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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 April.
SARAH P DUKE GARDENS
Duke Gardens (420 Anderson St, 919-684-3698); explore the website or click here to register for any of the classes/events below:
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Climate Social with School for Living Futures—Saturday, September 2, 1–3pm; help build a community around climate resilience and adaptation; in the Doris Duke Center; free, click here to register
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Saving Snakes: Author Talk and Book Signing—Tuesday, September 5, 5–7pm; meet Nicolette Cagle from Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment and learn about her book that explores the strange and secretive lives of snakes; in the Doris Duke Center; free, be sure to register
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Walk on the Wild Side Garden Tour—Thursday, September 7, 11am–noon; enjoy a walk around the Blomquist Garden of Native Plants; $10, $8 for Duke Gardens members
- Beginning Birding for Adults—Monday, September 11, 8–9am; stroll through the gardens and have fun trying to identify the array of birds around you; $10, $8 for Duke Gardens members
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Meet the Keepers—Thursday, September 14, 1–2pm; stop by the Discovery Garden and meet the keepers of the bees, chickens, and edible plants; free, no need to register
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Climate 101: Noticing Change in a Garden—Friday, September 15, 9:30–11:30am; join a walk in the gardens and learn how to notice the effects of climate change; $16, $12.80 for Duke Gardens members
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Try This, Not That: Backyard Farming—Tuesday, September 19, 2:30–4pm; horticulturist April Stradley will lead a walk around the gardens and will point out creative techniques, unusual plants, and tricks of the trade that home gardeners/farmers should take note of; $22, free for Duke Gardens members
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Midday Meander: A Strolling Conversation—Thursday, September 21, 12:15–1pm; Kavanah Anderson will lead a walk through the gardens and will answer questions, swap plant stories, and point out delightful features of the gardens; free, no need to register
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Design Spotlight: Native Grasses and Sedges—Tuesday, September 26, 1:30–3:30pm; Shannon Currey from Izel Native Plants will demonstrate how grasses and sedges of local origin can benefit almost any landscape; $22, $17.60 for Duke Gardens members
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Meet the Keepers—Thursday, September 28, 1–2pm; stop by the Discovery Garden and meet the keepers of the bees, chickens, and edible plants; free, no need to register
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Beginning Birding for Adults—Monday, October 2, 8–9am; stroll through the gardens and have fun trying to identify the array of birds around you; $10, $8 for Duke Gardens members.
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.
ALL ABOUT ORCHIDS
The Triangle Orchid Society’s next meeting will be held in the JC Raulston Arboretum (4415 Beryl Rd, in Raleigh) on Monday, August 14, 7:30pm. This meeting will consist of the Summer Plant Auction where you can bid on beautiful orchids. Visit the website or the Facebook event page for more info.
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.
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This month’s meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 19, 7–8:30pm, at Sarah P Duke Gardens (420 Anderson St), in the Doris Duke Center. Bryce Lane will lead a talk on Shade-Tolerant Plants that Add Color and Texture; you’re also invited to participated in the Plant Wrap.
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.
