It’s officially safe to say that 2015 has been a successful year for High Point’s West Seattle Bee Garden (WSBG). The space, part of High Point’s Commons Park P-Patch, has nearly finished implementing its second Department of Neighborhoods Matching Fund Grant. Improvements this year have included the installation of a drip irrigation system (to save water and make life easier for the garden’s volunteers), securing its six large benches to the ground (which were previously pretty wobbly), purchasing a sound system to assist during hive demonstrations and events (as seen at this years’ West Seattle Bee Festival and Kids’ Field Day events), and installing a pergola to provide shade (vines to be planted spring of 2016).
Every year the WSBG hosts more and more visitors. Listed on ParentMap’s list of gardens to visit with children, visitors are frequently coming to see the bees in High Point. Groups (especially preschools) have started using the garden as an educational space to have lunch. Guided field trips are available as well, hosted by WSBG volunteers. Fifteen classrooms came by the space this year to experience a bee talk and demonstration. The wooden benches provide a classroom setting, allowing for instruction about bees and pollination. Then the instructor/beekeeper is able to open a hive within the primarily Plexiglas enclosure, allowing students to see the honeycomb and bees up close. At times, the students are even able to taste the honey, straight off the honeycomb! On September 16th the Seattle Jewish Community School was the most recent group to organize a trip to come see the bees, tying in the significance of honey and Rosh Hashanah – the Jewish New Year. Eating honey around this time is meant to signify a sweet year ahead.
An exciting new event happened this summer at the WSBG – the first Puget Sound Beekeepers Association Kids’ Field Day! Many beekeepers from the Puget Sound Beekeepers Association (PSBA), along with volunteers from the Seattle Public Library came together to help kids learn about bees, and about what bees do. Activities included pollination simulation, flower fact activities, a bee anatomy game, arts and crafts, honey tasting, a waggle dance activity, an observation hive, a scavenger hunt (identifying flowers in the P-Patch and pollination garden), a story time, and the big hit of the afternoon was the hive demonstration hosted by PSBA’s Daniel Najera. It was an especially big day for the WSBG, bringing together local bee experts, educators, and families who were eager to learn.
Everyone from the WSBG continues our gratitude to High Point Neighborhood and the Seattle P-Patch program for making everything possible. We are grateful to have seen the vision of the WSBG become a reality. The garden is always in search of more volunteers – if you are interested in getting involved on any level, please get in touch!
Every year the WSBG hosts more and more visitors. Listed on ParentMap’s list of gardens to visit with children, visitors are frequently coming to see the bees in High Point. Groups (especially preschools) have started using the garden as an educational space to have lunch. Guided field trips are available as well, hosted by WSBG volunteers. Fifteen classrooms came by the space this year to experience a bee talk and demonstration. The wooden benches provide a classroom setting, allowing for instruction about bees and pollination. Then the instructor/beekeeper is able to open a hive within the primarily Plexiglas enclosure, allowing students to see the honeycomb and bees up close. At times, the students are even able to taste the honey, straight off the honeycomb! On September 16th the Seattle Jewish Community School was the most recent group to organize a trip to come see the bees, tying in the significance of honey and Rosh Hashanah – the Jewish New Year. Eating honey around this time is meant to signify a sweet year ahead.
An exciting new event happened this summer at the WSBG – the first Puget Sound Beekeepers Association Kids’ Field Day! Many beekeepers from the Puget Sound Beekeepers Association (PSBA), along with volunteers from the Seattle Public Library came together to help kids learn about bees, and about what bees do. Activities included pollination simulation, flower fact activities, a bee anatomy game, arts and crafts, honey tasting, a waggle dance activity, an observation hive, a scavenger hunt (identifying flowers in the P-Patch and pollination garden), a story time, and the big hit of the afternoon was the hive demonstration hosted by PSBA’s Daniel Najera. It was an especially big day for the WSBG, bringing together local bee experts, educators, and families who were eager to learn.
Everyone from the WSBG continues our gratitude to High Point Neighborhood and the Seattle P-Patch program for making everything possible. We are grateful to have seen the vision of the WSBG become a reality. The garden is always in search of more volunteers – if you are interested in getting involved on any level, please get in touch!
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