2016 Spring Plant Sale Preview

Iris tectorum.

Edited by Sarah Leach Smith
visitor services coordinator

The Spring Plant Sale is this weekend! We've been sharing Facebook posts highlighting some plants that we'll be selling, and we thought we'd share them here, too.

The sale will be Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon for the public, and Friday from 4-6 p.m. for Duke Gardens members (you may join on site). Hope to see you here!

Iris tectorum (Japanese roof iris)

Passiflora caerulea.

"Iris tectorum is a beautiful colonizing perennial," says Jason Holmes, curator of the Doris Duke Center Gardens. "The flowers are a stunning blue-purple that open wide and reveal a white to light purple beard on the outer petals. This iris blooms consistently from late April through May, with the flowers standing around 18 inches. For the rest of the year, this iris holds fan-like clusters of leaves that are equally attractive in the landscape. It is best grown in full sun to part shade and prefers well-draining soils. Roof iris received its name because it was found growing on roofs in Japan."

Passiflora caerulea (blue passion flower)

Phlomis russeliana.

"Every time I see this plant bloom, I feel like I am in the tropics," Jason says. "The flowers of this perennial vine emerge throughout summer and well into fall. The flowers are unique - there are white petals, but each flower also has a host of other colors, including blue, yellow and purple. This vine is best grown on a fence, trellis, obelisk, arbor or anywhere you can appreciate the flowers up close. It is hardy here in Durham but does drop all of its leaves in the winter. Plant it in full sun in well-draining soil or even place it in a container for the summer."

Phlomis russeliana (Turkish sage)

"Turkish sage is native to the mountainous regions of Syria and Turkey, "Jason says. "In summer it is adorned with spikes of yellow flowers that are held in whorled clusters. It grows in colonies 2 to 3 feet wide, and its flowers are 2 feet high. The large, plush leaves are not a favorite among deer, so it is certainly a must in gardens of this area!"

Phlox sp.

Phlox sp. (phlox)

"Butterflies and hummingbirds love our native phlox species!" says Beth Hall, our plant collections manager. "Many of these spring bloomers are fragrant and range in color from blue to purple to pink. For the woodland garden, Phlox divaricata (wild blue phlox) puts on a stunning show of blue flowers from April through May and the sweet fragrance is a show-stopper. Also pictured is creeping phlox (Phlox stolonifera), a species native to the Appalachians that grows in full sun to part shade and blooms pink in the spring. It blooms a week or two later than blue phlox, so a combination of the two is a great way to extend the display."

Trillium sp.

Trillium sp. (trillium)

"Native to woodlands throughout the eastern U.S., trilliums can establish themselves well in shady gardens," curator Jason Holmes explains. "Trilliums have leaves of three and a solitary flower that may be white, red or yellow, depending on the species. Some even have mottled, spotty leaves that can be as pretty as the flowers. They are best grown in rich soil that retains good moisture. Trilliums can handle sunlight during spring, but shade throughout summer is a must."

Contributions by Jason Holmes, curator of the Doris Duke Center Gardens, and Beth Hall, the Paul J. Kramer plant collections manager.

Enjoy Easter and Spring at Duke Gardens

Visit the egg-laying hens at Duke Gardens

Updated for 2014

With Easter Sunday approaching, many families are looking forward to creating Easter egg hunts for children to enjoy in their yards. Others will head to Duke Gardens, hoping to bring their egg hunts to a larger space. 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 our visiting dogs to be safe, too.

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

* Where did those Easter eggs come from? Why not visit the chicken coop in the Charlotte Brody Discovery Garden so children can meet some egg-laying hens? Baroness von Brody, Big Mama and her pals would love to greet you.

* Continue exploring the Discovery Garden to see broccoli, cauliflower, blueberries, kale, chard and other yummy foods being grown. For children who've only ever seen these foods on a plate or in a grocery store, seeing where the plants are "born" can be fun. The Exploration Station will not be available on Easter weekend 2014.

* 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. The Nature Ranger Cart will be taking a holiday for Easter weekend 2014 and will not be at the Gothic Gate.

* Bird watch: From a great blue heron to a red-tailed hawk, a black-necked swan 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 photos 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 email them to dukegardensphotos@yahoo.com. On April 2, we'll draw a few names randomly to win some prizes.

*Easter Sunday Services: Join Duke Chapel for a 6:30 a.m. Easter Sunrise Service or an 11 a.m. Catholic Mass on the South Lawn of Duke Gardens. If you're coming for the sunrise service, 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.

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. Duke Gardens is at 420 Anderson St.