Facebook Photo Contest: Buds & Blossoms

As spring unfolds, beautiful buds and blossoms are everywhere. Do you have a favorite Duke Gardens photo of a bud or blossom? We'd love to see it, and share it for others to enjoy in our Facebook Photo Contest. Please don't be shy. This exhibit & contest is open to photographers at all levels and all ages. It's just a fun way to share your love for the Gardens with others who love it here, too.

For this contest, the buds and blossoms can be of any sort and from any season, as long as the setting is here at Duke Gardens.

Here's the scoop:

TOPIC: The topic for April is buds and blossoms.

HOW TO ENTER: Email up to 3 photos for each contest to DukeGardensPhotos@yahoo.com. At least 5x7" or larger at 72 ppi is best, but if you don't know how to resize photos, feel free to send them as is, 1 per email. We will post them in an album on Facebook, with your Facebook name in the photo description. You can then add more information about the photo if you like, and encourage your friends to come see it and vote by clicking "like." You may also post the photo on our wall, but be sure to email it as well, so that it's officially in the contest and album. Only "like" votes on the album photos will count in vote tallies, though (polite) comments are welcome, too.

DEADLINE: Photos must be submitted by noon April 30. Voting will end at 10 a.m. May 1. (Voting extended until Thursday, May 3, at 10 a.m.)

HOW TO VOTE: It's simple. Just click "like" for all your favorite photos.

PRIZES: We'll have prizes for most "like" votes, as well as judges' awards. First prize is a Duke Gardens 2012 or 2013 calendar -- your choice. 2nd prize: Duke Gardens greeting cards or a 75th anniversary T-shirt. 3rd prize: discount coupon for the Terrace Shop. Entrants may only win one prize per contest theme in each tally (top votes & judges' prizes). Top prize winners may opt for lower prizes.

SHARE: Even if you're not interested in prizes or contests, we'd love for you to share your photos just for fun, and share our contest photo album with your own Facebook friends. We look forward to seeing your favorites.

LEARN MORE: Please check out our education & event listings for photo courses that you may enjoy. We also have a Nature Photography Certificate program that may interest you.

Blog photo by Paul D. Jones.

New Facebook photo contest: reds & pinks

Euonymus americanus
Photo by Stefan Bloodworth

As February approaches, we've got pinks and reds on our minds -- colors that are already popping in the Gardens but which you can find here all year long, from berries to waterlilies. So how about a new Duke Gardens Facebook photo exhibit+contest devoted to pinks and reds? And for a Valentine's treat, let's have a special celebration of the hearts a bustin' plant (Euonymus americanus).

Got a favorite Duke Gardens photo with pink or red in it? We'd love to see it. Please don't be shy. This exhibit & contest is open to photographers at all levels and all ages. It's just a fun way to share your love for the Gardens with others who love it here, too.

For this contest, the reds and pinks can be anywhere, from a flower to a coat or hat -- as long as the setting is here at Duke Gardens.

Note: Facebook's structure has changed, so we can no longer do the contests in "events" with ease. So now we're using a collective album and email, which has worked well so far.

Here's the scoop:

TOPIC: The topic for February is fall colors.

HOW TO ENTER: Email up to 3 photos for each contest to DukeGardensPhotos@yahoo.com. At least 5x7" or larger at 72 ppi is best, but if you don't know how to resize photos, feel free to send them as is, 1 per email. We will post them in an album on Facebook, with your Facebook name in the photo description. You can then add more information about the photo if you like, and encourage your friends to come see it and vote by clicking "like." You may also post the photo on our wall, but be sure to email it as well, so that it's officially in the contest and album. Only "like" votes on the album photos will count in vote tallies, though (polite) comments are welcome, too.

DEADLINE: Photos must be submitted by noon Feb. 27. Voting will end at 10 a.m. Feb. 28 (update: extended to Feb. 29).

HOW TO VOTE: It's simple. Just click "like" for all your favorite photos.

PRIZES: We'll have prizes for most "like" votes, as well as judges' awards. First prize is a Duke Gardens 2012 calendar. 2nd prize: Duke Gardens greeting cards or a 75th anniversary T-shirt. 3rd prize: discount coupon for the Terrace Shop. Entrants may only win one prize per contest theme in each tally (top votes & judges' prizes). Top prize winners may opt for lower prizes.

SHARE: Even if you're not interested in prizes or contests, we'd love for you to share your photos just for fun, and share our contest photo album with your own Facebook friends. We look forward to seeing your favorites.

LEARN MORE: Please check out our education & event listings for photo courses that you may enjoy. We also have a Nature Photography Certificate program that may interest you.

2011 notecards are here!

Duke Gardens' 2011 notecards are in, and they're available at the Terrace Shop -- a fantastic gift for your nature-loving friends and family.

The first four images below from our four main gardens come in a 12-pack of 4x6 cards for $10.

The final image is our winter scene, also a 4x6, which is available in packs of 10 for $10 or individually for $1.75.

All of the cards are blank inside.

You can also get our 2012 calendar, with scenes from all over the Gardens. It's only $10. Here's a preview PDF.

SALE! Duke students and employees can get our new cards and calendars for 20% off through Dec. 22.

For information, or for a mail order, please call the Terrace Shop at 919-684-9037.

We're grateful to the gifted photographers who have made these images available to us as a Gardens fundraiser. We hope you enjoy them, too.

The Terrace Gardens, as seen from the Frances P. Rollins Overlook
Photo by Rick Fisher

The Blomquist Gate House
Photo by Pat Lloyd

Roof iris and Japanese Kasuga lantern
in the Asiatic Arboretum
Photo by Paul D. Jones

Virtue Peace Pond in the Doris Duke Center Gardens
Photo by Robert Ayers

Japanese-style arched bridge
and Yukimi "snow-viewing" lantern
in the Asiatic Arboretum
Photo by Wendell Hull