Provide Winter Meals for Wild Birds

An American robin feasts on native holly berries in the Blomquist Garden. 
Photo by Cathi Bodine

by Katherine Hale

Winter is the hardest time of year for wild birds. Just when they need to eat the most to keep themselves warm, the cold drives the insects they depend on into hibernation. Even fruit and seed eaters aren’t safe, with unpredictable bouts of ice, snow and inclement weather cutting off access to their food sources.

Like support stations at a marathon, backyard feeders bearing sunflower seeds and suet offer birds a lifeline in stressful times, with quick and easy boosts of the calories and fat they need to survive. Feeding birds is a safe, easy and fun way to help local wildlife, and it also allows adults and children alike an up-close-and-personal opportunity to connect with nature.

Feeders aren’t the only way to help birds, of course. Native trees like dogwoods, hollies and wax myrtles provide welcome bursts of seasonal color—along with food and shelter for hungry fall migrants and overwintering residents alike. Withered seed heads of ornamental grasses and sunflowers can be left up after the frost for foraging juncos and sparrows. (You can cut them down in the spring to make room for new foliage or plantings.) Native plants also serve as hosts to caterpillars and grasshoppers, allowing insectivores like bluebirds and warblers to thrive. And of course brightly colored flowers are the best way to draw in nectar-drinking hummingbirds.

But the wonderful thing about bird feeders is that they are open to everyone—no land or garden required. For those who don’t have access to much outdoor space, or who are waiting for their plants to mature, bird feeders offer an effective and immediate alternative. As long as you follow a few simple rules—making sure there are bushes or other cover nearby for birds to shelter in; cleaning the feeders regularly to prevent disease; and keeping cats and other pets indoors—the only limits are your budget, imagination and time.

What birds frequent your feeders depends on the kind of offerings you set out. Woodpeckers appreciate suet. Chickadees and cardinals love black oil sunflower seeds. That said, part of the fun of setting up a bird feeder is that you never know who might drop by. Visitors to the Blomquist Garden of Native Plants frequently spy a pair of mallard ducks hanging out under the feeders, commuting from the pond nearby. Online resources like eBird, iNaturalist and Feeder Watch provide space for the scientifically inclined to share and document their findings.

Bird feeders in the Blomquist. Photo by K. Julian.

The beauty of bird feeders is that they allow you the opportunity to watch wild birds up close, with a house or windowsill serving as a blind. Beginning and seasoned naturalists don’t even have to step outside to see the resulting antics, which speed up as weather conditions worsen. The result is live-action drama worthy of a reality show, as the dominant chickadee scolds its flockmates away from the choicest morsels, or a red-shouldered hawk shows up to try and snag a feathered meal of its own.

If you’d like to try making simple bird-feeders of your own out of pine cones, lard and other natural materials (no nuts or nut products involved), join us for our annual Winter Wonderland Festival, on Sunday, December 8, from 2-4 p.m. at the Doris Duke Center. The family-friendly festival is free for Duke Gardens members, and $5 per child for non-members. (Please register in advance at http://duke.is/tZhVcV.) In addition to winter-themed crafts, there will also be storytelling, cookie decorating, festive music and our resident snowperson, Snowflake. Hope to see you there!

For more plant and nature stories about Duke Gardens, check out the Garden Talk column on our website. 

Fall Plant Sale 2019: Japanese Silver Tree

By Katherine Hale

Odds are good that many people have never seen anything quite like neolitsea. A smooth-barked evergreen with aromatic leaves and cascades of tiny fall-blooming flowers, neolitsea is worth seeking out. And we’ll have it among many tree options at our Fall Plant Sale.

Native to beech-laurel mountainous slopes of China and southern Japan, neolitsea (Neolitsea sericea) is practically unknown in American gardens, but it deserves to be more widely grown. It’s also known as the Japanese silver tree for the color of newly emerged leaflets, which are downy at first before transitioning to reddish-pink and then to a mature green.

The trees are dioecious, meaning male and female flowers occur on separate plantings. Mixed-gendered plantings will result in holly-like red berries on female trees for additional winter interest.

Neolitsea flourish in the warmth and humidity of southern climates, particularly when planted in a sheltered location to protect it from cold snaps. Like rhododendrons, neolitsea need acidic soil to thrive, and the soil should be well-drained if possible.  Trees grow faster in full sun if given adequate water, but they will tolerate light or dappled shade, with an even, rounded shape that will need little in the way of pruning.

If you’re in the market for something new and different—something you may never have seen anywhere else— give neolitsea a try. For those willing to branch out and explore the possibilities, it’s a winner.

Photos courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

FALL PLANT SALE DETAILS:
Date: Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019
Time: 8 a.m.-noon
Member benefits: Duke Gardens members get 10% off all purchases, plus access to the members-only previews sale and dinner from 5-7 p.m. on Sept. 27, and a full list of plants in advance, plus staff recommendations. Join online or on site.
Parking: Free.
Pets not permitted. Please see Duke Gardens' pets policy here.
Wagons + boxes: Our supply is limited; please bring your own if possible, and you'll have more time to spend gathering beautiful plants.
Your support helps Duke Gardens to provide summer internships to aspiring horticulturists from across the nation.
Please see our event page for more information, and we'd love for you to spread the word by sharing the event on Facebook and inviting your friends.
Thank you!

