Volunteers | The Gardens at Texas A&M University

Department of Horticultural Sciences students in the Gardens. (Courtney Sacco/Texas A&M AgriLife Marketing and Communications)

Volunteer Program

There are many benefits to volunteering at the Gardens. You will have opportunities to meet new people and make new friends, receive practical hands-on experience, share interests and hobbies with others, work in a beautiful and stimulating environment, and make your community a better place to live. An added benefit is the satisfaction that comes with helping The Gardens fulfill its mission by providing valuable services and programs for school children, gardeners, nature enthusiasts, professional horticulturists, homeowners and many others in the community, and from across the state.

Volunteers are an essential component to the success of The Gardens. Without the continued support from our volunteers, we would not be able to accomplish as much as we do. Below you can read about the variety of volunteer opportunities available. No volunteer will be turned down due to lack of experience, but we do want to make sure we can connect your interests and experience with the Gardens’ needs.

Gardens Maintenance & Restoration
- The Gardens Maintenance and Restoration volunteers are the backbone of the gardens team. Team members are willing to get dirty planting, pruning, weeding, among other hands-on activities. This position varies from day to day in accordance with the season and the varying needs of the Gardens.
Plant Propagation / Production Assistants
- Plant propagation and production assistants help to assure the continued diversity and testing of new plants by assisting garden personnel in propagating and growing plants for eventual planting out in The Gardens. Volunteers will assist with and learn about seed and vegetative production of plants and assist with container production of new plants for The Gardens.
Gardens Tour Docents
- Our Gardens Tour Docents are our guides of the Gardens, who work with tour groups to introduce them to the Gardens and help them discover its beauty. Our docents should be skilled in both communication and public speaking skills.
Gardens Event or Outreach
- The Gardens hosts and participates in a variety of events and outreach opportunities throughout the year. Responsibilities could include educating others about The Gardens, helping with educational and/or craft type activities for people of all ages, or recruiting others to become volunteers at the Gardens.
Gardens Youth Education Guides
- Our Gardens Youth Education Guides help us to fulfill the Gardens mission of engaging students in a living teaching environment and encouraging curiosity, discovery, and wonder for the natural world. Our Education Guides should enjoy working with students from pre-k through high school and public speaking.
Gardens Curation Assistants
- Documenting and monitoring plant collections is a vital part of any public garden. Garden curation assistants help to document, label, and update records associated with the proper classification, location, and origin of the plants included within The Garden’s collections.

Interested in having your group volunteer with The Gardens?

Volunteering with your student organization or staff unit can be a wonderful opportunity for team building while giving back to the campus community. Currently, Wednesdays are our volunteer group days out in The Gardens, and are filled on a first-come, first-serve basis.

The Gardens also hosts four, annual, community wide events where volunteer groups can be utilized:

Fall Festival – October 21, 2023
Holliday Stroll – December 3, 2023
Hullabloom Fest – April 20, 2024
Summer Celebration – TBD June 2024

If your group is interested in volunteering out in The Gardens, please complete the form linked below.

Interested in volunteering for a class assignment?

If you are looking for a one-time volunteer opportunity to complete community service hours for a class assignment or other project, please complete the service-learning volunteer form below, so that we can try to accommodate your request. Below is a list of service-learning workdays, which will be filled on a first come, first serve basis. If these dates/times do not work with your schedule, you are still welcome to volunteer during our other opportunities throughout the semester.

Wednesday, September 13, 2023 :: 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Wednesday, September 27, 2023 :: 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Friday, October 20, 2023 :: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Monday, October 30, 2023 :: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Thursday, November 16, 2023 :: 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Individual VOLUNTEER form

Group volunteer form

Service-Learning Volunteer Form

Upcoming Volunteer Events

If you are interested in volunteering for any of the events below, please reach out to The Gardens at gardens@ag.tamu.edu.

Volunteer FAQs

Where do I go to do my job?

