Fall Plant Sale: Dorm Plants + Student Giveaway

By Annie Yang
Duke T'20

Air plants are a perfect
low-maintenance plant for
students. Photo by Beth Hall.

Duke Gardens can be a wonderful respite from the rigors of Duke student life, with its beautiful landscapes to stroll through and lovely plants to admire and learn about. But students are increasingly recognizing the benefits of plants even in the confines of their tiny dorm rooms and apartments.

Duke Gardens’ Fall Plant Sale on Saturday will celebrate this healthy trend by featuring succulents and other plants that thrive indoors with low maintenance. And if you’re one of the first 75 students at the sale, which runs from 8 a.m. to noon, you’ll receive a free air plant. 

A dramatic air plant display
at Duke Gardens.

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.

There’s plenty of room for creativity and imagination in displaying your air plant. 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.

Cristina Lai's low-maintenance succulent plant.

You can also expand your succulent collection at Saturday’s sale. Senior Cristina Lai got her succulent because having greenery in her room “brightens up the space and makes it feel more homey rather than temporary,” she says. Succulent-focused events at DuWell, Duke’s student wellness center, always draw an enthusiastic crowd. Justin Sharpe, a student development coordinator for DuWell, says students like the sense of responsibility in being able to “make something, call it their own, and take care of it all at the same time.”

Of course, 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.

So even with midterm season ahead, with its never-ending piles of work, these dorm-loving plants will be one less thing to worry about and one more thing to ground you.

Fall Plant Sale details:

Air plants look great together!

Date: Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017
Time: 8 a.m.-noon
Membership benefit: Duke Gardens members get 10% off! Join now or on site.
Student air plant giveaway: Each student will receive one air plant during the sale, while supplies last. Students must show a current Duke ID to qualify.
Parking: Free.
Pets not permitted
Wagons + boxes: Our supply is limited; please bring your own if possible, and you'll have more time to spend gathering beautiful plants.
Please see our event page for more information, and we'd love for you to spread the word on Facebook. Thank you!

Duke Freshmen, Stop and Smell the Roses!

The Blomquist Garden of Native Plants has many beautiful paths to explore.

By Cici Xie

So, you're in your first year at Duke, and you’re about halfway through your first semester. You’re probably starting to feel a bit overwhelmed with juggling schoolwork and other responsibilities. I get it. And I have three words for you: Visit Duke Gardens!

"How am I supposed to do that?" you ask. You have back-to-back classes starting at 8:30 a.m. and you don’t even have time to eat lunch before you have to go to a club meeting and then you have to go to practice, and by the time you’re back in your dorm it’s already 9 p.m. and you haven’t started your paper that’s due tomorrow and you have a quiz in math first thing in the morning, not to mention two midterms the day after, and you haven’t called your parents in who knows how long, and you’re running on nothing but 4 espresso shots.

Breathe. I get it.

Sarah studying in the Terrace Gardens.

I promise you that if you can make time to come to Duke Gardens, it will be worth your while. Take Sarah, for example. I found Sarah sitting next to the terraces working on an assignment for her creative writing class.

“I think everyone should take like one day out of their week to come, even if they aren’t nature people, because I think the Gardens offer so much for different kinds of people," she said. "And if you’re a social thinker, the Gardens offers an outside perspective more so than the regular quad would. And obviously if you like nature it’s just a great reset.”

 Faye on her way to class.

If that’s not convincing enough for you, here’s what Duke senior Faye said when I asked what she would tell freshmen:

"There’s way more to the Gardens than you probably see on a regular basis. I just started exploring the gardens more this year, and I found so many places I never knew were here. So I would definitely say even take a Saturday and just, like, go on a date in the Gardens, make your boyfriend or girlfriend or whatever take you around in the gardens. Go exploring. Go find every little nook and cranny of the gardens and just spend the day here.”

Consider visiting the ducks in the Asiatic Arboretum.

So yes, I know you’re crazy busy and you can barely find time to sleep. But next time you have to have a club meeting or you need to write a paper, consider doing it in Duke Gardens; I promise that you’ll feel much better.


Blogger Cici Xie is a Duke sophomore majoring in behavioral economics.

Behold Your Next Study Spot

The Culberson Asiatic Arboretum has many scenic benches.

By Ashley Wong (T'16)

For those exhausted from being in the confines of Perkins Library and desiring a change in workspace, look no further than Duke Gardens for a de-stressing and productive environment (yes, productive – science says so!).

There is no shortage of scientific literature extolling the merits of a sustained contact with nature, most notably benefits related to mental health – but also, as it turns out, cognition as well. A 2008 study on the cognitive benefits of interacting with the natural environment supported nature’s role in improving directed-attention abilities (like the ones crucial in memorizing details or solving calculus problems). When you pore over a term paper, you are depleting finite stores of voluntary, directed attention. The remedy is to activate your involuntary attention so that your directed-attention mechanisms are given a chance to replenish.

Nature does precisely this by providing softly fascinating stimuli. As Alex Hutchinson of the New Yorker puts it, "Our eye is captured by the shape of a branch, a ripple in the water; your mind follows." A major takeaway from the experiment is that one can benefit greatly from the restorative value of nature. After interacting with it, one is able to perform better on tasks that require direct attention.

There you have it: scientific evidence supporting your next visit to Duke Gardens. From here, the  natural segue would be to highlight some of my favorite places to tuck myself away and be productive among beautifully designed landscapes. For your ease in finding the particular spots listed below, I will note its corresponding location on this map.

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Culberson Asiatic Arboretum entrance (pictured below; A1) - I love this spot for shade and seclusion, particularly during autumn's mild weather. Whether settling down on a bench or lying out on the grass, you can't help but bask in the zen atmosphere.