Fall Plant Sale Preview 2019: Pink Banana

Pink banana fruit.
Photos by Jason Holmes (L) and Paul Jones (R).

By Jason Holmes
Curator, Doris Duke Center Gardens

Photo by Jason Holmes.

One of my absolute favorites among the hardy bananas is the pink banana. From northeastern India, Musa velutina forms a stunning clump of large leaves that reach to 8 feet high. A spike of flowers develops atop the pseudostems, and by midsummer the spike of flowers becomes a mass of attractive bright pink, downy bananas.

The word “velutina” translates to “velvety.”  These bananas are very small and seedy, and I imagine that they would not provide a substantial source of calories. In November, the bananas burst open to reveal a white interior that from a distance appears as if they are flowering again.

The pink banana thrives in our heat and humidity and does well with good moisture and lots of sun or even a high canopy of trees.

Though Musa velutina is hardy to zone 7b, it may be best to protect it with a pile of leaves during the winter.

The pink banana is a true hardy tropical for the summer landscape and will leave many gardeners asking, “What’s that?”

Botanical Name: Musa velutina
Common Name: Pink banana
Family Name: Musaceae (Banana Family)
Native Range: Northeastern India
USDA Hardiness Zones:  7b-11
Locations within Duke Gardens: Doris Duke Center Gardens, Culberson Asiatic Arboretum
Site Requirements: Sun to dappled shade; well-drained but moist soils. Winter protection best.

FALL PLANT SALE DETAILS:
Date: Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019
Time: 8 a.m.-noon
Member benefits: Duke Gardens members get 10% off all purchases, plus access to the members-only previews sale and dinner from 5-7 p.m. on Sept. 27, and a full list of plants in advance, plus staff recommendations. Join online or on site.
Parking: Free.
Pets not permitted. Please see Duke Gardens' pets policy here.
Wagons + boxes: Our supply is limited; please bring your own if possible, and you'll have more time to spend gathering beautiful plants.
Your support helps Duke Gardens to provide summer internships to aspiring horticulturists from across the nation.
Please see our event page for more information, and we'd love for you to spread the word by sharing the event on Facebook and inviting your friends.
Thank you!

Fall Plant Sale 2019: Houseplants

'Camouflage' dieffenbachia. Photo: K. Hale

By Katherine Hale

Gardening isn’t limited to those of us with traditional houses and yards. Your space may be too small or dark or barren for a regular garden—but there’s nothing to stop you from living in a lush, temperate jungle, thanks to the flexibility of houseplants.

Houseplants come from around the globe, in a variety of sizes, shapes and colors. Some are known by their Latin names, while others accumulate a hodgepodge of nicknames and misnomers. The one thing they all have in common is an intolerance for freezing temperatures, which makes a heated abode a must.

While they may have beautiful flowers, a houseplant’s greatest charms are its showy foliage; an ability to flourish in the same warmth, light and humidity levels of modern buildings; and fewer special needs than their outdoor counterparts.

Despite their considerable variations, most species of common houseplants can be divided into two groups. Those with lush green leaves have their origins in the shady understory of tropical rainforests—which have the same low, diffuse lighting of a typical living or dining room. The thick, fleshy-leaved succulents hail from harsh deserts, where they are continually assailed by the elements and must cling fiercely to every drop of moisture. Plants in this group generally require more direct sunlight than the tropicals and will rot if over-watered.

Echeveria. Photo: K. Hale

We’ll be offering a wide selection of houseplants at our Fall Plant Sale this weekend, but here are three standouts that will fit into any home, apartment or dorm:

One look at  'Camouflage' dieffenbachia and it’s clear it falls squarely into the tropical camp. Its wide, elegant leaves—a light green flecked with darker specks like its eponymous pattern—allow it to easily blend in any setting or container. Like all dieffenbachia, ‘Camouflage’ is easy to grow, and it will have few problems as long as its soil is kept consistently moist. It’s important to keep curious children or pets from munching on it, as its leaves and stems are chock full of needle-shaped calcium oxalate crystals known as raphides, which will cause a painful burning sensation in the throat and esophagus. But it is otherwise pest- and trouble-free.

Echeveria. Photo: K. Hale

On the succulent side, consider members of the genus Echeveria, a large group of Central American natives whose pale, fleshy leaves cluster in rose-like formations. Though they appear like flowers themselves, their actual flowers emerge from a separate shoot, spiraling upward in search of pollinating insects. Sturdy and compact, each echeveria is compelling on its own, but they are hypnotic when massed in groups. Our favorite is the hybrid ‘Topsy Turvy’, which boasts crimped and crinkled edges as if pinched into position by a mischievous sculptor.

Most bromeliads live in the rainforest, but puya (Puya mirabilis) is an exception—a desert-dwelling bromeliad that favors well-drained potting mix over hanging in mid-air like its cousin the air plant (Tillandsia sp.). In addition to its stiff, spiky foliage, puya flowers regularly, sending up bursts of eye-catching  green-white flowers that dangle like bells from elongated stalks. Still relatively obscure compared to better known philodendrons and ficuses, this is the houseplant of choice for someone who likes to to try new things.

Puya. Photo by Chris Carmichael,
UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley.