Depending on what type of job you will be doing, you may meet at different places around The Gardens, AgriLife complex, and / or HortTREC. The Gardens team will be in contact with you about where to meet, where you will be working, and what to expect for the day.

Where do I park?

Parking is FREE on the weekends, excluding game days,in any of the unnumbered spaces in Lot 97 (AgriLife) or Lots 100a–f (Reed Arena). During the weekdays, if you do not hold a TAMU Parking Permit, you can prepay or use a kiosk to park. You can use either of these to park in Lots 100a–f (Reed Arena) or designated visitor spaces in Lot 97 (AgriLife). Rates start at $3 per hour (if using the app or kiosk) or $5 per day (if prepaid online). See current rates here: https://transport.tamu.edu/Parking/visitor.aspx#hourly

Lot 97 offers the closest accessible visitor parking to The Gardens. These spots are $2/hour for visitors, and require a government-issued handicapped tag or plate. For TAMU Permit Holders, vehicles displaying an A&M permit plus a government-issued handicapped tag or plate may park in accessible spaces in Lots 96, 100c, 74, 122d and 122b near The Gardens.

If you are on campus, you can ride your bike, and park in the plentiful bike racks near the Outdoor Classroom in The Gardens, or VeoRide bike rentals cost about $0.50 per 15 minute ride. You can also hop on a FREE AggieSpirit bus. Take Routes 5 (Bush School), 8 (Howdy), 35 (Hullabaloo) and 40N (Century Tree) to one of our closest bus stops, AGLS or PEAP.

I work Monday through Friday. Do you have volunteer opportunities on the weekend?

Yes, some volunteer opportunities are available on the weekends and in the evening, but most are available only Monday through Friday, during daylight hours.

Can my volunteer hours count toward maintaining my Master Gardener certification?

As long as the volunteer is serving in an Educational capacity, and not in a service or maintenance-type capacity, then volunteer hours can count towards maintaining the Master Garden certification.

What do I do if I’m sick or can’t work my scheduled day for other reasons?

Call one of The Gardens Team to let them know as soon as you know you will not be able to come in.

What if the weather is bad? Do I report to work as usual?

The Gardens Team will keep an eye on forecasts and communicate with volunteers regarding changes in schedule due to weather. Volunteers should use their best judgment in deciding whether it is safe to travel when inclement weather occurs. If you feel it is too risky to drive, notify The Gardens Team that you will not be coming in.

Whose tools do I use?

The Gardens have a supply of tools, and volunteers will be given a quick demonstration or training on best practices for using the tools before getting started.

Can I take home any plants or plant materials?

No plant materials of any kind are to leave the premises without the express consent of the Gardens Manager or Director of the Gardens.

Can I be fired?

As a volunteer, you can not technically be fired, but in the rare instance that a volunteer is exceptionally disruptive, uncooperative, or otherwise proves more damaging than helpful, they may be asked not to return.

How much “authority” do I have in the garden when it comes to dealing with visitors?

As a Gardens volunteer, you are an integral part of The Gardens and are authorized to care for and protect the Gardens’ collection. You have the authority to ask visitors to discontinue any activity that is damaging to the collection or the structures in The Gardens. If you encounter a visitor who is doing something inappropriate, ask the visitor in a professional and non-confrontational way to stop. It is extremely rare to find someone behaving in a malicious manner, and most of the time, visitors simply don’t realize they are damaging anything. Try to educate the offender(s) by telling them why it is important for them not to do what they are doing. If you are reluctant to approach the offending visitors for whatever reason, notify the Gardens Team. In the event the visitor does not desist in the undesirable activity, notify The Gardens personnel or in the event of a safety related emergency call 911 and report the incident.

Volunteer Program

Interested in having your group volunteer with The Gardens?

Interested in volunteering for a class assignment?

Upcoming Volunteer Events

Volunteer FAQs

Newsletter Sign-up

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Volunteer Program

Interested in having your group volunteer with The Gardens?

Interested in volunteering for a class assignment?

Upcoming Volunteer Events

Volunteer FAQs

Newsletter Sign-up

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