What’s in Bloom Provides Community Education & Engagement

— Written By
en Español / em Português
Español

El inglés es el idioma de control de esta página. En la medida en que haya algún conflicto entre la traducción al inglés y la traducción, el inglés prevalece.

Al hacer clic en el enlace de traducción se activa un servicio de traducción gratuito para convertir la página al español. Al igual que con cualquier traducción por Internet, la conversión no es sensible al contexto y puede que no traduzca el texto en su significado original. NC State Extension no garantiza la exactitud del texto traducido. Por favor, tenga en cuenta que algunas aplicaciones y/o servicios pueden no funcionar como se espera cuando se traducen.


Português

Inglês é o idioma de controle desta página. Na medida que haja algum conflito entre o texto original em Inglês e a tradução, o Inglês prevalece.

Ao clicar no link de tradução, um serviço gratuito de tradução será ativado para converter a página para o Português. Como em qualquer tradução pela internet, a conversão não é sensivel ao contexto e pode não ocorrer a tradução para o significado orginal. O serviço de Extensão da Carolina do Norte (NC State Extension) não garante a exatidão do texto traduzido. Por favor, observe que algumas funções ou serviços podem não funcionar como esperado após a tradução.


English

English is the controlling language of this page. To the extent there is any conflict between the English text and the translation, English controls.

Clicking on the translation link activates a free translation service to convert the page to Spanish. As with any Internet translation, the conversion is not context-sensitive and may not translate the text to its original meaning. NC State Extension does not guarantee the accuracy of the translated text. Please note that some applications and/or services may not function as expected when translated.

Collapse ▲

Gardeners contact us at Extension all the time to ask for assistance with plant identification. N.C. Cooperative Extension is happy to assist gardeners with identifying plants in their landscape and choosing plants appropriate for our area. In addition to providing one-on-one assistance, Extension manages two public gardens in Forsyth County. These are the Demonstration Garden located at the Forsyth County Agriculture Building (1450 Fairchild Rd, Winston-Salem, NC 27105) and the Arboretum at Tanglewood Park (4201 Manor House Circle, Clemmons, NC 27012).

Purple creeping phlox

Creeping phlox blooms in the garden during the springtime.

In April 2020, we created the “What’s in Bloom” page of the Extension website to share photographs of plants blooming at Extension’s gardens during the COVID-19 pandemic. We continue to update the page and, starting in 2022, began utilizing Extension Master Gardener℠ Volunteers to collect weekly photographs and information about plants. Thus, the page serves a dual purpose: (1) to inform community members about plants that grow in the Piedmont region of NC and (2) to develop volunteers’ skills in plant identification and research.

The What’s in Bloom website received a total of 3,045 pageviews from 2020 through 2022, with pageviews increasing every year since the creation of the page. The What’s in Bloom page increased community members’ knowledge of gardening. 96% of website visitors reported that the page was helpful from April 2020 through September 2022. Two people reported visiting Extension’s gardens after viewing the What’s in Bloom page. One website visitor stated, “I see plants here I may not have thought about planting myself.”

Goldenrod and butterfly

Goldenrod blooms in our gardens in the fall and attracts a variety of pollinators in our gardens.

Volunteer evaluation feedback showed that 100% of volunteers gained skills in plant identification and researching growing information for plants. Having this volunteer opportunity allowed more diverse participants to serve as Extension Master Gardener℠ Volunteers; 50% of volunteers who completed this task in 2022 work at jobs that prevent them from participating in other regular volunteer activities. One volunteer reported, “This program increased my interest in bees and butterflies…and I have found a passion in learning about butterflies and their host plants.” 

We hope you will take some time to follow along with our What’s in Bloom page this season and that it inspires you to visit or try new plants in your garden!