Spotlight on: The Garden Guild

By Sarah Leach Smith

This holiday season, it’s all about local, handmade gifts. Shopping locally can seem daunting, especially when big-box stores are so easily accessible. But you don't need to look further than the Terrace Shop at Duke Gardens – here, you’ll find awesome gift ideas created with care by the Duke Gardens Garden Guild.

The Garden Guild started in the summer of 1999 to create garden-related crafts to sell at the fall plant sale to benefit Duke  Gardens. Their efforts were a great success, netting approximately $2,000 from their first sale! Since then, the Guild has become a popular fixture here at Duke Gardens.

Today, the Guild has 20 active members who meet Monday afternoons at the Gardens for crafting sessions. Each member has different experiences and talents, and they teach each other new skills to create beautiful, practical and one-of-a-kind items while having a great time socializing together.

This year, in lieu of the annual craft fair, you can find their unique offerings in the Terrace Shop year round. They are presently getting ready for the holiday season with tree ornaments, note cards (sold individually and in boxed sets), ceramic angel figurines and more. 

I recently had the opportunity to spend time with the Guild during one of their crafting sessions and was floored by the creativity and originality I saw. Come out and see their wares in the Terrace Shop. You are sure to impress a friend or loved one with a thoughtful, handmade gift. The Garden Guild brings out new items often, so be sure to check back regularly.

If you are interested in getting involved with the Garden Guild, we’d love to have you. Learn more about volunteering at Duke Gardens on our website. Happy Holidays!

Give the Gift of Duke Gardens!

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!