The Botanical Conservatory provides volunteer opportunities for hands-on experience in plant propagation, greenhouse and garden maintenance, plant sale support, and public education. Volunteers will learn about the needs of different plants, including orchids, cacti, ferns, and carnivorous plants. We are also looking for volunteers to help conduct public tours as well as guide visitors on event days.
Who Can Volunteer?
- Anyone! You must be at least 18 years of age but you do not have to be a UCD student. We are excited to work with members of the general public and staff in addition to students. You do not need to have any plant care experience and students do not need to be in a plant-related major.
How to Get Involved
The Botanical Conservatory is seeking volunteers for Fall 2026! Help us with greenhouse cleanup, pruning, public tours, transplanting, and weeding throughout the quarter. You MUST attend the first session for the task you'd like to volunteer for, since we will be providing safety training and a general orientation during the first session.
Weekly days and times:
Tuesday 1-3pm: Pruning and greenhouse cleanup. First session Tuesday Sept 29th.
Wednesday 10am-12pm: Weeding. First session Wednesday Sept 30th.
Friday 9am-11am: Transplanting. First session Friday Oct 2nd.
We do not have a scheduled weekly session for tours. Please email Marlene Simon at [email protected] and cc Elice Leung at [email protected] if you are interested in giving tours.
If none of this fits your schedule and you'd still like to help us with maintenance, we have tasks such as washing pots that can be done whenever the Conservatory is open. Please email Marlene and cc Elice if you'd like to help with potwashing.
Our Fall plant sale is on Saturday, October 17th. We are looking for help during three shifts. Volunteer 6am-9am to set up, 9am-1pm during the sale, and/or 1pm-3pm to clean up. Please email Marlene and cc Elice if you'd like to volunteer for the sale, and what shift(s) you are interested in.
We rely on volunteer support for our work here at the Conservatory and appreciate everyone's time and effort. Meet others who love plants and learn new skills (and take home cuttings and seedlings)!