Join the Alyson Pond Garden Club Friday, September 24, 2010 as it makes its field trip to Duke Gardens. Through special arrangement, the club will receive a private tour by one of the garden’s docents. Then, immediately afterward we will be joining the Friends of Duke Gardens preview of the 2010 Plant and Craft Festival.The Gardens and other vendors will offer for sale an array of plants appropriate for this region, including plants featured in Duke Gardens and rare and native species. Local artisans will sell garden-related gift items. And you can also get free horticultural advice from our staff and Durham County Master Gardeners.
Sarah P. Duke Gardens provides a place where people of all backgrounds and ages come for beauty, education, horticulture, solitude, discovery, study, renewal and inspiration.
Often spoken of as “the crown jewel of Duke University,” Duke Gardens occupies 55 acres in the heart of west campus, adjacent to Duke University Medical Center.
It is recognized as one of the premier public gardens in the United States, renowned both for landscape design and the quality of horticulture, each year attracting more than 300,000 visitors from all over the world.
So save the date: Friday, September 24, 2010. We will leave Alyson Pond at 2PM. The Tour begins at 3:00 and the Fair preview at 4:00pm. Admission to the Tour and Fair is $10. Due to group size limitations, we can only take the first 25 registrants. Adults only. To reserve your spot, call Paul Martin at 919.847.1733 or email paul@leisurelandscapes.com. For more information, click on the link:http://www.hr.duke.edu/dukegardens/calendar_descriptions.htm
Sponsored by Leisure Landscapes.
Alyson Pond Homeowner's Association 
It’s funny that you were fired from Alyson Pond for lousy landscaping, and now you are running a Garden club… What a joke. Take a look at your own garden and the damage to the outside of your own home.
Why were you voted onto the board!!!
Oh, that’s a bit harsh.
We need to be respectful of our neighbors.
And just as an aside, I do think at times that the rules and regulations for Alyson Pond are a bit stringent, especially regarding the compliance with architectural and landscape standards. I am hoping that people are sent nice, friendly notes regarding non-compliance and are given a chance to “make right”.
Some lawns may be overlooked not because the owners “don’t care anymore” but may be due to
overloaded work schedules, personal issues, and many other factors. It’s been a very, very hot summer, which doesn’t help the cause. There’s also been an abundance of crabgrass and weeds this summer… so all these issues need to be taken into account when reviewing each and every home for compliance.
Thanks,
Jim
Hi Jim
I guess I was a bit harsh, but the blog is for the community not a business promotion – so I apologies.
Tom
Tom, I don’t know where you got the idea that the Duke Garden Tour was a business promotion.
The Garden Club is an Alyson Pond activity, just like the Book Club or Ladies Night Out. And using the blog for announcements of this type is exactly what the blog is intended for.
The field trip to Duke Gardens will cost $100 in fees to Duke Gardens: $50 is for the private tour guide and $50 is for group membership in the ‘Friends of Duke Gardens’ which entitles the Club to preview the Crafts Fair and plant sale. The charge of $10 per person is on the expectation that we will have 10 people going to cover the $100 cost. Leisure Landscapes is a sponsor in that it is a guarantor that we will still make the trip if there are less than 10 people that sign up. If there are more than ten, the excess funds will go into the Garden Club treasury for future events.
So the only business that is being done here is donations to the Duke Gardens. And I, for one, think that is a worthy cause.
I’d just like to echo the call for respect and remind all readers that the blog is not a venue for personal attacks; future instances will be removed.
I would like to agree with Adam as we don’t need to attack each other but make really good comments, it’s community.
It’s a really nice trip to Duke Gardens as I have been going for over ten years, but I would rather go it alone than with Paul’s group. No offence Paul but let’s face it you’re no expert!!!
Call the Gardens as they do have great small group tours and their guides really know their stuff, much more enjoyable.
Vivian, perhaps you should read the announcement again.
The Garden Club Tour is being guided by Duke Gardens staff. The $10 admission fee also covers an exclusive ‘Friends of Duke Gardens’ preview of the Craft and Plant Fair.
So you may want to reconsider. And by the way, I’m a licensed Landscape Contractor.
Hi Vivian,
Yes the tour is great and my son and I have been going for many years until my wife passed away last year. If you have any ideas for other trips please let me know?
Keep the ideas flowing it’s good that we are using this blog to the best advantage.
Incidentally, I am interested in growing Bonsai trees, would you be interested in my forming a class?
Dave
***Note: Edited to remove personal comment. Please contact me at info@alysonpond.com with questions.***