Do you think roses rule? Do you have a passion for peonies? Boerner Botanical Gardens is a place like on other, with a fun atmosphere and people who are excited about what they do. Many year-round volunteer opportunities await you!
By volunteering for the Friends you can expect to discover...
- A positive feeling knowing that your time and talents help support Milwaukee County's Living Museum
- The company of more than 200 other individuals who enjoy learning about and sharing their love of gardening and horticulture
- The sweet scent of the gardens as you lead a group on a tour
- Recognition and appreciation throughout the year as well as an Appreciation Event and Awards
- Year-round opportunities that fit your schedule and skills/talents
There are many volunteer opportunities available with the Friends of Boerner Botanical Gardens:
Children's and Adult Education
The Friends of Boerner Botanical Gardens are not only hooked on horticulture, but are dedicated to providing quality educational experiences for children and adults by using the Gardens as classrooms. You can help by leading tours of the Gardens, presenting slide shows, assisting with educational programs and greeting participants.
Administration/Clerical
It takes an entire force of people to keep the Administrative Offices running smoothly. Are you a computer guru? Do you like to write? Can you stuff envelopes? A number of tasks are available for volunteers to assist with during daytime office hours or at home.
Garden Docents
Many visitors to the Gardens come for ideas about what to grow in their own backyard. Others visit to learn more about a specific area of the Gardens. Out of town visitors come by the busload. Volunteers provide an essential service by leading Garden Tours. Garden Docents help visitors appreciate and understand the unique qualities of the Gardens and the extensive plant collection. Knowledge of plant material is helpful but training will be provided.
Gift Shop Assistants
The Gardens' Gift Shop is open year-round and is an exciting place to volunteer. Do you have an interest in retail and merchandising? If so, you can help create displays, keep the shop attractive and assist customers. The gift shop is a perfect opportunity to spend time in a beautiful retail environment.
Greeter
Share your knowledge of and enthusiasm for the Gardens by being a Greeter in the Education & Visitor Center. This position offers you a chance to be at the hub of activity, offer a warm welcome, guide visitors in the atrium area and help inform visitors of all things available for them to experience during their visit to the Gardens.
Library Aides
The Boerner Botanical Gardens Horticultural Resource Library has an extensive amount of horticulture and gardening-related learning and research materials. Volunteers can assist with library shelving, catalog processing, data entry, catalogs and periodicals, and help visitors make selections from our collection of books.
Special Events, Trade Shows and Outreach Activities
Help us educate the public about the Friends mission through marketing, special events and other programs. Assistance is needed with event setup, greeting visitors, staffing trade show booths or provided by lending your special talent.
We welcome the opportunity to help your community group explore the volunteer activities we have available. Most of our Volunteer Opportunities are geared toward adults, but youth and youth-oriented service groups are encouraged and needed.
YES! I want to be a volunteer for the Friends of Boerner Botanical Gardens! Click here to access an online application form.
To learn more about volunteering at Boerner Botanical Gardens,
call (414) 525-5653.
