"Zoom In: Grass Family"

Grasses provide gorgeous color, texture and architecture. Photo by Jason Holmes

Miscanthus flowers backlit by the sun.
Photo by Jason Holmes.

By Sarah Leach Smith

You may simply think of mowing your front lawn when someone starts talking about different kinds of grasses. Be prepared to have your mind blown – there are more than 10,000 species in the grass family! With varying heights, colors and floral displays, grasses have a lot to offer the home gardener beyond turf. 

However, having that many species to choose from can be overwhelming. Where to begin? Our upcoming class, “Zoom In: Grass Family,” may be just the ticket. This class will be taught by high school teacher Robert Thornhill, who is a passionate promoter of ornamental grasses, and will be held on Thursday, November 5. Thornhill was more than happy to oblige when we asked him to tell us more about his experience with this versatile plant family.

Thornhill teaching a class.
 Photo provided by Robert Thornhill.

 Q: Tell us about your background and experience.

A: I'm a high school science teacher during the week and a plant-lover on the weekends.  I fell in love with the floral world during undergraduate school in Alabama and then had the opportunity a few years later to pursue that passion as a graduate student at N.C. State, where I earned a master's degree studying the flora of longleaf pine savannas in the N.C. Coastal Plain.  For that to have counted as research, and not just pure pleasure, was inexplicably wonderful to me! 

Q: What can we expect from your class, “Zoom In: Grass Family”? What do you think participants will gain from this class?

The magical flowers of pink muhly grass.
Photo by Micaela Unda.

A: The class will provide an overview of the grasses, starting with their relationships to other, more familiar plants and then proceeding to their cultural and economic significance.  We will then delve into the morphology of grasses, with special emphasis on the unique flowers and fruits of the family (Yes, grasses produce both flowers and fruits!).  We will then proceed with a survey of some of the most commonly encountered grasses, including those used in landscaping and those growing wild.  Finally, we'll conclude with an examination of grass specimens--either pressed specimens brought into the classroom or living specimens in the garden (or, time permitting, both!).

Q: What are you most excited about in this class?

Close-up of Miscanthus flowers.
Photo by Micaela Unda.

A: Grasses are everywhere, occurring worldwide in nearly every environment--even Antarctica (which hosts only one other flowering plant species!).  They are the 5th largest plant family on Earth and the most economically important, providing over half of humanity's calories.  Yet despite their abundance and unrivaled importance, they are poorly known by almost everyone except well-trained botanists.  But this is totally unnecessary and even tragic, as grasses are far more accessible (and beautiful) than most people realize.  What excites me most about this class, therefore, is the opportunity to share the "secrets" of grasses with people who may not know their graminoid brethren--yet!

Space is still available in "Zoom In: Grass Family." For more information, you may visit the Duke Gardens website. To register, give us a call at 919-668-1707.

Photo Contest: Hot Colors in Duke Gardens

Hearts-a-burstin' (Euonymus americanus). Photo by Brian Wells

With the fiery heat of summer behind us and the dazzling fall leaf show about to begin, we thought it'd be fun to celebrate with a Hot Colors Photo Contest on our Facebook page. 

What's a hot color? We'll leave that up to you to decide. It could be the summer displays in the Terrace Gardens. It could be a red berry or a male cardinal, a duck with brilliant plumage or a "white hot" bloom from the Page-Rollins White Garden. It can be from any season and any part of Duke Gardens. Think creatively!

Please don't be shy. This 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. Your photograph can be recent or from past years. 

by Micaela Unda (T'18)

Here's the scoop:

HOW TO ENTER: Email up to 3 photos to DukeGardensPhotos@yahoo.com. Please send one per email. We will post them in an album on Facebook, with your Facebook 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." You may also post your photo on our wall, but be sure to email it as well, so that it's officially in the contest and albums. Only "like" votes on the album photos will count in vote tallies, though (polite) comments are welcome, too.  

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


DEADLINE: Photos must be submitted by noon on Monday, Nov. 16. Voting will end at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 19.  

Pink Velvet banana (Musa velutina). Photo by Orla Swift

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, and an extra prize for the best photo featuring a Duke student or students dressed in Duke logo clothing. Prizes will include Terrace Shop discount coupons, Duke Gardens note cards, a Duke Gardens souvenir photo book or other Duke Gardens-related gifts. 

Lantana blossoms. Photo by Micaela Unda

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.

NOTE: This contest is not administered, endorsed or operated by Facebook. By submitting your photo, you are giving Duke Gardens permission to share your photo on Facebook, and confirming that the photo you submit was taken by you and that any people featured in your photo have given their permission for the photo to be shared in this way.

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.

A bloom in the Mary Duke Biddle Rose Garden. Photo by Micaela Unda.

The Changeover Magic of the Historic Terraces

By Sarah Leach Smith

Photos by Cecilia Xie

Horticulturist Jan Watson installs new plants.

If you have ever visited Sarah P. Duke Gardens, you probably took a photo of, or maybe a selfie in, the photogenic Historic Terraces. Even if you have never been able to visit the Gardens in person, it is highly likely that the photo that popped up in your Google search was of the Terraces.

Since 1939, the Terraces have been a widely recognized icon of Duke Gardens. Designed by Ellen Biddle Shipman, an American landscape architect, the Terraces have remained largely unchanged since their creation over 75 years ago. Seven levels make up the garden, which was built into a naturally occurring slope. Curator Mike Owens is currently preparing for the twice-a-year display changeover and has offered an inside scoop into what this process is like.

