New Bee Enclosure

When the bees were introduced to Castlebank Horticultural Centre in 2019, they were located at the rear of the Centre. With the colony going from strength to strength, Jim our beekeeper recommended a larger enclosure to give the bees a bit more space. It would also mean that another hive could be place in the enclosure, taking the total to three. In November 2022, Walter, our educational gardener designed and the new bee enclosure. His thoughts were to make it more accessible, while also providing a safe space for the public to watch the bees. South Lanarkshire’s Community Payback Team clear the site behind the growing compound, removing all the overgrown bushes and shrubs, to leave a clear open space ready for the installation of the enclosure. The volunteers, along with Skills Exchange Scotland and the Payback team begin to dismantle the old bee compound, and move it to the new location. Although using the same fencing and posts from the old site, they have been rearranged to offer a larger enclosure space, with viewing strips running along the front for a great view of the bees at work. The enclosure was completed in March 2023. A heather heath was planted along with ‘bee friendly’ plants at the enclosure. The new enclosure has been a success so far, with Jim our beekeeper offering free informative talks on the bees. We will be offering learning and interactive bee experiences, keep an eye on our event page for more information and events.