Volunteering Schedule and Typical Volunteer Duties

2024 Volunteering - We’d love to see you!

Come join our friendly group of volunteers anytime of the year. Simply stop by the greenhouse during open hours, M-F, 7am - 3:30 pm and inquire. Or, fill out the volunteer page on this site and we will be in touch with you. You do not need to be a Master Gardener or even have a green thumb - you only need to have a love of plants and be ready to have fun and socialize with like-minded people. Guidance and training is provided. No need to register, sign up, or commit to certain days. Join us as your schedule permits! Typical indoor volunteer times are 10-noon Monday - Friday, and 1-3pm M-T-W-F.

January - February: Indoor work. Kickoff potluck and getting oriented to all the upcoming projects and events. The season is into full swing! Work includes cutting back and clipping greenhouse plants, working on plant propagation, repotting and transplanting, and potting up plants into baskets. Additionally, we will give short tours to school and home school groups, preschools, and many independent and assisted living centers. Something for everyone!

March - May: Continue transplanting, clipping plants, potting indoors. Take Spring bulbs out of cooler. Get creative and design and plant Fairy Gardens and design baskets. Assist with plant sales and open houses held during Easter and Mother’s Day weekends, when the greenhouse also shows off the permanent collections in the conservatory and the plants being readied for planting in the city flower beds. Start helping with special projects.

Easter Showcase: March 30-3, 2024, 11am to 5pm both days. Open to the public and free of charge.

Mother’s Day Showcase: May 12, 2024, 10am - 5pm. Open to the public and free of charge.

Late May - June: Begin assisting the City Greenhouse staff with planting and mulching the various flower, vegetable and herb beds, the children’s garden, etc. Begin weeding and deadheading as needed in the gardens. Anyone is able to ‘adopt’ a garden bed for free, and come join us or bring friends to help keep that specific area maintained and beautiful throughout the growing season. We do ask that you coordinate with Greenhouse staff or volunteers so that we can track your time and provide instructions on caring for the plants. Any special projects are typically being worked on at this time as well.

June - Aug: Continue weeding and deadheading in the flower beds around the park. Help in the Monarch tent rearing monarch butterflies from caterpillars all the way to tagging and releasing them. Volunteers may assist in the garden on their own schedule for many of these activities, or partner up with friends to complete tasks in a favorite garden. Organized “W(h)ine & Weed events are set for Wednesday nights for those who like to socialize while volunteering. The annual summer potluck is also held in July.

July - Aug: Continue weeding and deadheading in the flower beds around the park. Monarch tent caterpillar and butterfly rearing continue, along with public butterfly releases. Volunteers may assist in the garden on their own schedule for many of these activities, or partner up with friends to complete tasks in a favorite garden.

Sept - Oct: Work has moved back inside as we begin taking cuttings from the gardens and starting propagation of all varieties of plants and flowers for next year’s growing season. Bulbs for the spring showcases will also be planted in pots and put in the coolers to force blooming. This is a great time to join our fun group of volunteers and see how the beginnings of next year’s gardens start out. You can then follow progress in the greenhouse all year, as the new plants grow and are transplanted and/or further cuttings are taken.

Nov: Early in the month, volunteering is on an as-needed basis. Cutting back plant material in the greenhouse will be ongoing. Later in the month, volunteers assist in creating Holiday Garden decor for sale at the Holiday Lights & Blooms Open house, and decorating the Greenhouse for the event, as well as helping at the event itself.

Dec: Assist with Hosting Holiday Open House. Dates in 2024 are December 5th and 6th, from 5:00pm - 8:00pm each night.

If you are interested in learning about our volunteer program, please contact 319-286-5762 or use this link.