By Sarah Leach Smith
There’s no
denying the cooler temperatures and the falling leaves – the winter holidays
are approaching. For many people, it’s a stressful time of year. What will I
bring to the meal/give as a gift/wear to the party? Here at Duke Gardens, we
may not be able to answer ALL of your questions, but we can certainly help with
a few of these things.
Have you
ever considered the gift of a Friends of Duke
Gardens membership? It’s a wonderful idea for people who live in Durham or
the surrounding areas. Because Duke Gardens is free for all visitors, more than half of our yearly operating
budget comes from our members, who value all that this botanic garden has
to offer. 
Membership
not only supports the future of Duke Gardens, but it also comes with great
benefits for members. All membership levels
include discounts for education programs and gift shop purchases, invitations
to specials Friends of Duke Gardens events, reciprocal admission to nearly
300 gardens in North America and a copy of our annual Friends publication Flora.
To
supplement the gift of membership, consider a special Duke Gardens souvenir
item! In the Terrace Shop,
we have a beautiful assortment of Duke Gardens books, mugs, T-shirts and 2016
calendars. We also have unique items handmade by the Garden Guild, a group of
very crafty Gardens volunteers. Stay tuned for more information about these items.
If you’d
like to give a gift of a Friends of Duke Gardens membership, please give us a
call. Development Assistant Millicent Snow would love to hear from you and may
be reached at 919-668-1711.
Happy
Holidays!
