Member Preview Sale on Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. Urge your friends and family to join as well, so you can shop together! Learn more about the sale and membership here.

Lobelia cardinalis (cardinal flower)

Cardinal flower in the
Spring Woodland Garden.

The bright red robes of Roman Catholic cardinals were the inspiration for Lobelia cardinalis, commonly called cardinal flower. Its scarlet and brighter red tones add drama to any garden.

Cardinal flower prefers rich, medium to wet soil in partial to full shade. Although a relatively low maintenance plant otherwise, it requires constant moisture. In areas with hotter summers, such as North Carolina, Lobelia cardinalis welcomes some afternoon shade. Long tubular flowers will attract butterflies and hummingbirds to your garden. Perhaps a little ironically, this plant is not attractive to Northern cardinals, despite a similarity in name.

Cardinal flower plants can grow from 1 to 3 feet tall. You can find it growing at Duke Gardens in the Spring Woodland Garden, where it thrives in the moist banks of the stream and rain garden. If you have a woodland garden, consider planting them at the edge, where they are especially attractive.

Spotted beebalm. 

Monarda punctata (spotted beebalm)

Monarda punctata's medicinal properties were used by the Meskwaki, Mohegan and other tribes to drive away illnesses. But you can take advantage of its pleasing smell to attract many pollinators to your garden.

Native to eastern Canada, the eastern United States, and northeastern Mexico, spotted beebalm thrives in full sun to part shade and in dry, sandy soils with mildly acidic to mildly alkaline pH levels. While drought-tolerant, this species wouldn’t mind some watering during the summer to help promote blooming. Spotted beebalm does best when sheared once a year after particularly brutal frosts or in the spring. The shallow root systems benefit from added leaf mold and compost.

spotted beebalm

With creamy white flowers specked with purple and pinkish bracts, Monarda punctata brightens up any garden and invites beautiful butterflies and beneficial wasps with its sweet nectar. Thymol, the same chemical that makes spotted beebalm so attractive as an herbal remedy, also repels mites and other pests. Spotted beebalm can get a little aggressive, but the occasional pruning is a small price to pay for all the benefits this plant brings to your garden.



Gaultheria procumbens (eastern teaberry)

A plant of many names, Gaultheria procumbens goes by eastern teaberry, checkerberry, boxberry, drunkards, American wintergreen, wax cluster, spicy wintergreen and youngster, among numerous other identifications. See photo here.

Gaultheria procumbens produces bright red berries that will last throughout winter. Oil extracted from lovely green leaves was once used to relieve common aches and pains. The oil of wintergreen is additionally used as flavoring in chewing gum, candy, and toothpaste. Be aware that as valuable and useful the eastern teaberry is to humans, some animals depend on its berries and leaves during the winter as an important food source.

Gaultheria procumbens is native to the eastern woodlands of the United States, and it grows best in organically rich, acidic, moist soil. Eastern teaberry can tolerate even heavy shade, but it grows and flowers best in sunny openings with partial shade. This evergreen shrub spreads over time, making for great ground cover in a garden, and gets along with other acid-loving shrubs, such as azaleas and rhododendrons.

SPRING PLANT SALE: Saturday, April 1, 8 a.m. to noon. Free admission & parking. Please bring wagons/carts and boxes if you have them.

MEMBER PREVIEW SALE: Friday, March 31, 4-6 p.m. Sign up or renew your membership online in advance or on site. Your support helps Duke Gardens preserve the Duke and Durham communities and visitors from around the world with educational programs and nationally acclaimed horticultural design. Thank you!

Blogger Annie Yang is a Duke freshman and a work-study marketing assistant at Duke Gardens. Jason Holmes is curator of the Doris Duke Center Gardens.

Spring Plant Sale Preview: Dazzling Peonies

Paeonia 'Coral Sunset.'

By Annie Yang
Photos by Jason Holmes

Native to Asia, Europe, and western North America, peonies have fascinated gardeners, botanists and plant enthusiasts for centuries. Scientists have identified dozens of species, all known for impressively beautiful blossoms in a vibrant array of colors. Fortunately, peonies are hardy as well as attractive, and they can make a colorful addition to any garden or household bouquet.

Below are four peony species we’re excited to bring to you at our Spring Plant Sale this Saturday, April 1, from 8 a.m. to noon. Gardens members get 10 percent off all plants at the sale, as well as first dibs via our Member Preview Sale on Friday from 4-6 p.m. Urge your friends and family to join as well, so you can shop together! Learn more about the sale and membership here.

Paeonia 'Coral Sunset'

Gazing upon this gorgeous peony variety, visitors will notice the coral of ruffled petals gently melting into pale pink or white, enclosing yellow stamens at the center. The vibrant, colorful bloom is reminiscent of a warm, summer sunset. Just one look will make it clear how Paeonia ‘Coral Sunset’ earned its name.