Virtue Peace Pond (right, D1): The Adirondack chairs overlooking the Virtue Peace Pond provide exactly what the name of this site implies: pure serenity. Tucked behind the Doris Duke Center, this pretty pond is where I go to sit and lean back, and to enjoy the seasonal water lily display.

Blomquist Garden (left; B1-10): On certain days, I prefer the quiet seclusion of the Blomquist Garden of Native Plants. Scattered around the Blomquist Pavilion are various benches suitable for studying; many paths lead to quiet nooks, and the Bird Viewing Shelter is also a peaceful refuge.

South Lawn (below; near H13 on map)- An already popular student attraction, the South Lawn tends to be bustling with students and Durham families alike, especially on warm days and weekends. It's perfect for simultaneous sun-soaking and problem-solving and it's an easy walk from West Campus!

Hanes Iris Garden (below; near H10 on map) - I always come to the Hanes Iris Garden ready to sprawl on the grassy hillside. More removed from the bustle of the South Lawn, Hanes is another favorite of mine when it comes to being productive on especially warm and sunny days. 

Asiatic Arboretum Pond (below; A2, A9, A10) -  Along the paths around this large pond are bountiful spots I believe are optimal for light reading while being surrounded by flora and fauna and the steady chatter of ducks. I say light reading because in such an aesthetically appealing workspace, it's difficult to not be overly distracted by the incomparable scenery, topped off with a view of the nearby Japanese-style arched bridge. 

There are so many more great places in the Gardens' 55 acres. What's your favorite spot for studying or relaxing? Share it in comments below and we will feature it in a future post. Happy studies!

Blogger Ashley Wong is a Duke senior majoring in environmental studies, with minors in biology and visual & media studies. She is also a Duke Gardens work-study marketing assistant.

Instagram Photo Contest: #dukegardensstudents

We're thrilled with the response to our first Instagram-Facebook photo contest (#dukegardenscolorpop), so we're doing a second one!

This time we're looking for photos of Duke students in Duke Gardens -- and among the prizes will be a $50 iTunes gift card (see details below). Your photograph can be recent or from past years.

Entering this contest is a little different from past contests, so please read the "How to Enter" instructions carefully.

Here's the scoop:

HOW TO ENTER: Tag your Instagram photos with #dukegardensstudents. Please only tag three photos with #dukegardensstudents, as participants are limited to three entries. Outside of the contest, we welcome #dukegardens tags at any time, and #dukespring tags this season. We will search for the #dukegardensstudents hashtag, and upload your photos into an album on Facebook, with your Instagram name in the photo description. You may then add more information about the photo in the comments if you like, and encourage your friends to come see it and vote by clicking "like." Only "like" votes on the album photos will count in vote tallies, though (polite) comments are welcome, too. We'll also tally "likes" on the Instagram photos.

Please be sure to see our etiquette page before posting, as we will not include photos of people climbing trees, playing sports, roaming off the paths or engaging in other activities that are not permitted in the Gardens.

DEADLINE: Photos must be submitted by noon Tuesday, April 28. Voting will end at 9 a.m. on Thursday, April 30.

HOW TO VOTE: It's simple. Just "like" your favorite contest photos, both in Instagram and on Facebook. You can find us @sarahpdukegardens in Instagram. On Facebook, we're at facebook.com/dukegardens.

PRIZES: We'll have prizes for most "like" votes on Facebook and on Instagram, as well as judges' awards. Prizes will include Terrace Shop discount coupons, Duke Gardens note cards, the Duke Gardens souvenir photo book and other Duke Gardens-related gifts. We'll also have an extra prize -- a $50 iTunes gift card -- for the best Gardens photo featuring a Duke student or students dressed in Duke-branded clothing.
 
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.

ELIGIBILITY: Anyone of any age may share Duke Gardens photos in this contest. The only people not eligible to win a prize are Duke Gardens employees. In entering this contest, you are confirming that you are the person who took the photograph and that the person in the photo has granted permission for it to be shared online.

NOTE: This contest is not administered, endorsed or operated by Facebook.

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

Duke Students+Alumni: Win An iPad!

Do you spend a lot of time in Duke Gardens? Is it your favorite place to study, stroll, volunteer, meditate, learn about plants, take photos or hang out with friends?

We'd love to hear about your interactions with Duke Gardens, either as a current or past Duke student. Specifically, how has Duke Gardens enriched your student experience?

We're having a contest to make it fun, and giving away an iPad to make it exciting. It's easy, and it's only for Duke students and alumni. Just share your thoughts about what has made Duke Gardens special or important to you as a student.

We're not looking for perfectly crafted essays, just heartfelt sentiments, compiled in whatever form feels right for you. So please don't hesitate. We love hearing about people's emotional connections with the Gardens.

What have you got to lose? And if you need some inspiration, or a quiet place to write, head to the Gardens. It's here for you.

PRIZES: The first prize winner will receive an iPad. But we'll also draw some names randomly to receive Duke Gardens greeting cards and other fun prizes.

DEADLINE: Please email your responses to dukegardensessay@yahoo.com by Oct. 1. deadline extended to Oct. 31. Please include your full name and graduation year.

WINNERS: Congratulations to iPad winner  Lindsay Higgins, and to runners-up Ryan Bird and Tiffany Chen. We were so touched by the many wonderful accounts that people shared of how Duke Gardens enhanced their student experiences. Thanks again to all who responded.

Photo: Terrace Gardens in fall. By Robert Ayers. 

Disclaimer: We will be sharing this contest on Facebook, but this is a Duke Gardens contest and not affiliated with Facebook in any way.