The sheer number and and versatility of houseplants means that you don’t have to let your circumstances—or even a so-called “brown thumb”—limit your choices when it comes to plants and gardening. No matter your tastes, schedule or living conditions, there’s a houseplant—or two, or three—out there for you.

FALL PLANT SALE DETAILS:
Date: Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019
Time: 8 a.m.-noon
Member benefits: Duke Gardens members get 10% off all purchases, plus access to the members-only previews sale and dinner from 5-7 p.m. on Sept. 27, and a full list of plants in advance, plus staff recommendations. Join online or on site.
Parking: Free.
Pets not permitted. Please see Duke Gardens' pets policy here.
Wagons + boxes: Our supply is limited; please bring your own if possible, and you'll have more time to spend gathering beautiful plants.
Your support helps Duke Gardens to provide summer internships to aspiring horticulturists from across the nation.
Please see our event page for more information, and we'd love for you to spread the word by sharing the event on Facebook and inviting your friends.

Thank you!

Fall Plant Sale Preview 2019: Hostas

Hosta 'Cathedral Windows'. Photo by Mandy Cuskelly.

By Katherine Hale
Marketing assistant

It’s never too early to be thinking about next year’s garden—and that’s especially true when it comes to hostas. Though these dependable perennials wind down with the cooler temperatures of fall, now is the best time to plant new ones to fill in gaps in your collection or add additional variety to your landscape. Hosta fans already know why these versatile leafy plants sell out quickly in all our plant sales, while newcomers are in for a real treat with all this genus has to offer.

L-R: Hosta 'Wu La La' and 'First Dance'.
Photos courtesy of Walters Gardens Inc.

While the broad ribbed leaves are the main focal point throughout the growing season, hosta flowers are nothing to sneer at. Stalks of dangling, bell-like flowers rise gracefully out of the canopy in mid-summer, swaying gently in the breeze. The effect is multiplied when hostas are planted en masse in a perennial border or woodland garden, especially if fragrant varieties are involved.

L-R: 'Maui Buttercups' and 'Touch of Class'.
Photos courtesy of Walters Gardens Inc.

All hostas are incredibly tough, though they exhibit their best color and vigor with afternoon shade, adequate moisture, and high organic matter. Their main enemies in the Triangle region are white-tailed deer, who vacuum up any plants they can reach, meaning that fencing or other protection is a must. Slugs may also be a concern in the shadiest areas.

Hosta 'Sum and Substance'. Photo by Jason Holmes.

Because hostas are such regular bestsellers, we always make sure to have a wide variety for gardeners to choose from at our plant sales. This isn’t as hard as it sounds, because every year sees new releases from plant breeders along with the return of old favorites. This year, our list includes 'Cathedral Windows’, a variegated tetraploid hybrid with added vigor; 'Dancing Queen’, a completely yellow cultivar; the giant ‘Sum and Substance’; and 'Halcyon', a popular and reliable “blue” hosta. There will also be the miniaturized ‘Sun Mouse’, the leaf-curling 'Maui Buttercups', and the creamy blended ‘Revolution’.  ‘Touch of Class’, 'Wu-La-La' and 'First Dance' round out our offerings.

L-R: Hosta 'Dancing Queen' and 'Sun Mouse.'
Photos by Beth Hall (L) & Walters Gardens Inc.

Whether you are a beginning gardener interested in exploring this incredible genus, or an experienced connoisseur, the perfect hosta awaits you. And if you need advice or suggestions about which ones would best suit your landscape, we will be happy to help you select the right one—or two or three or more. With hostas, the possibilities are limited only by the imagination.

FALL PLANT SALE DETAILS:
Date: Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019
Time: 8 a.m.-noon
Member benefits: Duke Gardens members get 10% off all purchases, plus access to the members-only previews sale and dinner from 5-7 p.m. on Sept. 27, and a full list of plants in advance, plus staff recommendations. Join online or on site.
Parking: Free.
Pets not permitted. Please see Duke Gardens' pets policy here.
Wagons + boxes: Our supply is limited; please bring your own if possible, and you'll have more time to spend gathering beautiful plants.
Your support helps Duke Gardens to provide summer internships to aspiring horticulturists from across the nation.
Please see our event page for more information, and we'd love for you to spread the word by sharing the event on Facebook and inviting your friends.
Thank you!

Hosta 'Revolution' and 'Halcyon'.
Photos courtesy of Missouri Botanical Garden.

Fall Plant Sale Preview 2019: Chinese Foxglove

Rehmannia elata growing near the peony collection in
the Culberson Asiatic Arboretum. Photo by Beth Hall.

By Annie Yang
Duke Class of 2020

Rehmannia elata is commonly called Chinese foxglove for its resemblance to foxgloves, but this herbaceous perennial is actually a member of a completely different family, Orobanchaceae.  Although this plant is native to China, Chinese foxglove thrives in the warmer climate of North Carolina and is a lovely addition to local gardens.

Rehmannia elata grows best in loose, moist, and well-drained soils. It prefers part shade, especially appreciating the morning sun and afternoon shade during hot summer days, and it also tolerates almost full shade. Once established, it is also drought resistant. However, be sure to protect it from freezing temperatures during the winter with a good layer of mulch. Chinese foxglove is also generally pest-free, attracting only the occasional slug or snail.

