Sarah P. Duke Gardens, the botanical garden adjoining the Duke University campus is my favorite garden for its beauty and its memories: it was the location of our wedding last June.
We were supposed to get married in the angle amphitheater (pictured below) on a balmy 96 degree evening. A quick rainstorm came through and we were moved to the tent at the Doris Duke center in the background, which cooled things off a bit and I'm told means good luck. It also made for a photographers dream lighting, the picture above is from our post-ceremony portraits in the garden (copyright Diane McKinney Photography).
So Brian and I finally got a free day together, and not having been able to get out of town for a few months, I grabbed by sun hat and we made the 30 minute drive over to Duke Gardens for a picnic among the spring flowers. We found a grassy spot overlooking a pond under a snowball viburnum.
It was the perfect time to enjoy the gardens, and there was so much to see! Duke Gardens has 4 main garden areas: The Doris Duke Center Gardens (where the angle amphitheater is), The H.L. Bloomquist Garden of Native Plants, The Terrace Gardens, and the Culberson Asiatic Areboretum.
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| Trillium (unsigned species) |
In another stunning area, walking through the largest garden by far, the Asiatic Arboretum, I always discover interesting new plants. Perhaps this is because the gardens are always adding to their collection, with trips to China and Japan. With a lake as its center piece, and a traditional tea house on the shore, the beautiful details transform the North Carolina landscape into a lush Eastern paradise.
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| Rhododendron macrosepalum 'Linerifolium' (Spider Azalea) |
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| Illicium henryi (Henry Anise) |
Duke Gardens is our special place to get a way for a while outside of Raleigh. Along with a bit of sun and relaxation, I always come away inspired by the unique plants and beautiful designs. With the memories we've made and continue to make there, I'm sure it is a place we will make a point to visit often throughout our lives.
"I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in." ~John Muir
Gorgeous place and that wedding photo is wonderful...
ReplyDeleteYour wedding photo is beautiful. This garden seems lovely. I loved looking at the plants - the spider azalea is so unique! Thanks for showing us this wonderland.
ReplyDeleteOh my mercy, your wedding photo is ethereal- just gorgeous. Sounds like you had a fun day, too! Everything is very lovely!
ReplyDeleteLooks wonderful! How nice that you can revisit the wedding spot so easily and that it's A HUGE AWESOME GARDEN!! :-)
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous bride you were and what a sublime venue for a wedding! Thanks for sharing these wonderful photos with us!
ReplyDeleteLooks so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your lovely photos. Reminds me I have yet to visit Duke Gardens this spring!
ReplyDeleteThis has a been a garden on my list to see for a long time...and it isn't that far away. Reading your post makes me want to go even more now. Your wedding photo is amazing. And I think a picnic is the garden is a perfect way to spend the day!
ReplyDeleteI love Duke Gardens. We went in May a couple of years ago, I remember because the magnolias were blooming. We live near Jacksonville, but we still try to get up to Raleigh-Durham a few times a year. There are some pretty things to see!
ReplyDeleteWhat a magnificent setting and what an incredible diversity of bloom.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful setting for a wedding! Your wedding photo is gorgeous and perfect.
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