Ready to schedule your day at The Gardens? Submit your request now!

Group Volunteer Inquiry Form

Requirements for joining our Gardens Volunteer Program:

• Must be at least 18 years of age
  • Volunteers aged 14 –17 can join as a Teen Volunteer
• Submit an online volunteer application
• Complete our hybrid volunteer onboarding which includes: 
  • Watching the virtual pre-recorded orientation video (45 minutes)
  • Participate in a volunteer placement conversation with staff (15 minutes)
  • Attend an optional onsite tour (1 hour)
  • Meet any additional position requirements
• Complete a background check (only required for opportunities working with at-risk populations (children and elderly) and/or sensitive information

Please note some opportunities will require additional training.

Each hyperlink will give you more details about the specific volunteer opportunity at The Gardens.

Butterfly House 

Volunteering in our Butterfly House is both educational and rewarding! Butterfly House volunteers are responsible for maintaining USDA containment standards, helping to ensure excellent guest experience, and enhancing guest takeaways through interpretation and education. 

Education

Gardens education volunteers help us fulfill our mission to improve people's lives and inspire stewardship through horticulture. Volunteers can assist with a variety of programs year-round, including, but not limited to, group tours, story times, camps, and outreach. A criminal background check is required for volunteers in this position. Tasks and responsibilities vary, training is provided, and all volunteers are welcome!

Horticulture 

Throughout the growing season, horticulture volunteers assist staff on weekday mornings in our outdoor gardens and greenhouse. Gardening tasks include propagation, weeding, transplanting, seeding, mulching, turning soil, deadheading, and harvesting fruits and vegetables. Outdoor gardening requires a moderate activity level and a willingness to work under varying conditions. Some adaptations can be made.

Special Events 

These opportunities occur throughout the year to assist with set-up and day-of tasks, including ticket scanning, greeting guests, crowd management, and wayfinding. Most opportunities require standing and walking around the event; however, seated opportunities are available.

Thank you for your interest in volunteering at The Gardens on Spring Creek! We will be reopening our volunteer applications in late March 2025. 

Butterfly House: Volunteering in our Butterfly House is both educational and rewarding! Butterfly House volunteers are responsible for maintaining USDA containment standards, helping to ensure excellent guest experience, and enhancing guest takeaways through interpretation and education.

Horticulture: Horticulture volunteers assist horticulture staff on weekday mornings in our outdoor gardens and propagation in our greenhouse on different days of the week throughout the growing season. Gardening tasks include weeding, transplanting, seeding, mulching, turning soil, deadheading as well as harvesting fruits and vegetables. Outdoor gardening opportunity requires a moderate activity level and a willingness to work outside under varying conditions. Some adaptations can be made. 

Special Events: These opportunities occur throughout the year to assist with set-up and day of to include ticket scanning, greeting guests, crowd management and wayfinding. Most opportunities require standing and walking around the event, however, seated opportunities are available.

Project Hort

Project Hort, short for horticulture, is a full summer stewardship and volunteer program for teens entering 7th through 12th grade who are passionate about gardening, plants, animals or the environment.

Over the course of the summer, with staff guidance and support, teens will:

• Volunteer at The Gardens—gardening, teaching and helping guests
• Have an impact on their community through conservation projects
• Make great friends with similar interests and participate in fun events

Learn More

School’s Out! Volunteer Days

School’s out! Volunteer Days are open to all teens in 6th–12th grades and will include tasks such as gardening, seed packet filling, mulching, or other garden needs.

While connecting with other teens, you will learn more about The Gardens and additional teen volunteer opportunities available throughout the year. Come learn and grow!

2025 Dates and Themes:

• Monday, Jan. 20 | 1 – 4 p.m.
• Seasonal Clean Up - As we enter the New Year and our Garden of Lights celebration comes to an end, we need help cleaning up all of our holiday decor! Our afternoon will include light strand removal, breaking down displays, organizing supplies for next year, and any other clean up that needs to be done.
• Monday, Feb. 17 |  1 – 4 p.m.
• Great Backyard Bird Count - This global community science project helps scientists better understand bird populations before one of their annual migrations, and we get to help! We will spend the afternoon learning about the birds in our area and going out to count as many as we can.
• Friday, April 18 |  9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
• Earth Day - Help us make The Gardens beautiful to celebrate Earth Day! During this morning, we will be completing garden tasks that may include planting, weeding, mulching, and other spring cleaning tasks depending on horticulture needs.
• Friday, May 16 | 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
• Plant Sale - Each year, The Gardens hosts a Plant Sale of thousands of annuals and perennials that our horticulturists have been growing all year! This morning, we will assist with the event setup, including setting up tables, moving plants to their sale locations, and organizing signage.

Sign Up