Unlike true foxgloves, Chinese foxglove will repeat bloom for 3-4 months, usually unfurling its bell-shaped petals from May to September, with the heaviest bloom around June and July. It is generally low maintenance, but if you want to see it keep blooming, you’ll have to remove its spent flowers. However, this little bit of work is well worth it. Its attractive rosy purple color is sure to brighten up any shade garden.


FALL PLANT SALE DETAILS:
Date: Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019
Time: 8 a.m.-noon
Member benefits: Duke Gardens members get 10% off all purchases, plus access to the members-only previews sale and dinner from 5-7 p.m. on Sept. 27, and a full list of plants in advance, plus staff recommendations. Join online or on site.
Parking: Free.
Pets not permitted. Please see Duke Gardens' pets policy here.
Wagons + boxes: Our supply is limited; please bring your own if possible, and you'll have more time to spend gathering beautiful plants.
Your support helps Duke Gardens to provide summer internships to aspiring horticulturists from across the nation.
Please see our event page for more information, and we'd love for you to spread the word by sharing the event on Facebook and inviting your friends.
Thank you!

Fall Plant Sale Preview 2019: Fragrant Tea Olive

Osmanthus fragrans v. aurantiacus 'Beni Kin Mokusei'.
Photo courtesy of Nurseries Caroliniana Inc.

By Katherine Hale

The first sign of fall isn’t shorter days or cooler nights—it’s the apricot-like scent wafting through the air as the fragrant tea olives bloom. Hailing from China, these evergreen shrubs boast hundreds of tiny flowers that pack a big punch, filling the air with massive quantities of perfume. When the season peaks here at Duke Gardens (it’s starting now!), you can follow your nose to the tea olives lining the paths near the lower parking lot and in the Historic Gardens, long before you see them.

The plant’s official name—Osmanthus fragrans v. aurantiacus—is a lengthy one, but don’t let that intimidate you. The first three words are a fancy way of saying it’s an especially fragrant tea olive with orange flowers in place of the usual white. What makes 'Beni Kin Mokusei' so special is that its blooms are much deeper orange than the garden variety auranticus, so much so that they appear almost red in certain lights.

The late horticulturist J.C. Raulston of N.C. State University once saw a sprig of ‘Beni Kin Mokusei’ in a flower arrangement during a visit to a Korean temple and fell in love; he reportedly claimed he would have been willing to risk jail to acquire a specimen of his own. Fortunately, you don’t have to go to such lengths—this variety has now been introduced to the United States and will be available for purchase at Duke Gardens’ Fall Plant Sale on Sept. 28, and the members-only preview sale and dinner on Sept. 27.

What to do with ‘Beni Kin Mokusei’ once you’ve purchased it? The possibilities are only limited by your imagination. Take advantage of its heavenly scent and plant it in a sunny place near a porch or patio or anywhere you care to linger on cool autumn evenings. Or use it as a privacy hedge or to line outdoor paths, as we do with the Osmanthus at Duke Gardens. Tea olives are deer- and disease-resistant, and incredibly low-maintenance once established, fading into the background until the fall. You’ll wonder how you ever managed to live without them.

Read more about Osmanthus at Duke Gardens in this 2016 blog post.

FALL PLANT SALE DETAILS:
Date: Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019
Time: 8 a.m.-noon
Member benefits: Duke Gardens members get 10% off all purchases, plus access to the members-only previews sale and dinner from 5-7 p.m. on Sept. 27, and a full list of plants in advance, plus staff recommendations. Join online or on site.
Parking: Free.
Pets not permitted. Please see Duke Gardens' pets policy here.
Wagons + boxes: Our supply is limited; please bring your own if possible, and you'll have more time to spend gathering beautiful plants.
Your support helps Duke Gardens to provide summer internships to aspiring horticulturists from across the nation.
Please see our event page for more information, and we'd love for you to spread the word by sharing the event on Facebook and inviting your friends.
Thank you!

Fun Alternatives to Easter Egg Hunts

Families love to explore Duke Gardens together.
Photo by Bill Snead.

Easter egg hunts are great fun in your home, but they can create problems in Duke Gardens. We want to remind visitors that Easter egg hunts are not permitted in Duke Gardens, and to offer some fun ways for visitors—particularly youngsters—to celebrate Easter and enjoy all springtime visits together.

Why no Easter egg hunts at Duke Gardens? We ask visitors to refrain from egg hunts so that we can keep the fragile plants in this botanic garden safe from excited little hands and feet searching high and low for eggs and candies. We also ask visitors to help protect wildlife, so animals and birds won't try to eat the large number of forgotten eggs and candies later. Many people are unaware that chocolate can be especially harmful to dogs, and we want visiting dogs to be safe, too.

What to do instead? We'd love to hear your ideas. Here are some of ours:

* Explore the Discovery Garden, a sustainable, organic food garden, to see fruits, vegetables and herbs getting their start for the season. You can also learn a lot about Earth science, chickens, and bees! We have lots of bee houses in the garden, and also a new bee observation hive where you can safely peer at the bees at work.

New bee observation hive at the Burpee Learning Center. Photos by Nick Schwab.

