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by vampirefan
Charlotte, North Carolina
December 22, 2010
From journal Painting Durham Blond for the weekend.
by bettybetty10
Dallas, Texas
May 29, 2008
From journal A little Bit of Everything in Chapel Hill, NC
by beachlovr0
Virginia Beach, Virginia
July 21, 2004
There is a gift shop to get information about the gardens, and the Terrace Cafe (closed on Mondays and when it rains) has sandwiches, snacks, drinks and ice cream to make the perfect picnic. A bit pricey, but certainly worth it for the afternoon. If you park in the gradens parking lot, you will have to pay so be prepared for this.
People come from all over the world to see these gardens, and the mix of families, visitors and students show how the community can interact with the university.
The weather is usually pleasant by April, although the rain can be a problem that time of year. By May it can be hot, so make sure to keep everyone hydrated. If you enjoy nature, make sure you visit the gardens!
From journal Down South in Durham
by neha21
durham, India
March 21, 2001
Duke Gardens is part of the beautiful sprawling campus of Duke University and is one of the most popular sites in Durham and, being such a romantic location, often voted the place for the most proposals in all of the Triangle. Duke Gardens is also where people go to relax, retreat, escape, enjoy beauty, time alone, picnic, romance someone, take photographs, to name just a few.
Thanks to a lack of funds (sounds like a paradox) in the 1920s, what was to be a lake with elaborate fountains became an area for plants. Dr. Frederic M. Hanes, (part of the original faculty of Duke Medical School) focused on the mission of transforming the seemingly-hopeless land into a garden. Dr. Hanes asked his friend, Sarah P. Duke (widow of one of the University's founders, Benjamin N. Duke) to contribute the sum of $20,000 for a garden in her name. After the vibrant gardens became a lush display in the 30s, forceful rains destroyed them.
Dr. Hanes did not despair. He asked Mary Duke Biddle, Sarah P. Duke's daughter, to help create a memorial to her mother. Ellen Shipman, reknown in landscape design, was chosen to start anew.
Duke Gardens is open daily from 8am until dusk and admission is free. Free public tours are available on most days and pre-arranged private docent-led tours are available for a nominal fee. They also accommodate with special tours for the physically handicapped. Pets are welcome, as long as you follow the rules--dogs on a leash, not permitted on narrow pathways or in the Blomquist Gardens of Native Plants, and clean up after your pet.
Enjoy something new each visit: rose bushes, azaleas, dogwoods, redbuds, crabapple and cherry trees, hyacinths, daffodils, tulips, peonies, wisteria, petunias, daylilies, begonias, chrysanthemums, berries, and evergreens. Something for everyone!
Duke Gardens is the absolute ideal setting for weddings, receptions, and other occasions. Approximately 300,000 visitors see the Gardens annually, which relies on funding from contributions and Duke University.
For more information, visit the Duke Gardens Web site: http://www.hr.duke.edu/dukegardens/dukegardens.html call 919-684-3698, or e-mail: gardens@duke.edu
Photos to come soon.
From journal Delightful Durham