News Flash

Enjoy this mild, refreshing botanical fruit in Wilmington from late summer to fall

Have you noticed? I have. The mornings are beginning to get a bit cooler, the sun is setting on us earlier, and I find myself thinking about what soups I want to try. Our mild winters mean that summer might be wrapping up, but the growing season will cont...

From pretty blooms to berries, find your perfect plant at this Wilmington-area festival

American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) certainly lives up to its common name during the fall months here in coastal North Carolina. 

During the summer, small, fluffy pink flowers grow in clusters along the gracefully arching stems. The incons...

Gardening can improve your overall health

Have you ever been on a walk and saw a flower so pretty you had to stop and look at it for a moment? Ever since I was little, I have found myself stopping to look at varieties of flowers with amazement for how unique they are. Growing up in Massachusetts,...

New Hanover Arboretum wins national award for sustainability

I had the pleasure and privilege of attending the American Public Garden Association’s annual conference in downtown Fort Worth, Texas – The Cowtown – where the west begins. Each year the conference is held in a different cit...

New Hanover Arboretum intern: While preparing for a hurricane, don't forget food safety

Going into my fourth hurricane season in Wilmington, I have started to pay closer attention to what can be done to prepare for the worst. Creating healthy and fulfilling meals during a stressful event, such as a hurricane, can be challenging. Hurricane se...

Building a better, stronger community through health and wellness

What comes to mind when you think about health and wellness? I’m sure exercise and eating healthy are the first things. Regular check-ups, seeing all the appropriate doctors, and stress management would also make the top of the list. Something t...

New Hanover Arboretum has a 'fruitful' connection with NC State University

NC Cooperative Extension in New Hanover County located at the arboretum is a partnership between North Carolina State University and New Hanover County. We work together to bring research-based information and services to our local customers in areas of y...

How New Hanover 4-H is enriching youth by engaging in summer fun programs

Many of us, including myself, have fond memories from our childhood during the summertime in eastern North Carolina. Exploring the outdoors, getting my feet wet and hands dirty, growing in a skill, discovering new interests, overcoming challenges, and mak...

How the Cape Fear Garden Club makes a major impact in New Hanover County

As I wander the grounds of the New Hanover County Arboretum (my beautiful outdoor work home), I am very cognizant and pleased to see the number of indicators of support for our gardens from local organizations and people over the years.

This seven-acre won...

From 'Tinkerbelle' to 'Snow Tower,' what's new at the New Hanover County Arboretum

Have you ever wondered what an arboretum is? Or the purpose of an arboretum?

In the simplest of terms, an arboretum is a place where trees and other woody plants are cultivated for scientific and educational purposes. Here at the North Carolina Cooperative...

How going local for farm-fresh produce produces a 'multiplier effect'

I love living in Southeastern North Carolina. We have amazing outdoor recreation, mild winters, warm summers, and such a great variety of local meats, veggies, and seafood. Plus, I believe food brings people together, and that is exactly what I see local ...

Want to conserve New Hanover land? There's an easement for that. Here's how it works.

Land has many uses.

Land use is a term used to describe the human use of land. It represents the economic and cultural activities that are practiced at a given place. Build a house on the land, use it for growing a variety of crops, fence the land in for l...

Arboretum earns national recognition from American Public Gardens Association

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC – The New Hanover County Arboretum and N.C. Cooperative Extension has been honored by the American Public Gardens Association’s Awards Committee with the 2023 Sustainability Award. The award will be presented in ...

New Hanover extension agent shows paths to connect nature and wellness

Spring came early to the lower Cape Fear this year and it brought me a renewed sense of energy. A hope for regeneration as I cope with the stressors of pandemic recovery, global and domestic unrest and increasing political polarization.

As I thought about ...

New Hanover Arboretum intern: Discover new flavors for National Nutrition Month

Last year I was lucky enough to spend my Spring Break in one of my favorite places in the world, Italy. During my trip, I was able to experience the culture, environment, and cuisine of Tuscany and Venice. Specifically, my study abroad trip focused on the...

Cape Fear Creek Week to educate residents on how to protect water resources

Growing up, my family and I would visit Falls Lake every weekend to help us relax and unwind from a long week. I have so many fond memories of hiking, swimming, jet skiing, and picnicking there.

Over the years, however, my family visited Falls Lake less of...

To address hunger in New Hanover, 4-H begins community service project

We are all guilty of standing in front of the refrigerator, while there is an abundance of food, and still struggling to decide what to eat. Something as simple as grabbing food from the kitchen or ordering takeout is not an option for families facing hun...

New Hanover Arboretum to host a spring camellia show and sale

It’s camellia season. Come out to the New Hanover County Arboretum and enjoy the display.

The camellia tradition continues with the Tidewater Camellia Club’s annual Camellia Show and Festival on Saturday, Feb. 25 at the New Hanover County Arboretum, 6206 O...

New Hanover Arboretum offers way to add joy to your winter garden: Pinecone bird feeders

Many of us enjoy feeding birds throughout the year. In the winter garden they provide a flurry of activity when there is not much else to see. In the Ability Garden we have been making pinecone birdfeeders with our school groups. It is a simple activity t...

Opera Wilmington to put camellias on center stage at the New Hanover County Arboretum

If you’re like many residents of the Cape Fear area, you know camellias as colorful, dependable fall and winter bloomers. You may have strolled past the showy camellia plantings at the New Hanover County Arboretum or at Airlie Gardens. But you may not kno...

Wilmington extension agent outlines 2023 goals

New Year, Same Me: Setting Goals for Sustainable Change

My seven year old niece came to visit around New Year’s Day. During her visit, we each began crafting goals for 2023. I wrote that I wanted to go camping three times, and she wrote the same, spurring ...