* Play a game of Search with Your Eyes (not hands, please): Kids can have lots of fun looking all over the Gardens for signs of spring, from new buds to colorful blossoms. How many times can they find their favorite color? How about familiar shapes that appear in leaves and flowers? How many circles, triangles or squares can you find? If you visit our information desk before heading out into the Gardens, we'll give you a free Scavenger Hunt for young visitors to follow.

From beehouses to flowers, there are many cool shapes to observe throughout the Gardens.
Photos by Nick Schwab and Cathi Bodine.

* Fun activities to print out in advance: Plan your family visit ahead of time with the activities on our Self-Guided Garden Resources webpage.

Great blue heron and ducks.
Photo by Jordan Montgomery.

* Bird watch: From a great blue heron to a red-tailed hawk, ducks and many other species, lots of birds will be enjoying the spring weather in the Gardens this weekend. How many different birds can you spot? Any you've never seen before? Check out the informational signs at the Asiatic Arboretum Pond or the Bird Viewing Shelter in the Blomquist Garden of Native Plants, and you can write down species names to learn more about when you get home.

* Shutterbug Madness: We'd love to see your favorite photos that celebrate spring in Duke Gardens. Please share them on our Facebook page or on Instagram (tag us at #dukegardens).

*Easter Sunday Service: Join Duke Chapel Sunday for a 6:30 a.m. Easter Sunrise Service on the South Lawn of Duke Gardens. Please don't forget to bring a flashlight to help find your way to the lawn in the morning darkness, and a towel to wipe the dew from your chairs. If it rains, the services will be in Duke Chapel.

Thank you for joining us in celebrating spring and protecting the plants and animals that we all love.

Sarah P. Duke Gardens creates and nurtures an environment in the heart of Duke University for learning, inspiration and enjoyment through excellence in horticulture and community engagement. Duke Gardens is at 420 Anderson St.

Spring Plant Sale Preview: Bluestar

Amsonia 'Blue Ice'

By Annie Yang T'20

Amsonia 'Blue Ice'

Spring is finally here, but just in case you miss the cooler colors of winter, bluestar (Amsonia) ‘Blue Ice’ may be the plant for you! Even in a genus known for its showy, ornamental plants, ‘Blue Ice,’ with its large clusters of dark lavender blue flowers, stands out even among other bluestars.

Amsonia ‘Blue Ice’ grows well in moist, well-drained, and loamy soil and in full sun to partial shade. Especially in hotter climates, ‘Blue Ice’ will appreciate the reprieve of some afternoon shade to help its flowers last longer. However, even ‘Blue Ice’ needs some sun, as its stems may topple over in too much shade. This perennial is relatively easy to maintain and does not need to be cut back after flowering, and it generally does not need staking or support either.

Amsonia 'Hubrechtii'

‘Blue Ice’ works well when massed along borders, in cottage gardens, and in open woodland areas. As temperatures warm up, the spring blooms of this plant will keep a little piece of winter alive in your gardens.

Look for ‘Blue Ice’ at our Spring Plant Sale on Saturday, along with the equally beautiful ‘Illustris,’ ‘Elliptica’ and ‘Hubrichtii’.

Photos courtesy of Walters Gardens.

SPRING PLANT SALE DETAILS:
Date: Saturday, March 30, 2019
Time: 8 a.m.-noon
Members-only preview sale:  4-6 p.m. Friday, March 29

Member benefits: Duke Gardens members get 10% off all purchases, plus access to the members-only preview sale and a full list of plants in advance! Join online or on site.
Parking: Free during the sale.
Pets not permitted. Please see Duke Gardens' pets policy here.
Wagons + boxes: Our supply is limited; please bring your own if possible, and you'll have more time to spend gathering beautiful plants.
Your support helps Duke Gardens to provide summer internships to aspiring horticulturists from across the nation. Thank you!
Please see our event page for more information, and we'd love for you to spread the word by sharing our Facebook event page and inviting your Facebook friends.

Spring Plant Sale Preview: Succulents + Air Plants

Some of the succulents we'll have at the Spring Plant Sale.

By Annie Yang T'20

If you’re an apartment dweller or seeking a low-maintenance plant that will thrive indoors, Duke Gardens’ Spring Plant Sale this weekend will have plenty of plants to brighten your home environment, including a large variety of succulents and air plants that can thrive both indoors and out.

A few of our air plant offerings.

Taking care of air plants is somewhat different from other plants you may be used to growing, but once you get the hang of it, they shouldn’t be too much of a hassle. Air plants are the common name for plants of the Tillandsia genus and they get their name because they don’t require soil to grow. Their roots are not for soaking up water but instead attaching onto pretty much any surface—trees, rocks, seashells and more.

Whether it’s in a terrarium, a mason jar or a hanging air plant rack holder, there’s a lot of room for creativity and imagination in displaying your air plant. Place them near a window to get bright, indirect light and good air circulation too.

But air plants can’t survive on sunlight and air alone. Every week or so, remove your air plant from whatever you’ve chosen to attach it to and soak it in room temperature water for about 20 to 30 minutes. After it’s soaked, gently shake your plant to remove excess water—sitting water can cause rot and harm or kill your air plant. Set it out to dry with the leaves facing down, and within four hours, or about when you get back from class, the plant should be completely dry and ready to be returned to its container. If you nurture your air plant, it may even bloom in wonderful colors—a once in a lifetime event for each plant.

