Duke Gardens ramps up family offerings with September schedule

Find everything from nature storytimes and garden walks for children to a free screening of "Back to the Future."

Posted 4:06 p.m. Aug 25, 2012 — Updated 4:06 p.m. Aug 25, 2012

Sarah Lindenfeld Hall

Duke Gardens in Durham is ramping up for the fall season with some family-friendly events in September. Many are in the new Charlotte Brody Discovery Garden, which will celebrate a grand opening the weekend of Sept. 8.

Here's what's scheduled. Please note that some require pre-registration.

Nature Storytime, 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Sept. 1 and Sept. 20. For children ages 3 and older; adult chaperone required. Celebrate the season with a story read aloud to the group out in the Gardens. Each story relates to the season or garden spot. Read together and then discuss the garden connection. Free admission, parking fee required.
Discovery Days, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., Sept. 4, and 1 p.m .to 3 p.m., Sept. 8. Free drop-in activities for all ages (adult chaperone required) in Duke Gardens’ new Charlotte Brody Discovery Garden, which features vegetable and fruit plants, a tobacco barn, a chicken coop and more. Discovery Days will feature demonstrations, stories, experiments and hands-on projects. Parking fees required.
Fall Planting Family Workshop, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Sept. 5. Plant, harvest, taste, and learn about incredible edibles in this workshop designed to engage the whole family. The workshop is in the new Charlotte Brody Discovery Garden. $10 per parent/child; $3 each additional sibling. Parking included. Pre-registration required. Call 919-668-1707.
Animal Habitats Family Workshop, 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Sept. 12. Learn about where different animals live in this workshop designed to engage the whole family. The workshop is in the new Charlotte Brody Discovery Garden. $10 per parent/child; $3 each additional sibling . Parking included. Pre-registration required. Call 919-668-1707.
Nature for Sprouts:Creature of the Week, 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Sept. 7. Children ages 3 and 4 will look more closely at caterpillars, butterflies, honeybees, hoppers, beetles, spiders and more in this 6-week adventure. Programs incorporate stories, movement, music, outdoor adventures, and creative projects. $36 for 6 weeks. Program continues on Fridays through Oct. 12. Parking included. Pre-registration required. Call 919-668-1707.
Nature Ranger Cart, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Sept. 7, 14, 21 and 28. Free drop-in activities. Plan to visit a traveling science cart in the Gardens with creative adventures for all. Ask for location at the front desk. No registration required and no participation limits. Adult chaperone required. Parking fees apply.
Charlotte Brody Discovery Garden Opening Celebration, noon to 3 p.m., Sept. 8 and Sept. 9. Celebrate the opening of Duke Gardens’ new organic food garden, featuring activities for children and families, workshops and demonstrations on sustainable gardening practices, from beekeeping to vermiculture and preserving seeds, fruits and vegetables. Drop-in family activities are free. Parking fees apply.
Nature for Seedlings, 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Tuesdays from Sept. 11 to Oct. 16. Children ages 5 and 6 will investigate nature in the new Charlotte Brody Discovery Garden, looking at how things grow. From planting to harvesting, children will taste vegetables, learn how to create and use compost, explore the water cycle and more in this 6-week class. Programs incorporate stories, movement, music, outdoor adventures and creative projects. $36. Program continues on Tuesdays through Oct. 16. Parking included. Pre-registration required. Adult chaperones also required. Call 919-668-1707.
Garden Walk for Children, 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Sept. 14. Children ages 5 to 7 are invited for a stroll through the garden. Each week’s walk will have a theme, focusing on habitat, insects and animals, winter challenges, and tree and plant adaptations. Adult chaperones required. $6 per walk. Four walks: $20. Series continues on the second Friday of each month through December. Pre-registration required. Parking included. Call 919-668-1707.
Talking to Trees, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Sept. 22. The language of trees includes buds, leaves, bark and flowers. Children ages 7 to 9 will learn to investigate a tree up close, discovering the secrets and stories of each tree and solving a mystery. Adult chaperone required. $6. Pre-registration required. Call 919-668-1707.
Asian Festival Day in the Arboretum, noon to 3 p.m., Sept. 23. Come to the Culberson Asiatic Arboretum for this day of free, drop-in, Asian-inspired activities and demonstrations. Learn how to write Haiku poetry, fold origami figures, enjoy Japanese kamishibai storytelling and see cultural performances from the region. The Teahouse will also be open for tours, followed by a family-friendly Japanese tea program (fee and pre-registration required for Japanese Tea; please call for details). Call 919-668-1707.
Movies at the Gardens: Back to the Future, 8 p.m., Sept. 26. Gather on the lawn behind the Doris Duke Center at dusk for a free screening of this beloved 1985 family classic. Picnics are welcome. Parking is free after 5 p.m.