Each June and October, Owens and his team of horticulturists (Jan Watson and Heather Seifert) begin the changeover. The new planting designs, however, are created as many as six months in advance! Each design is based on a theme, and the designs that Owens comes up with have only gotten more complex over time. 

A Terrace bed awaiting new plants.

“We used to use just tulips, and it would be a tulip show. Now, we probably have around 15 different bulb species – Crocus, Narcissus, then the tulips, and later in the spring you’ll see the Allium coming up.” Throughout the bulb display there is a variety of herbaceous material, including pansies, Dianthus and foxgloves. Owens likes using combinations like this, as well as techniques like bulb layering, to help extend the display season. 

The changeover of the Terraces does not happen all at once. The roughest-looking plants will be removed and replaced first. For the fall changeover, Owens, Watson and Seifert will begin in mid-October and wrap up with the bulb installation by Thanksgiving.

October’s changeover is designed to last until after Duke’s spring commencement, which occurs in mid-May. To keep the plants looking happy and healthy until then, Owens has several successful methods. Each bed has its own pop-up irrigation system that ensures the plants stay quenched. The beds are fertilized almost exclusively with feather meal, which is made from poultry feathers and is rich in nitrogen. “I think it has really helped ‘pump up’ the display,” Owens said. 

Horticulturist Heather Seifert hard at work!

Keep an eye out for this talented team in the Terraces this fall. As the weather warms up in the spring, make sure to come back for a visit – and a great photo in an iconic part of Duke Gardens!

“I Need a Plan: Envisioning Your Garden”

Do you envision a garden full of dramatic shapes and colors like
 those found in the Terrace Gardens? Duke Gardens'"I Need a Plan"
series can help you make it happen (photo by K. Webbink).

By Sarah Leach Smith
Duke Gardens photos by Karen Webbink
Additional photos courtesy of Suzanne Edney

Are you intimidated by the term “landscape design?” You don’t have to be! Our upcoming “Envisioning Your Garden” class, part of the “I Need a Plan: Garden Fundamentals” program, will boost your confidence and inspire the DIY-er in you to start designing!

We are excited to introduce to you the teacher of this great class, landscape designer Suzanne Edney. Suzanne has been teaching since 1969 and has incorporated her passion for teaching into her business, Custom Landscapes: Landscape Design for Do-It-Yourselfers.

Landscape designer & instructor Suzanne Edney

“My mission is to design for homeowners’ needs and desires and to present opportunities for them to incorporate practical and easy techniques into their gardening practices,” Edney says.

Edney’s business mission makes her the perfect person to teach this class and help YOU envision your own garden design plan, whether your hope is to attract butterflies, create sculptural borders, grow food to eat, or tackle a challenging topography.

Would waves of pink muhly grass look great
in your landscape?

Perhaps your dream is to design a garden
to serve creatures great and small, like in the
Blomquist's Wildlife Garden.

Or maybe you aspire to grow vegetables....

...or build a dreamscape for butterflies. 

We recently talked with Edney about landscape planning and her goals for this class.

Q: What are the benefits of having a landscape design?

A: Landscape planning is very much like creating a floor plan for building a home. Most homeowners now realize the endless choices and potentials for use of their entire properties beyond the four walls of their houses, but they may feel unqualified to put the pieces of the puzzle together to allow them to make informed and cost effective decisions. Luckily, they have been exposed to the previously mysterious world of designers through TV and the Internet and realize the value of design plans.

Q: What can we expect from your “Envisioning Your Garden” class?

A: I will be explaining the design process from beginning to end to allow people to move forward with a viable landscape design for their property. Students can choose to elect designing ideas for either a front or back and will learn how to evaluate their space and begin the design process.

Below are some examples of Edney's garden designs.

An inspiring after & before comparison

Dry streambed drainage

A front courtyard

An attractive approach to a gravel driveway

A mountain slope garden

There are still spots available in this class, which is sure to be informative and inspiring. For more information, visit our website. If you would like to register for this class, please call our registrar at 919-668-1707. Embrace your inner DIY!

Species Spotlight: Black-Necked Swan

By Erika Zambello

Walk into Duke Gardens any given day and you might hear an unfamiliar bugling reverberating around the hills and trees in the Culberson Asiatic Arboretum pond. That unique call belongs to one of the Gardens' most notable residents, the black-necked swan (Cygnus melanocorypha).

Native black-necked swans hail from southern South America. Habitat-wise, the swans prefer swamps, freshwater marshes, lagoons, coastal areas and shallow lakes and ponds. Though they look big, the swans rarely grow to be larger than 14 pounds. Don't let their weight fool you, though; like other swans, the black-necked have large wings and tough bills and are not afraid to use them to defend themselves.

One of the most distinctive features of black-necked swans is a red, bulbous knob where their bills meet their heads. Both male and female swans have this knob, which enlarges in males during the breeding seasons. Their other distinctive feature, of course, is their long black head and neck; they are the only swans in the world with black heads.

While swans will eat a variety of different organisms in the wild, including pond plants, weeds, algae, insects, and even small minnows, Duke Gardens' swan subsists mostly on the healthy diet our staff feeds the waterfowl on a daily basis. If you want to feed our swan, feel free to purchase the healthy pellets from the Gardens' Terrace Shop!

For more information on Black-Necked Swans check out this great fact-sheet from the Sacramento Zoological Society.

Blogger and photographer Erika Zambello recently graduated from Duke's Nicholas School of the Environment with a degree in Ecosystem Science and Conservation.