More succulents, ready for the sale.

You can also expand your succulent collection at our Spring Plant Sale. Taking care of succulents is low-maintenance and low-stress—you won’t need to panic too much if you’ve forgotten to water them for a few days or even a week or so. The key to taking care of succulents is to wait until the soil is completely dry and then soak them. If you’ve put your succulent in a pot with drainage holes, water the plant until water runs out of the holes. But if you don’t have a container with drainage, don’t worry. You can add pebble or sand layers to your soil to help with drainage, or tip the container to let the excess water run out.

We look forward to helping you find the perfect plant for your indoor or outdoor needs!

SPRING PLANT SALE DETAILS:
Date: Saturday, March 30, 2019
Time: 8 a.m.-noon
Members-only preview sale:  4-6 p.m. Friday, March 29
Member benefits: Duke Gardens members get 10% off all purchases, plus access to the members-only preview sale and a full list of plants in advance! Join online or on site.
Parking: Free during the sale.
Pets not permitted. Please see Duke Gardens' pets policy here.
Wagons + boxes: Our supply is limited; please bring your own if possible, and you'll have more time to spend gathering beautiful plants.
Your support helps Duke Gardens to provide summer internships to aspiring horticulturists from across the nation. Thank you!
Please see our event page for more information, and we'd love for you to spread the word by sharing our Facebook event page and inviting your Facebook friends.

Spring Plant Sale Preview: Coral Bells

Heuchera 'Apple Twist'

By Annie Yang T’20

Coral bells (Heuchera) 'Apple Twist’
As the seasons change, the colors of Heuchera ‘Apple Twist’ capture the whole spectrum of reds, yellows, and greens of crisp, fresh apples. In the spring, ‘Apple Twist’ leaves emerge with a red hue like Honeycrisp or Fuji apples. Over time, the leaves of these coral bells lighten to yellow green and then a full Granny Smith green in the summer.

A relatively easy plant to care for, ‘Apple Twist’ grows best in partial to full shade and acidic, well-drained soil. Much like apples, Heuchera ‘Apple Twist’ attracts pollinators such as butterflies, hummingbirds and bees, while also being resistant to deer. This plant works well as a border plant or in containers, but its changing colors also make it suitable as a focal point in any garden.

Heuchera 'Black Pearl'

'Black Pearl’
The combination of its glossy, jet-black foliage, purple undersides, and pink flowers makes this Heuchera cultivar a stunning show-stopper. While some Heucheras will bleach and lighten in color with too much exposure to the sun, ‘Black Pearl’ retains its striking color even in full sun. However, especially in warmer climates, this plant benefits from partial to full shade.

Heuchera ‘Black Pearl’ is a villosa hybrid, which is a late-blooming species with increased heat and humidity tolerance. ‘Black Pearl’ will grow best with average amounts of moisture, and drier soils will prevent rotting and also deter slugs. Cut back the previous year’s foliage in early spring to allow room for new growth of this intensely colored perennial.

‘Black Pearl’ is quite versatile and can fill a number of different roles in a garden. It works well in larger containers that can accommodate its dense leaves, or as a landscape plant. ‘Black Pearl’ can be paired up with brightly colored plants that bring out the full intensity of its dark leaves, or it can be accompanied by purples and violets for a more monochromatic but no less vibrant look.

‘Autumn Bride’

Heuchera 'Autumn Bride'

With its tall clouds of white flowers that bloom from August through September, this Heuchera cultivar certainly does seem reminiscent of a bride all dressed in white. Its flowering is one of the largest in the genus—this plant pulls out all the stops. What’s more, the foliage of Heuchera ‘Autumn Bride’ is velvety to the touch, much like the fine quality of a bride’s gown.

Especially in southern climates, ‘Autumn Bride’ thrives in the shade and in well-drained soils that are moderately moist. This easy-care cultivar fares better than most Heucheras in hot and humid summers, and it has good drought tolerance and is deer resistant.

Its 2-foot stalks with white blooms really stand out when planted in groups or massed, and they make lovely cut flowers. ‘Autumn Bride’ can also be wedded to other plants to create exciting foliage contrast and combinations.

Photos courtesy of Walters Gardens & Lurie Garden.

SPRING PLANT SALE DETAILS:
Date: Saturday, March 30, 2019
Time: 8 a.m.-noon
Members-only preview sale:  4-6 p.m. Friday, March 29
Member benefits: Duke Gardens members get 10% off all purchases, plus access to the members-only preview sale and a full list of plants in advance! Join online or on site.
Parking: Free during the sale.
Pets not permitted. Please see Duke Gardens' pets policy here.
Wagons + boxes: Our supply is limited; please bring your own if possible, and you'll have more time to spend gathering beautiful plants.
Your support helps Duke Gardens to provide summer internships to aspiring horticulturists from across the nation. Thank you!
Please see our event page for more information, and we'd love for you to spread the word by sharing our Facebook event page and inviting your Facebook friends.

Spring Plant Sale Preview: Hostas

Hosta 'Sum and Substance'. Photo: Jason Holmes.

