City: Durham, NC

Category: Tours & Attractions

Telephone: (919) 684-3698

Address: 426 Anderson St., Duke University

Description: Hundreds of thousands of visitors come to Duke Gardens every year to enjoy the vast array of plants found in its meticulously designed, well-tended 55 acres. Five miles of paths wind through three separate gardens, beneath pergolas and past fountains; under the shade of pines and magnolias; alongside rhododendron, irises, roses, and water lilies; and at the edges of ponds. Thousands of species of plants are collected in the H.L. Blomquist Garden of Native Plants, the Williams L. Culberson Asiatic Arboretum, and the original Terrace Gardens. The gardens were designed by Ellen Shipman, a famed early 20th-century landscape designer, and are among the only surviving examples of her work. Duke Gardens presents a calendar full of performances, classes, and workshops, including tours led by horticulturalists, bird walks, musical events, craft sales, and nature camps and programs for children. A terrace cafe near the entrance serves lunch, and the Doris Duke Center near the entrance also houses a garden shop and horticultural library. Admission to the garden is free, but visitors must pay for parking during peak hours. Parking rates are about $2 per hour.