Every spring, ‘Coral Sunset’ puts on a bright display. An early bloomer, this peony is especially suited to North Carolina, where springs are short and the summers are hot. Durable and long-lived like its peony cousins, this variety faces few problems with pests and is drought-tolerant once established. Give the plant well-drained soil and partial to full sun, and ‘Coral Sunset’ has the potential to thrive for decades in your garden.

Don’t be discouraged if miniature sunsets don’t light up your garden immediately. Peonies take time to establish deep root systems. But patience is a virtue, and ‘Coral Sunset’ will come back year after year to brighten garden borders and bouquets.

Paeonia 'Armani'

With a name inspired by the high-end fashion brand, Paeonia ‘Armani’ flaunts an elegant, dark red flower sure to stand out in any garden. ‘Armani’ distinguishes itself among peonies for boasting some of the darkest reds in the family; double flowers bloom in the late spring to early summer before deepening into a rich burgundy.

You may think that this beauty requires a high level of maintenance, but ‘Armani’ is actually quite easy to care for — just make sure to provide the plant with enriched, well-drained soil with partial to full sun. Don’t forget to trim old stems to keep the plant healthy. As a bonus, this perennial is tolerant to drought, and it attracts butterflies but resists deer and rabbits.

The showy ‘Armani’ also makes an exquisite cut flower, a trait especially convenient given that cutting is one way peonies reproduce. So, don’t be afraid to whip out some scissors and snip at these beautiful blooms in your garden, because they will be back!

Paeonia ‘Mrs. F.D. Roosevelt’

Paeonia 'Mrs. F.D. Roosevelt'

A refined, sophisticated flower, Paeonia ‘Mrs. F.D. Roosevelt’ exudes grace and charm. Gentle, soft pink and creamy white flowers unfurl into an almost waterlily-like arrangement — a sight to behold! It also has a lovely fragrance. ‘Mrs. F.D. Roosevelt’ was introduced in 1932 and has continued to delight gardeners into the 21st century.

The pastel color would may suggest that the blossoms are delicate, but ‘Mrs. F.D. Roosevelt’ is another tried-and-true peony — durable, long-lasting, and vigorous. The plant is deer and rabbit resistant, virtually pest-free, and attractive to butterflies. Another low-maintenance peony, it will be perfectly content with enriched, fertile, well-drained soil and partial to full shade. The gorgeous blooms can be relatively large and heavy, so ‘Mrs. F.D. Roosevelt’ will appreciate some support or shelter to keep the rain from weighing her down.

This peony can function well within many different garden roles: it shines as a specimen plant or in groups, as a walkway or driveway border feature, or as  informal hedges. ‘Mrs. F.D. Roosevelt’ is also, of course, an exquisite cut flower, certain to stand out in any floral arrangement and captivate the hearts of many.

Paeonia 'Felix Crousse'

Paeonia ‘Felix Crousse’ was introduced to American gardeners in 1881, and it is easy to see why the variety has remained popular for so long. Magenta to raspberry hues combined with a silvery sheen and an inviting fragrance have made ‘Felix Crousse’ a crowd pleaser and showstopper for generations.

As with other peonies, maintaining the durable ‘Felix Crousse’ involves relatively little hassle. Fertile soil and partial to full sun will help this perennial thrive. Keep in mind that the brilliant flowers are so large that ‘Felix Crousse’ may require some support in heavy rain to prevent them from arching toward the ground. It will be useful to find a sheltered spot in your garden for ‘Felix Crousse’ to settle down in, but don’t let the extra care dissuade you from cultivating this classic garden flower.

Consider combining  peonies with roses or other perennials in your garden to create riveting color patterns. ‘Felix Crousse’ blooms in the late spring to early summer, and growing this peony with varieties that have different bloom times can extend your peony season for more than an entire month of captivating flowers.

SPRING PLANT SALE: Saturday, April 1, 8 a.m. to noon. Free admission & parking. Please bring wagons/carts and boxes if you have them.

MEMBER PREVIEW SALE: Friday, March 31, 4-6 p.m. Sign up or renew your membership online in advance or on site. Your support helps Duke Gardens preserve the Duke and Durham communities and visitors from around the world with educational programs and nationally acclaimed horticultural design. Thank you!

Blogger Annie Yang is a Duke freshman and a work-study marketing assistant at Duke Gardens. Jason Holmes is the curator of the Doris Duke Center Gardens.

Lecture & workshop preview: Planting in a Post-Wild World

Take inspiration from the Piedmont Prairie in the
Blomquist Garden of Native Plants.
Photo by Annabel Renwick.

By Katherine Hale

Native plant gardening is all the rage these days, and rightly so, but so often the reality falls short of its true potential.

The problem isn’t with the plants themselves. North Carolina native species are robust, colorful and charming, and they provide food and shelter for a wide range of birds, bees and other creatures. It’s really an organizational problem.

