Horticultural Volunteers

Information for Prospective Volunteers

Our Horticultural Volunteer scheme is vocational, largely aimed at people wanting to pursue a career in horticulture or who are currently studying or intending to study horticulture or a related subject. Horticultural Volunteers are asked to commit to a regular one day a week for up to one year.
Volunteers will be given instruction in a range of garden maintenance tasks and be expected to execute them with a high degree of care and attention. All work is horticulturally related but may not always involve direct contact with plants. For instance volunteers may be asked to take a turn at pot washing or raking gravel.
There is an initial one month “probationary” period and volunteers are normally offered up to one year’s volunteer work (including the 1 month probationary period).
The hours of work are 9.00am to 4.00pm during winter and 9.00am to 5.00pm in summer, with one hour for lunch.
Tea and coffee are provided but volunteers are expected to bring their own lunch. A microwave, toaster and small oven are available for preparing hot food.
Volunteers are entitled to claim travel expenses incurred on each day worked at the Garden.
It is necessary to wear steel toe-capped boots when working in the Garden. Boots can be ordered for volunteers, but the Garden cannot pay for them. Volunteers are expected to provide their own suitable clothing (including waterproofs) but gloves, secateurs and other tools are provided by the Garden.
All volunteers should be immunised against tetanus.

If you are interested, please download an application form (Word doc/33Kb)