By Katherine Hale

Each spring and summer, gardeners’ hearts are taken hostage by hostas—and with good reason. These shade-garden stalwarts come in a dizzying number of horticultural hybrids, with hundreds more introduced each year by enthusiastic breeders. While the classic green-leafed hosta remains popular, showy blue, gold and variegated leafed-varieties offer new twists on old favorites, ranging in size from petite to giant. With hostas, the possibilities are limited only by the imagination.

Hosta 'Guacamole'. Photo: Walters Gardens.

While the broad ribbed leaves are the main focal point throughout the growing season, hosta flowers are nothing to sneer at. Stalks of dangling, bell-like flowers rise gracefully out of the canopy in mid-summer, swaying gently in the breeze. The effect is multiplied when hostas are planted en masse in a perennial border or woodland garden, especially if fragrant varieties are involved.

All hostas are incredibly tough, though they exhibit their best color and vigor with afternoon shade, adequate moisture, and high organic matter. Their main enemies in the Triangle region are white-tailed deer, who vacuum up any plants they can reach, meaning that fencing or other protection is a must. Slugs may also be a concern in the shadiest areas.

Hostas are regular bestsellers at our annual spring plant sale, and we’ll be offering a smorgasbord of great selections again this year: ‘Akikaze’, ‘Bridal Falls,’ ‘Chartreuse Wiggles’, ‘Cool as a Cucumber’, ‘Dancing Queen’, ‘Dream Weaver’, ‘First Frost’, ‘Guacamole’, ‘Joy Ride’, ‘June Spirit’, ‘Komodo Dragon’, ‘Lakeside Paisley Print’, ‘Neptune’, ‘Sum and Substance’, and ‘Waterslide’.

Hosta 'Chartreuse Wiggles'. Photo: J. Holmes.

Whether you are a beginning gardener just beginning to explore this incredible genus, or an experienced connoisseur, the perfect hosta awaits.


SPRING PLANT SALE DETAILS:
Date: Saturday, March 30, 2019
Time: 8 a.m.-noon
Members-only preview sale:  4-6 p.m. Friday, March 29
Member benefits: Duke Gardens members get 10% off all purchases, plus access to the members-only preview sale and a full list of plants in advance! Join online or on site.
Parking: Free during the sale.
Pets not permitted. Please see Duke Gardens' pets policy here.
Wagons + boxes: Our supply is limited; please bring your own if possible, and you'll have more time to spend gathering beautiful plants.
Your support helps Duke Gardens to provide summer internships to aspiring horticulturists from across the nation. Thank you!
Please see our event page for more information, and we'd love for you to spread the word by sharing our Facebook event page and inviting your Facebook friends.

Spring Plant Sale Preview: Peonies

'Felix Crouse' peony

By Katherine Hale

It wouldn’t be a Spring Plant Sale here at Duke Gardens without a wide variety of peonies available for your gardening pleasure. Depending on the weather and cultivar in question, these showy standouts bloom anytime between Mother’s Day and Memorial Day, offering an excellent way to honor those special people in your life.

Beloved by Chinese scholars and French Impressionists alike, peonies have a pedigree that spans over a thousand years of cultivation and appreciation, and they add character and class to every garden. In addition to old favorites like 'Sarah Bernhardt’, this year we’ll be offering another classic selection, ‘Felix Crouse’.

Known in the trade as a bomb-type double, ‘Felix Crouse’ blooms are a massive explosion of raspberry red petals with a silky texture and pleasant fragrance. First exhibited in France in 1881, ‘Felix Crouse’ is a top of the line selection that can live for up to 50 years, and it only improves with age. A bouquet of these beauties can last over a week if flowers are cut in the bud, or you can leave them on the plant to dazzle humans and butterflies alike, while pesky rabbits and deer keep their distance.

Like all peonies, ‘Felix Crouse’ will never need dividing, and it responds poorly to transplanting, so proper siting is critical for its longevity and success. Rich, well-drained soils in full sun or light afternoon shade are best, and keep it away from trees and shrubs that will compete with it for water and nutrients. Large, heavy blooms may require staking to remain upright, particularly in heavy rains. Aside from these details, ‘Felix Crouse’ is trouble-free, and equally at home in an informal hedge, the back of a perennial border, or as a beloved specimen plant.

Our peony lineup also includes ‘Bartzella’, ‘Bowl of Beauty’, ‘Festiva Maxima’ and ‘Red Magic’, and possibly a few additional surprises.  Come out and see for yourself which ones strike your fancy—with thousands of alluring cultivars commercially available, you never know what might turn up!

Photo courtesy of thesitegardener.com.


SPRING PLANT SALE DETAILS:
Date: Saturday, March 30, 2019
Time: 8 a.m.-noon
Members-only preview sale:  4-6 p.m. Friday, March 29
Member benefits: Duke Gardens members get 10% off all purchases, plus access to the members-only preview sale and a full list of plants in advance! Join online or on site.
Parking: Free during the sale.
Pets not permitted. Please see Duke Gardens' pets policy here.
Wagons + boxes: Our supply is limited; please bring your own if possible, and you'll have more time to spend gathering beautiful plants.
Your support helps Duke Gardens to provide summer internships to aspiring horticulturists from across the nation. Thank you!
Please see our event page for more information, and we'd love for you to spread the word by sharing our Facebook event page and inviting your Facebook friends.

Spring Plant Sale Preview: Native Knockouts

Coreopsis 'Early Sunrise'. Photo courtesy of Walters Gardens.

