Spotlight on: Bryce Lane & the Importance of Soil

The key to a gorgeous planting is soil. Photo by Brian Wells.

By Sarah Leach Smith
Visitor Services Coordinator

If you love plants and have never experienced a class taught by Bryce Lane, then you have no idea what you are missing!

In just a couple of weeks, Bryce Lane will teach "Soil," a 3-hour workshop focusing on the most important part of your garden. Bryce will take you through the process of understanding soils, learning how to build and improve your soil and how to prepare a bed for planting. The workshop will include hands-on activities and soil tests that you can use over and over again in your home garden.

Not long ago, I was a student of Bryce's in the Department of Horticulture Science at North Carolina State University. I can tell you that he is the most charismatic and engaging teacher I have ever had. Soil may not sound like the most interesting topic, but I must admit that I have signed up for this class myself, to have a useful refresher about soils, of course, but also to have the opportunity to experience another class taught by Bryce Lane.

I reached out to Bryce recently to find out more about what he has been up to and what he hopes to cover in this course. Our Q&A is below.

Will you tell potential students a little more about your background and your experience? 

Bryce Lane with one of his 3 Emmy awards.
Photo courtesy of Bryce Lane. 

I grew up in Western Massachusetts, where I first discovered my passion for plants and telling others about them while working at a local garden center through high school and college. I earned my B.S. in plant science from the University of Massachusetts in 1979 and an M.S. in horticulture from The Ohio State University in 1981. I came to the Department of Horticultural Science at N.C. StateUniversity as a lecturer, teaching in both the two-year and four-year programs. In 1987, I became the undergraduate coordinator, serving the department in that capacity for 26 years. In the past 30+ years, I have taught more than 20,000 students! I also hosted and produced a three-time Emmy winning UNC-TV public television show called “In the Garden with Bryce Lane”, which was on the air for 11 seasons.

Though I retired from N.C. State in January of 2014, I have enjoyed pursuing public speaking opportunities and teaching part time. I have actually been teaching soils workshops now for three years, and it's a regular winter workshop at the JC Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh every year

What can we expect from your class? What do you hope participants will gain from it?
Expect a dynamic, entertaining, yet scientifically packed presentation about soil, soil profiles, soil chemistry, soil structure, pH, organic matter, soil and bed preparation and soil building. I’ll also talk about container media and how it needs to be different, and treated differently from outdoor soil. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the dynamics of soil, and how to apply the science they learn to create better garden soil for all their gardening endeavors. They will learn how to build soil and make it better for the environment, their gardens and their plants.

Bed preparation in the Discovery Garden. Photo by Lindsey Fleetwood.

What are you most excited about with regard to this class? 

I am most excited about how this workshop enables gardeners to be more successful growing plants in their gardens. By learning some soil science and committing to using that knowledge to improve soil, gardeners will be equipped to improve all their gardening practices.

 

Health & Wellness: dancing & yoga at the Gardens

Social dances, dance workshops and yoga are part of a new Health and Wellness Series that Duke Gardens is offering this winter.

DANCES and WORKSHOPS

* Please see our February update with Feb. 8 & 9 tango dance, swing dance and swing workshops. Each dance starts with a 1-hour beginner lesson included with admission.

A swing dance and workshop series on Saturday, Jan. 12, kicks off the dance series. The dance will be at 8 p.m., preceded by a beginner lesson at 7 p.m. that’s included with admission. People age 16 and over may attend, and no partner is required. Richard Badu will teach the lesson and DJs will spin classic swing tunes for the dance.

Duke Gardens will also host four one-hour workshops from 1 to 5 p.m. with Wesley Boz and Debbie Ramsey, of Mad About Dance Academy. The workshops are: slow blues for beginners, 1 p.m.; Charleston kicking patterns, 2 p.m.; slow blues for experienced dancers, 3 p.m.; advanced East Coast swing patterns, 4 p.m. Again, no partner is necessary.

On Friday, Feb. 8, the Gardens will host a tango dance at 8 p.m., preceded by a 7 p.m. beginner lesson with Jason Laughlin, of Tangophilia.

And on Saturday, Feb. 9, there will be a swing dance at 8 p.m., preceded by a 7 p.m. beginner lesson with Chris Owens, of What a Shuffle. Chris and Holly Owens will also teach three workshops preceding the dance: beginner Balboa (2-3 p.m.), beginner Balboa II (3-4 p.m.) and beginner Charleston (6-7 p.m.).

TICKET PRICES: Tickets to the dances are $10 in advance for general admission; $8 for Duke students/staff and members of Duke Gardens, Carolina Dance Club or Triangle Swing Dance Society. Tickets may be bought with a credit card over the phone at 668-1707. Advance sales end at noon the day before each dance. At the door, if tickets remain, they will be $12 for all, with a $5 student rush for students with a valid high school or college i.d. (cash/check only).

Admission to the Jan. 12 workshops is $18; $16 members of Duke Gardens, CDC or TSDS or Duke staff/students. Multi-class discounts: $32/$30 for 2 workshops; $42/$38 for 3 workshops; $48/$44 for all four workshops.


Admission to the Feb. 9 workshops is $18; $16 members of Duke Gardens, CDC or TSDS or Duke staff/students. Multi-class discounts: $32/$30 for 2 workshops; $42/$38 for 3 workshops.

SHARE ON FACEBOOK: We'd love it if you'd help spread the word by RSVPing to these events (even "maybe" is OK) and then inviting your Facebook friends. Please go to https://www.facebook.com/DukeGardens and click the "events" tab for a full list of events.

NEW YOGA SERIES

 Photo by Rick Fisher

The Gardens’ yoga classes for beginners -- titled "Yoga, Stretch & Meditation for Gardeners," but open to non-gardeners also -- will start Thursday, Jan. 10, from 6-7 p.m. and run through Feb. 14. People may attend all classes or simply drop in. The class will include yoga, meditation, therapy ball massage and stretching, and it will be taught by Orla Swift. It will have a special focus on addressing and preventing aches and pains that gardeners get, but anyone can benefit. It’s open to anyone age 16 and older.

TO REGISTER: The drop-in fee is $15 per class. Students who pay for a multi-class pass will pay $10 per class, or $8 for members of Duke Gardens or Duke students/staff. For more information, or to register, please go to gardens.duke.edu or call (919) 668-1707.