Effective design is what separates a beautiful meadow or functioning rain garden from a high-maintenance nightmare. Traditional garden placement, in which plants are treated as individual units separated by wide swathes of grass or mulch, just doesn’t measure up to the organic vitality and sustainability of landscapes organized by Mother Nature. But letting things run wild doesn’t always produce aesthetically pleasing results, bring in the species you’d prefer, or keep the homeowners’ association off your back.

What’s a busy, conscientious, nature-loving gardener to do?

In two upcoming events at Duke Gardens, landscape architect Claudia West will illustrate that it is possible to have a garden that is ornamental, functional and ecological all at the same time. The secret is to mimic the way plants layer and space themselves in the wild. It’s unorthodox but highly effective, and it’s not an exaggeration to say this will revolutionize the way you see the world.

West’s lecture on Thursday, March 30, will be based on the groundbreaking book she co-wrote with colleague Thomas Rainer, “Planting in a Post-Wild World: Designing Plant Communities for Resilient Landscapes.” Duke Gardens is pleased to host this event as part of the annual Taimi Anderson Lecture Series.

Drawing on key archetypal landscapes—grassland, woodland and forest—West will explain how to find the one that best suits your project or property, and how to find specific species from that landscape that will work in your eco-region. She’ll also detail how to lay out the plants in functional groups based on their roles in the landscape, and how to space plants to avoid any pesky weeding after installation. The Piedmont Prairie in the Blomquist Garden, for instance, could be the perfect inspiration for a backyard meadow featuring native wildflowers and drought-tolerant grasses, or perhaps a border around a more traditionally mowed lawn. Aside from a few basic ground rules and concepts, the limits are only determined by your imagination and creativity in applying them.

Haven’t read the book? Don’t worry—copies will be available for purchase on site with a book signing reception following the lecture. The lecture is free for garden members and Duke students, and $10 for the general public.

For those who prefer a more informal approach, West will also offer a small group workshop on Friday, March 31. Capped at 25 people, this is the perfect opportunity to ask West specific questions about plant selection or home or garden projects and get personalized feedback. The workshop is $80 for Gardens members, and $99 for the general public. Lunch will be provided for participants.

Finally, if you’re inspired by West’s enthusiasm for native plants and eager to try out these principles for yourself, don’t forget our Spring Plant Sale on April 1, and the Preview Sale for members the evening before. Here you can purchase grasses, shrubs and other native perennials selected for their premier ornamental qualities, with unique colors and textures you can’t find in the landscaping section of the average big box retailer—and use them to create a beautiful, ecologically-designed and resilient native garden of your own.

EVENT DETAILS:

“Planting in a Post-Wild World” lecture: Thursday, March 30, 7 p.m.

“Planting in a Post-Wild World” workshop: March 31, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Location: Doris Duke Center, Duke Gardens, 420 Anderson Street, Duke University, Durham.

Information/registration: gardenseducation@duke.edu or 919-668-1707.

Spring Plant Sale: Saturday, April 1, 8 a.m. to noon.

Preview Sale for Members: March 31, 4-6 p.m.

Blogger Katherine Hale is an intern in the Blomquist Garden of Native Plants at Duke Gardens and a graduate student in the Field Naturalist program at the University of Vermont. 

Spring Plant Sale Preview: Little Bluestem

Schizachyrium scoparium 'The Blues', also known as little bluestem.

By Katherine Hale
Photos by Jason Holmes

Call it by its Latin name, Schizachyrium scoparium, or by the common name little bluestem – either way, this plant is a winner.

Native to the wide Midwestern prairies, little bluestem is right at home in sunny urban landscapes of North Carolina. In Duke Gardens, you can find this species growing in the Piedmont Prairie in the Blomquist Garden of Native Plants. We’ll be selling several cultivars at our Spring Plant Sale.

One cultivar, 'Prairie Blues', has blue-green spring foliage that turns reddish-purple by mid-summer, sporting tall stalks bedecked with tiny florets that dry into attractive curls. Another selection, ‘Smoke Signals’, has striking dark coloration that makes it stand out at a distance. Leave the frost-killed stalks up for wildlife shelter and winter interest, or cut it back to the base and use in dried flower arrangements—it will look great either way.

Schizachyrium scoparium

The design possibilities with little bluestem are endless. Beautiful in formal mass plantings and perennial borders, adding visual interest to parking strip buffers and rain gardens, or scattered among wildflowers in a meadow—you can’t go wrong. Upright and tidy, little bluestem thrives in heat and humidity as the ultimate low maintenance perennial. Rip out your lawn, never have to mow again and enjoy a continuous show year-round.

Formerly known as Andropogon scoparium, this species has been reclassified as the genus Schizachyrium. Whatever you opt to call it, look for it at our Spring Plant Sale on Saturday, April 1, from 8 a.m. to noon, or at the Gardens Member Preview Sale on March 31 from 4 to 6 p.m. See you there!

Blogger Katherine Hale is an intern in the Blomquist Garden of Native Plants at Duke Gardens and a graduate student in the Field Naturalist program at the University of Vermont.