FRESH Ideas

May 9, 2024

NC Native Plant Reference Guide

These native plants are well-suited to North Carolina’s climate and soil conditions, making them ideal choices for creating a vibrant and sustainable pollinator garden. By incorporating a diverse selection of species, you can ensure year-round color and habitat for a wide range of beneficial insects and wildlife. Print the NC Native Pollinator Plant reference guide. 

May 9, 2024

Ask an Expert: Debbie Roos and Pollinator Conservation

Debbie Roos has been an agent with NC Cooperative Extension in Chatham County since 1999. She is an esteemed resource for her knowledge and passion for pollinator conservation. She maintains a demonstration garden, “Pollinator Paradise,” where she holds regular tours and captures beautiful educational photos. If you can’t visit the garden, check out her website, Growing… 

May 9, 2024

Garden Clubs: G.W. Carver Elementary

This month’s featured garden club is a perfect example of how a garden club can be the key factor in sustaining a school garden effort. It is also a unique example of garden leadership where the school nurse has chosen to be the garden lead rather than a classroom or exploratory teacher. Abraya Johnson, MPH,… 

Mar 9, 2024

Polinator Matching Activity

Remember honey bees aren’t the only pollinators! Use this printable Pollinator Matching Game developed by the University of Georgia to learn about the flower traits that attract specific pollinators. Dive even deeper with this Flower Traits Slideshow for some amazing photos that show us what pollinators are looking for or how different flower traits guide them to the right… 

Mar 9, 2024

Don’t “Bee” Fooled by Pollinator Myths

In our school garden work, we often encounter teachers or schools who would like to plant a pollinator garden but are fearful that attracting bees will result in students being stung. It’s essential to recognize that bees play a crucial role in pollination, facilitating the reproduction of flowering plants, including many of the fruits, vegetables,… 

Mar 9, 2024

Garden Clubs: Patriots STEM Elementary

One of the ways garden clubs can help sustain a school garden is that they can provide ownership. Garden “ownership” ensures that the garden will be maintained, planted and harvested. Whoever the owner of the garden is has a vested interest in its upkeep. While a garden club may serve as the “owner” of the… 

Jan 30, 2024

Introducing North Carolina’s Pollinators

While it may feel cold and dreary outside now, spring is just around the corner. The arrival of spring and spring flowers also ushers in the arrival of pollinators who are busy ensuring the reproduction of flowering plants. Have you ever wondered who our pollinators are? Let’s meet some of our North Carolina pollinators. Bees… 

Jan 30, 2024

Garden Clubs: Cabarrus Early College

Sometimes we intentionally choose gardening, and sometimes gardening finds us. For the Cobra Service Club at Cabarrus Early College of Technology, the latter is true. The students did not sign up for a garden club, but rather a service club. However, as the club considered how to serve others, gardening and its potential impact on… 

Nov 23, 2023

Native Plants

There’s a lot of buzz about the benefits of native plants. Let’s take a look at a few of those benefits through our school garden lens.  1. Local Ecosystems  Creating (or protecting) an area that offers an authentic representation of your local ecosystem in (or near) the school garden helps students recognize plants they may observe in…