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Click on the flower to visit the Durham Master Gardeners’ blog, which includes a list of things to do in the garden for the month of August.
TRIANGLE ORCHID SOCIETY MEETING & ACTIVITIES
The Triangle Orchid Society of North Carolina’s next meeting will be the Ice Cream Social & Members’ Plant Sale in the JC Raulston Arboretum (4415 Beryl Rd, in Raleigh) on Monday, July 14, 7:30pm. Ice cream and toppings will be provided; trade or buy plants (cash only). Click here for more info. Be sure to start getting ready for the Triangle Orchid Society’s 9th annual Fall for Orchids Show in September.
SARAH P DUKE GARDENS
420 Anderson St, 919-684-3698); website
Duke Gardens is currently undergoing major renovations (dubbed the Garden Gateway project) that should be finished by spring 2026. Although the public can still visit, many classes and special events have been cancelled at this time. The main entrance on Anderson St and the main parking lots are shut down for now. You can’t park onsite during the week, and limited parking is available from 8am to 7pm in the Duke University H Lot on Saturdays and Sundays; it’s right next to the temporary Duke Gardens pedestrian entrance at 2000 Lewis St. The only way to pay the $2 per hour fee is via the Duke’s Blue Spot parking website on your cell phone. Dogs are only permitted before 10am and after 5pm.
The Doris Duke Center is also closed but you’re still welcome to explore 55 acres of beauty, including the Historic Gardens (original terraces and surrounding plantings), the HL Blomquist Garden of Native Plants, the WL Culberson Asiatic Arboretum, and the Doris Duke Center Gardens (which includes the Charlotte Brody Discovery Garden). Another way to enter the gardens is through the garden gates along Flowers Dr on Duke’s West Campus. The restrooms in the Terrace Gardens, Culberson Asiatic Arboretum, and Lewis St entrance are open.
Got gardening questions?
Call the Durham County Master Gardeners at
919-560-0528 on weekdays 9am–4pm, send an email query to mastergardener@dconc.gov, or stop by the office during regular business hours at 723 Foster St. They’ll help research solutions to your lawncare, gardening, or landscaping challenges.
The North Carolina Cooperative Extension’s website is chock-full of gardening tips, including a plant database, and information on community gardens. Click here to start the adventure.
DURHAM GARDEN FORUM
The Durham Garden Forum is an informal group of enthusiastic gardeners that meets on third Tuesdays, 7–8:30pm on Zoom to gain more knowledge and develop skills. Membership is $25 per year, and members get access to an extensive video library. The North Carolina Cooperative Extension–Durham office and Sarah P Duke Gardens are partners of the Durham Garden Forum, and members can enjoy discounts at the Durham Garden Center (4536 Hillsborough Rd) and For Garden’s Sake (9197 Hwy 751). Click here for more info.
Here are some upcoming meetings:
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Living with Trees: A Guide for Assessing Tree Health and Risks for Non-Arborists—Tuesday, July 15, featuring Edward Morrow, ISA-certified arborist and author
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[no meeting in August]
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[TBA]—Tuesday, September 16
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[TBA]—Tuesday, October 21
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[TBA]—Tuesday, November 18
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[TBA]—Tuesday, December 16..
COMMUNITY GARDEN GUIDE
Don Boekelheide and Lucy K Bradley put together a comprehensive manual called “Collard Greens and Common Ground: a North Carolina Community Food Gardening Handbook.” This 74-page paperback is a national award-winning guide for community groups and other folks who are vying to work with their neighbors to create viable spaces for flower and edible gardens. You can click here to buy one for $12 from UNC Press, or you can click on the book cover to read it online for free!
NC STATE GARDENING HANDBOOK
The North Carolina State Cooperative Extension put together a training manual for Master Gardeners called the “North Carolina Extension Gardener Handbook.” The 728-page second edition is an incredible work, with color images, detailed graphics, case studies, frequently asked questions, and specific management instructions about insects, diseases, weeds, other pests, etc. You can call 800-848-6224 to buy one for $60, or you can click on the book cover to read it online for free!
GARDENING RADIO SHOW
WPTF’s “Weekend Gardener” radio show has been on the air since 1985 and is a wonderful 3-hour exploration of flower and lawn care, soil improvement and pest control ideas, and much more. It airs every Saturday, 8–11am, on 680am and 98.5fm. If you’re not able to listen to the live broadcast, you can always click on the radio below and enjoy past shows.
