Garden Guild Holiday Craft Sale Preview

By Erika Zambello

Clear your weekend schedule, the Garden Guild Holiday Craft Sale is this Saturday, Nov. 16, from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and they have created some amazing works this year! Last week I was afforded a sneak preview of what will be available, and I'm going to attend armed with my holiday gift list.

One of the fun crafts available will be Christmas card ornaments, shown above and below. Delicately cut in intricate patterns, the ornaments are both beautiful and made from recycled materials.

A wide array of holiday ornaments abound at the Craft Fair this year, including many more made from recycled materials, and even painted gourds!

Knitted hats, washcloths and pins will be set out in a variety of color combinations, as well as quilted pieces of all shapes and sizes.

Gourds have not only been used to make ornaments, but also gourd bird houses and Christmas figurines.

Printed cards, banners, tiles, coasters, hummingbird feeders and so much more will be for sale on Saturday, with all proceeds benefiting Duke Gardens. The only way to really understand the beauty and breadth of all the Garden Guild has to offer is to come see for yourself. Parking is free until 1 p.m. For more information check out our event page.

Interested in joining the Garden Guild? This fabulous group of volunteers meets every Monday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. here at Duke Gardens. 

Hope to see you at the Craft Sale! 

Blogger Erika Zambello is a graduate student studying Ecosystem Science and Conservation at Duke University’s Nicholas School of theEnvironment. 

Sarah P. Duke Gardens creates and nurtures an environment in the heart of Duke University for learning, inspiration and enjoyment through excellence in horticulture. The Gardens receives roughly half of its operating budget from Duke University. The rest comes from people like you, who value all that this public botanic garden has to offer. Duke Gardens is at 420 Anderson St.

Volunteer Recognition Celebration

Thyme Award Winners

By Chuck Hemric
Director of Volunteer Services

Volunteers are a force of nature at Sarah P. Duke Gardens. We have more than 300 active volunteers, and their value goes far beyond their investment of time. It is the quality and depth they add to the visitors’ experiences that cannot be measured by time or with monetary gifts. The selfless and generous acts of these volunteers are what breathe life into the Gardens. As Kahlil Gibran writes,“There are those who give with joy, and that joy is their reward.” 

Jeff Prather with his Gehman Award for Volunteer Excellence

Recently, the volunteers and staff gathered to celebrate the many volunteers and their contributions over the past year. The evening began with hors d’oeuvres on the lawn adjacent to the Page-Rollins White Garden. Pie Pushers catered the event with delicious treats and creative beverages. A fun game encouraged attendees to converse, mingle and answer Gardens trivia question as well as determine specific ingredients within the items offered.

Emily Reisner with her Margie Watkins Volunteer Spirit Award

Following the reception, everyone moved to Kirby Horton Hall for the awards presentations. Throughout the program, various staff members shared how important and vital the volunteers are to the many successes that are enjoyed at Sarah P. Duke Gardens. A slideshow depicting the various activities of volunteers rolled throughout the evening.

Bob Ayers, left, photographer & award winner, with fellow photographer Wendell Hull

20 volunteers were presented with the Golden Thyme Award, recognized as recording the most volunteer hours. In addition, those volunteers who have served actively for 10 or 15 years were also named.

The evening ended with jars of honey from the Duke Gardens beehives given to those who answered the game questions correctly. A parting gift of cowpea seeds, collected in the Charlotte Brody Discovery Garden, was given to each attendee. 

Janice Gilchrist, center, with her Rookie of the Year award.
Pictured with Jan Watson and Chuck Hemric

Award Winners 

10-year volunteer: Andy Wheeler

15-year volunteers: Barbara Branson, Nan Len, Margaret McCotter and Charlotte Newby

Thyme Award winners: Barbara Branson, Mary Dawson, Helen Dennis, Beth Elkins, Patty Forster, Janice Gilchrist, Pauli Hensen, Betty Jordan, Nan Len, Parker Morton, Shelly Nowik, Donna Owens, Cheryl Prather, Theo Roddy, Cheryl Sanford, Sharon Sokol, Delores Traeger, Pu Wang, Karen Webbink and Andy Wheeler.

Rookie of the Year: Janice Gilchrist

Margie Watkins Volunteer Spirit Award: Emily Reisner

Gehman Award for Volunteer Excellence: Jeff Prather

See below for more photos of our wonderful staff and volunteers enjoying the Volunteer Recognition Celebration! Interested in volunteering? Call for more information at (919) 668-1705 or visit our volunteer page and fill out an application.

Photos by Wendell Hull and Orla Swift

November Blooms: American Witch-hazel

By Erika Zambello

It may be colder in North Carolina, but that does not mean flowers aren't blooming! I arrived at the H.L. Blomquist Garden of Native Plants one chilly morning to see the newest of fall's flowers, the yellow blossoms of American witch-hazel, Hamamelis virginiana.

Why is witch-hazel blooming in November? "The plants will fill niches," says Stefan Bloodworth, curator of the Blomquist Garden. "Witch-hazels have adapted to put blooms out when it's cold." The plant will produce flowers for around two weeks, each flower itself lasting for two or three days.

The flowers are delicate, perched daintily on the bare branches of the shrub-like witch-hazel plant. Each petal is long and thin, like tiny fingers reaching out toward the sun. Their pale yellow color is a perfect match for the golds and oranges of the amazing autumn foliage throughout the Blomquist Garden.

Blogger Erika Zambello is a graduate student studying Ecosystem Science and Conservation at Duke's Nicholas School of the Environment.