A small section of what used to be the tea rose garden. I like the ornamental sweet potatoes, but the rest does not move me.
Last thing, this is my 100th posting this year.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Duke Gardens at the end of summer.
Most of the time when I visit Sara P Duke Gardens, the light is too sunny or I'm looking for flowers to take macro photos of. Bright light does not do well to get nice photos. Sunday Meg and I spent almost two hours walking around on a mostly cloudy day cool day. I brought my trusty Canon G10 with me and here is a tour of the gardens in mid September.
Above and below, the nicest planter I have seen in our climate. I just love the color combination with the agava plant. Note the rusty chain it is a rain chain, not so fancy.
This planter was on the back side of the main building, most would never see it.
Here we have a look at some of the terraces.
Another agava, the white flowers in the foreground had lots of bees on them.
Another look at the terraces with tiny look at the water garden.
Light is everything in this photo.
The agavas really caught my eye on this visit.
One of the stone paths by the big pond, sorry no pond photos. This path is lined with camellias, not blooming yet.
The butterfly garden.
The entrance to the Memorial Garden, this is a recent addition to the garden not to many years ago. Duke Gardens if I'm correct has 55 acres so it is always growing and changing. Meg just loves the little pool by the rock walls.
The wisteria gazebo, a lot of weddings happen in there. Very lucky to get this shot with no people in the way.
I like this fern, toad lily combination.
The gold fish pond was recently renovated, those water lily pads are 3 foot across and very spiney on the underside.
This is the main terrace garden it changes with the seasons. At the top of the steps is the gazebo.
This new fountain used to be the center of the rose garden. Good bye to the tea roses.
A close look at the heron fountain, it is nice. I enjoyed the ancient rugosa roses that used to be on the lower corner.
I waited for the sun to go away for this fountain photo. Waited and waited, even had a family come in and do a family photo with their feet in the water as I waited.
Last thing, this is my 100th posting this year.
Last thing, this is my 100th posting this year.
Hi Randy, thanks for your oriole hint comment at Hill Country Mysteries. How do you keep ants out of the grape jelly and what kind of container do you use?
ReplyDeleteWe're in NC this week, Asheville, and loving the coolness. Beautiful country.
Beautiful pictures Randy. I haven't been to Duke Gardens in years but remember the Wisteria arbor and the rose garden well. I like the fountain too but it's too bad they didn't do more with the area where the rose garden was. Planting old-fashioned roses would have been nice.
ReplyDeleteYours pictures look so bright, on the edge of sun. My Pentax always takes pictures that a bit darker than reality.
Those fields of Bidens are something aren't they? I used to admire them when we drove out to Jordan Lake. I think Meg's right about the orange pollen.
I searched for what a Canon G10 looks like! It is nice to have a garden nearby even just for the walk. I hope you later post the Wisteria when it is already laden with flowers!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful images Randy especially since you waited for the right lighting. My post today is on illumination and lighting, join in the meme. You have such pretty shots with such soft shadowing. Happy 100 too.
ReplyDeleteThat has to be the largest strawberry pot I have ever seen, and beautifully planted. SOmetimes the photographer just waits for that moment when the sun goes in to capture the perfect shot. You chose a great day to visit.
ReplyDeleteThank you Randy! Visit to these gardens was a highlight of my summer. LOve evrything there!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the ID of the goldfinch on my blog.
ReplyDeleteI love the container gardens! And the pathways are amazing. Imagine what we could do if we had never-ending money in our home gardens.
Happy 100th for this year! The different plant groupings with the agave are really wonderful. I have my eye on one at a local nursery...and a partial plan of where I want to plant it....just not sure of who else to plant with it.
ReplyDeleteLove that last picture.
ps- you need to join facebook. just a suggestion.
Happy 100th. My brother attended Duke for 6 years pursuing his MD. During that time, I visited and fell in love with Duke Gardens. Your photography is just stunning and I never saw it in the fall.
ReplyDeleteSad part is 9 years ago I became a quadriplegic and don't know if I can return again. But your pix are the next best thing to being there. A big thank you.
Randy, what a beautiful botanical garden. The wisteria gazebo is truly one of a kind, I've never seen anything like it. All that stone of course caught my eye. They have very nice, flat stone to work with and gorgeous warm colors and tones. Ok, there's also the gorgeous plants too, and your photography, which like usual, is great.
ReplyDeleteHappy 100th Post!
A perfect setting for a wedding indeed! Everything looks so happy in this garden. I am finding the Agave interesting in the planters. A new twist on Spike plant for sure...
ReplyDeleteI hope you are receiving some of the rain we had last night...
I sure wish we had rock like that to work with, but I'm thinking the price per ton would blow my ol' socks right off. Point me to the quarry!
ReplyDeleteAwesome of tour of the gardens. I simply adore that stone path and long views.
ReplyDeleteYou picked a great place to showcase for you 100 milestone. Thank you for sharing. I think I will now add this to my list of places to see.
ReplyDeleteThat's one amazing garden.
ReplyDeleteThe planters at the start sure are eye catchers, would like to try one myself. Thnaks for the tour...wish I was there.