Pollinator gardens provide food and nesting habitat for pollinators by containing native plant species that support these pollinators. Our apiary garden is a continuation of the established 2021 project of a pollinator garden. That garden had a number of plants that while not native are not harmful to our local system such as purple cone flower. We have made the decision to keep those non-harmful established plants in place while adding native beneficial plants to help support our incoming honey bees for May of 2027.
With the FFA incentive grant awarded to our chapter in the 2025-2026 school year we were able to start making much needed repairs to the out door class room near the newly established apiary garden. We began to use scrap wood from the old classroom platform to enhance the garden space and create defined walking paths.
Wrote proposal for the pollinator garden to be approved by admin-istration
Measured the space
Clearing the space
Collected cardboard
This project showed mixed results. The area selected faced many challenges such as being very shaded, overgrown with non-native plants, and garbage found on site. While this was a great start there was a long road ahead.
Since the start of this garden we have added dozens of native plants to this space including beebalm, rudbeckia hirta, and common primrose. The space continues to grow with every new grade of SLC students.