December Calendar of Triangle Gardening Programs

Pinecones make for easy winter table décor.

NC Botanical Gardens
http://ncbg.unc.edu/classes-workshops/#hh_gardening
Location: 100 Old Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC.

No horticultural programs or workshops are scheduled this month.

JC Raulston Arboretum
http://www.ncsu.edu/jcraulstonarboretum/calendar/events.php?year=2013
Location: Ruby C. McSwain Education Center, JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University, 4415 Beryl Road, Raleigh, NC.

Poinsettia Open House

Dec. 8, 1–5 p.m.
NC State Floriculture is part of a national poinsettia program that tests poinsettia cultivars to determine which ones are best for consumers and for producers. You will have a chance to see these cultivars yourself and vote for your favorites. Approximately one hundred different cultivars of poinsettias—including numerous new experimental cultivars—will be on display. Stop by to see the famous 9' tall poinsettia tree. Enjoy poinsettia gardens and decorated poinsettias. Help us decide which poinsettias are North Carolina's favorites by voting for your favorite poinsettias.
Music:  Listen to Christmas carols from around the world played by the Joy Recorder Ensemble while viewing the poinsettias. They'll begin at 1:00 PM and play through 5:00 PM with three 15 minute breaks. Musical instruments include recorders plus a hand drum, tambourine, and a glockenspiel. Members include Carrie Joy Bylina (director), Ruey Li, Jean Lin, Jean Bernard Luc, Chia-Fei Wang, and Kuy-may Wu.
Cost: Free.
Registration: Advance registration is not available.
Location: Ruby C. McSwain Education Center at the JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University, 4415 Beryl Road, Raleigh, North Carolina.
Questions: Please call (919) 513-7005 for more information about this event.

Sarah P. Duke Gardens
420 Anderson St Durham, NC 27708.
http://gardens.duke.edu/events.  Please call 919-668-1707 to register.

Holiday Celebration at the Gardens

Dec. 8, 12-3 p.m.
Winter holiday traditions happen all over the world. Join us for winter holiday fun with holiday tree displays that feature Duke Gardens and winter craft creations you and your children can make. These include: a peanut butter bird feeder; Diwali (Hindu festival of light) rangoli patterns; paper dreidels; Chinese New Year lanterns; drawing a Kwanzaa family tree, and more. Free. No registration required. Parking fees apply after 1 p.m. Information: 919-668-1707.

Holiday Greenery

Dec. 8, 1- 3 p.m.
Make your own fragrant holiday display and bring nature indoors. Horticulturists Michelle Rawlins and Beth Hall will each create several evergreen swags or mantelpieces to demonstrate tips and techniques for turning greenery, colorful stems, berries and pods into scented holiday displays for your home. Each participant will then produce his or her own holiday swag to hang on a door or display on a mantle or table.
All plant materials and ribbon will be supplied. Please bring a pair of hand pruners and any embellishments you would like to include. Location: Duke Gardens greenhouse classroom. Participant limit: 20. $65; $55 Gardens members & Duke students/staff. Information/registration: 919-668-1707.

Your Winter Holiday Table

Dec. 14, 2-4 p.m.
Bring home a beautiful and unique table arrangement of fragrant evergreens and bright berries, with flowers to set it all off. Local florist Neil Mendenhall and Duke Gardens superintendent Harry Jenkins will combine collected material with cut flowers and greenery to help you create your own fresh holiday display to use at home or as a hostess gift. They will also review how to extend the life of the arrangement by replacing flowers.
All materials and container included in fee. Location: Duke Gardens greenhouse classroom. Participant limit: 15. $65; $55 Gardens members & Duke students/staff. Information/registration: 919-668-1707.

Durham Garden Forum
Meetings are held at Sarah P. Duke Gardens on Tuesday Evenings from 6:30-8 p.m.
Membership is $25 for the year (which runs April – March) or each lecture is $10. No preregistration is required. Contact information is durham.gardenforum@gmail.com.

The Garden in Winter
Dec. 10, 6:30-8 p.m.
Learn about design strategies for the winter garden with Jan Little of Duke Gardens. An informal group, the Durham Garden Forum meets once a month to enrich its members' gardening knowledge and skill. Presented in partnership with N.C. Cooperative Extension's Durham County Center. $10; free for Forum members.