Volunteer Opportunities

Benefits of volunteering

Learn through hands-on experiences, field trips and workshops
Make new friends who share your interests
Stay active and fit
Work in beautiful surroundings
Choose from a wide range of volunteer opportunities to fit your interests
Feel good about volunteering for and organization that is making a positive contribution to society
Annual Arboretum and MetroParks recognition events
Quarterly volunteer events
Free training provided

Administrative Assistants – work shifts vary
Assist the staff members in maintaining the computer databases used to track the status of Arboretum members and volunteers. May also include typing Word and Excel documents, filing and making phone calls. A working knowledge of PCs is required.

African Violets – 11:30 am Tuesdays or Thursdays
Propagate and maintain a wide selection of African Violets to be sold at the Arboretum throughout the year.

Butterfly House – Volunteer training is mandatory for all new volunteer guides and recommended for seasoned volunteer guides. Training includes butterfly & moth natural history and identification, how to create a butterfly garden, and Monarch migration. There will also be special training for those volunteering with children under the age of 16. All 2007 training sessions to be announced.

Butterfly House Gardening – February – October, Mondays from 8:00 – 10:00 am and Thursdays from 6:00 – 8:00 pm Propagate, plant and maintain the Butterfly House gardens.

Guides – 2 hour shifts between 10 am and 4 pm from June 23 – September 3. Orient the public to the Butterfly House and share information on life cycles, identification and butterfly gardening.

Compost Kitchen – 6:30 pm on Thursdays
Monitor and maintain individual compost units, record moisture, PH, weather and observations, turn and aerate compost, add raw materials, assist with incorporation of finished compost into garden areas and assist with general gardening tasks in the Edible Landscape Garden.

Corporate and Group Volunteers – work shifts vary
Opportunities include grounds maintenance, land management, greenhouse production, special events or project work.

Garden Gate – 2 or 3 hour shifts
November – March: 10 am – 1 pm and 1 – 4 pm
April – October: 10 am – 1 pm, 1 – 4 pm, 4 – 6 pm and 6 – 8 pm
Welcome visitors, answer questions, and inform them of points of interest in the gardens and of activities during programs and special events. Raise awareness of membership and volunteer opportunities.

Helping Hands I (Woodworkers) – 9:00 am on Thursdays
Make specialty items for the gift shop and assist with building and repair projects throughout the Arboretum.

Helping Hands II – during special events
Prepare refreshment for special programs and events.

Herb Study Group – 9:00 am on Wednesdays
Propagate and grow a wide assortment of herbs for the sale and the Herb Garden. Provide herb educational programs.

Hospitality/Education – work shifts vary
Program and event assistants. Activities may include greeting, directing and registering program/event participants, distributing materials, stocking kiosks, assisting with design and layout of displays, refreshment set up and clean up and acting as presenter liaison.

Library – work shifts vary
Maintain library shelves, assist with yearly inventory, maintain catalog cards and register new books.

Cox Arboretum Garden Store – Summer hours: M – Sat 11am – 5 pm, Sun. Noon – 4 pm. Shifts, 3-4 hrs..
Welcome customers, answer questions about the Arboretum and merchandise, and complete sales transactions.

Meditation Garden – work shifts vary
Plant and maintain the Japanese Meditation Garden, and assist with the care of nearby water plantings.

Monday Nighters – 6:30 pm on Mondays
Propagate, plant and maintain herbs and companion plants in a section of the Edible Landscape Garden.

Ornamental Grasses – work shifts vary
Propagate, plant and maintain the Ornamental Grass Collection. Grasses are also grown to be sold at Spring Festival.

Perennials – 9:00 am on Mondays (January – May)
Propagate and grow perennial plants for use throughout the gardens and for sale at Spring Festival.

Receptionists – Monday – Friday, shifts are 8:30 am – 12:30 pm and 12:30 – 4:30 pm. Additional shifts are available during some special events.
Greet and assist callers, transfer calls, register program participants and answer general questions about the Arboretum.

Rock Garden – 9:00 am on Fridays
Propagate and grow alpine plants, dwarf conifers, and other plants in miniature for the grounds and Spring Festival. Plant and maintain the Rock Garden.

Rose Garden – 9:30 am on Thursdays
Maintain, prune, fertilize and mulch the Arboretum’s collection of roses.

Scented Geraniums – 10:00 am on Wednesdays
Propagate and grow a wide assortment of Scented Geraniums that are planted in the Edible Landscape Garden, and sold at Spring Festival.

Special Events – work shifts vary
Help with an array of activities including sales and plant selections, cashiering, set-up, children’s activities, refreshments, character acting, and hospitality.

Stonewallers – 9:00 am on Tuesdays
Plant and maintain the Stonewall Perennial Garden, and assist the staff with special projects including the maintenance of various gardens throughout the grounds.

Tour Guides (Children’s and Adult’s) – work shifts vary
Conduct tours and interpret the gardens and woodlands of the Arboretum to school children or adult groups. Training is provided in the spring and fall.

Trees and Shrubs – work shifts vary
Assist in the selection, propagation, and care of trees and shrubs that are hardy to our area. Assist the staff in labeling and cataloguing the woody plant collections.

Weekenders – 9:00 am on Saturdays
Assist in all phases of gardening from propagation to harvesting in the Edible Landscape Garden. Raise vegetable plants for Spring Festival.

Wildflowers – 9:30 am on Fridays or 10:00 am on Saturdays
Propagate and grow wildflowers to plant in the garden as well as to sell to the public at the annual Wildflower Sale. Maintain the large Wildflower Garden.

Back to Volunteer Information Page