The UNCP Campus Garden and Apiary (1545 m2) was established in 2014 for education, outreach, and research at the university and has been improved each year. In 2017, 40 raised beds with pollinator plantings (perennials and annuals, natives and non-natives) were established and additions were made in 2018 (18 beds) and 2021 (16 beds). There is a managed meadow (approximately 450 m2 decreased to 275 m2 in 2021), a line of 22 blueberry bushes, and 9 honeybee hives (established in 2016) and a high tunnel. There are specialty gardens including: an herb garden, a tea garden, a three sisters garden, and gourds! Over 100 varieties of plants (perennials, annuals, ornamental, and edible crops) are grown each year in the garden.
Activities in the Garden
The UNCP Campus Garden & Apiary is a place to relax and enjoy nature, as well as a place to grow a sense of community with your fellow colleagues. You can volunteer in the UNCP Campus Garden & Apiary or attend events such as a garden tour or a honeybee hive check through the UNCP Serve site.
The Science Education Club members who love research, gardening, bees, and education, create products for sale from the UNCP Garden & Apiary such as honey, honey goat-milk soap, beeswax lotion and candles, and honey sticks. For anyone interested in the Science Education Club, please contact Dr. Rita Hagevik (rita.hagevik@uncp.edu) or Dr. Kaitlin Campbell (kaitlin.campbell@uncp.edu).
We have research internships to study agriculture, horticulture, bees, pollen, and flowers. Most of these internships are in the summer. For additional information on summer internships and research, contact the following faculty members: Dr. Bryan Sales, horticulture and plant science; Dr. Martin Farley, palynology; Dr. Rita Hagevik, GIS and STEM Education; and Dr. Kaitlin Campbell, bees, pollinators, and insects. Summer research from 2019 were presented during the annual PURC symposium.
Several citizen science projects are also ongoing in the campus garden, such as the Crown Bees Native Bee houses, the Great Pumpkin Project, the Great Sunflower Project, Project Budburst, and Bumblebee Watch.
Community Outreach
Middle and high students can learn about pollinator ecology, the outdoors, STEM careers, and do their own scientific research through the Kids in the Garden Program. There is a bee outreach booth that is taken to community events to educate others about bees and pollinators. To request the Campus Garden & Apiary team to participate in your outreach event by way of the bee outreach booth, please contact Rita Hagevik (rita.hagevik@uncp.edu) or Kaitlin Campbell (kaitlin.campbell@uncp.edu). Schools or school systems that would like to be involved in the UNCP Campus Garden & Apiary project or perhaps would like to come for a field trip to see the Garden & Apiary can contact us for more information.
For a downloadable garden poster, click on the link below.
Campus Garden & Apiary Interns Present their Research at 2019 PURC Symposium:
The 2018-2019 Campus Garden & Apiary interns have researched bees, pollen, and the benefits of pollinators. The interns have worked in the field and in the lab. Three undergraduate research posters were presented at the 2019 PURC Symposium, thanks to the hard work and dedication of both interns and mentors. In the future, other students will have many opportunities to also conduct research at the UNCP Garden & Apiary.
Click here to read the full story.