By Katherine Hale

This year’s Spring Plant Sale will feature a wide variety of horticultural selections, from tried-and-true classics to the latest cultivars. We’ll also have trouble-free and reliable southeastern natives for those looking for low-maintenance and trouble-free alternatives to the standard horticultural palate, including these three knockouts:

This 'Snowflake' oakleaf hydrangea is one of several
cultivars growing in Duke Gardens. Photo: J. Holmes

Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) is a southeastern native shrub with year-round appeal. Huge buds unfurl in the spring to reveal complex lobed leaves before bright pyramidal flower clusters arrive in midsummer. After a vivid display of autumn color, the exfoliating bark of bare branches provides winter interest. They’re an excellent choice for hedges or as foundation plants, especially in places too shady or moist for more conventional options. This year, we’re featuring ‘Snow Queen,’ a sterile cultivar with especially showy sprays of blooms, and ‘Ellen Huff,’ a vigorous, heat-tolerant selection with excellent form.

Cardinal flower. Photo: J. Holmes.

Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) is another garden-worthy native that sends up distinctive plumes of bright red blossoms irresistible to hummingbirds in August and September. This showstopper requires moist soil to flourish, making it an ideal choice for rain gardens, stream edges and other soggy areas, though a heavy layer of mulch and frequent watering makes drier areas more acceptable. Cardinal flower offers a zing of color and charm in sunny wet meadows or woodland shade gardens, especially when paired with like-minded species like Indian-pink (Spigelia marilandica), ferns or hostas. Left to its own devices, it will naturalize over time in a charming but unaggressive fashion, multiplying to fill in any gaps or openings in its vicinity.

Coreopsis 'Early Sunrise'. Photo: Walters Gardens.

Coreopsis ‘Early Sunrise’ is a compact version of a hardy wild favorite, with all of the charm and none of the sprawl of its undomesticated cousin. Masses of bright yellow flowers emerge on cue at midsummer, and they will bloom for months if regularly deadheaded. Like all coreopsis, ‘Early Sunrise’ flourishes in poor, dry soils and is popular with butterflies, bumblebees and other native pollinators. Keep it out of moist areas and let it naturalize freely in open meadows and prairie-style plantings with good drainage, and you should enjoy many years of colorful blooms.
Whatever your garden type or skill level, we’ll have something for you here, along with expert advice from Duke Gardens horticulturists, Durham Master Gardeners and specialty vendors. We hope to see you there!


SPRING PLANT SALE DETAILS:
Date: Saturday, March 30, 2019
Time: 8 a.m.-noon
Members-only preview sale:  4-6 p.m. Friday, March 29
Member benefits: Duke Gardens members get 10% off all purchases, plus access to the members-only preview sale and a full list of plants in advance! Join online or on site.
Parking: Free during the sale.
Pets not permitted. Please see Duke Gardens' pets policy here.
Wagons + boxes: Our supply is limited; please bring your own if possible, and you'll have more time to spend gathering beautiful plants.
Your support helps Duke Gardens to provide summer internships to aspiring horticulturists from across the nation. Thank you!
Please see our event page for more information, and we'd love for you to spread the word by sharing the event on Facebook and inviting your Facebook friends.

Spring Plant Sale Preview: Woodland Phlox

By Rose James
Duke Class of 2020

Phlox divaricata 'Blue Perfume' is similar
to the 'Blue Moon' variety we'll have at
the Fall Plant sale. Photo by Jason Holmes.

Finding the right color of flowers for your garden can be difficult. I am particular to roses myself, but when it comes to purple and blue blooms, I have to turn to other options. Some of the prettiest shades of lavender I have ever found have come from the Phlox divaricata, commonly called the woodland phlox.

Ranging from lavender to blue, the Phlox divaricata is a small, native wildflower with dainty flowers that bloom in  April and May. It grows to be 8 to 12 inches high and equally as wide. It does well in partial shade to full shade gardens.

As an added bonus to its lush color, the woodland phlox is known to attract hummingbirds and butterflies. If left to grow in your garden, the woodland phlox will form large colonies over time, as wildflowers tend to do.

Woodland phlox in the Terrace Gardens. Photo: J. Holmes.

The Duke Gardens Spring Plant sale will feature the 'Blue Moon' Phlox divaricata, known for its deep violet-blue flowers. Its blooms are not only colorful but very fragrant. The 'Blue Moon' is a good complement for gardens with ferns and hellebores and is certain to please gardeners seeking to bring a variety of color into their gardens.


SPRING PLANT SALE DETAILS:
Date: Saturday, March 30, 2019
Time: 8 a.m.-noon
Members-only preview sale:  4-6 p.m. Friday, March 29
Member benefits: Duke Gardens members get 10% off all purchases, plus access to the members-only preview sale and a full list of plants in advance! Join online or on site.
Parking: Free during the sale.
Pets not permitted. Please see Duke Gardens' pets policy here.
Wagons + boxes: Our supply is limited; please bring your own if possible, and you'll have more time to spend gathering beautiful plants.
Your support helps Duke Gardens to provide summer internships to aspiring horticulturists from across the nation.
Please see our event page for more information, and we'd love for you to spread the word by sharing the event on Facebook and inviting your Facebook friends.
Thank you!