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SG - Calling All Green Thumbs! Garden at the Smithsonian
Washington, DC.SG: Smithsonian Gardens
Garden Maintenance Volunteers
Smithsonian Gardens is looking for energetic garden enthusiast to assist in maintaining and beautifying the plant collection and garden exhibits that make up our living museum around the Smithsonian Institution. These Garden Maintenance Volunteers will help our horticulture staff with general gardening tasks including weeding, planting, pruning, watering and deadheading based on staff needs. Applications for this opportunity are due on or before October 31, 2023.
Who are we looking for?
Energetic and friendly individuals, 18 years or older, who are able to perform general garden tasks outdoors during the spring, summer, and fall months. Volunteer should be willing and able to:
- Perform general gardening chores including pruning, planting, weeding, deadheading, watering, and harvesting
- Work in hot weather
- Stoop and bend
- Answer occasional visitor inquiries about gardening and plants
- Identify plants or learn plant identification skills
- Lift 50+ lbs. (not necessary but a plus)
Applicants must commit to serving at least 3-6 hours per week.
Shifts are offered between the hours of 7:30 am and 2:00 pm, Tuesdays, Wednesday, and Thursday
This opportunity does not offer weekend or evening shifts.
Where would you volunteer?
Volunteers will be assigned to a specific garden near the National Mall at the beginning of the season based on staff needed and applicant interests/availability.
For a list of Smithsonian gardens and landscapes, visit https://gardens.si.edu/our-gardens/
Qualifications and Training
- Volunteers must complete a Smithsonian background check
- Volunteers must complete all online Smithsonian Volunteer Training Requirements on Smithsonian's Volunteer Management System (Vsys) at vol.si.edu
- Volunteers must complete yearly trainings focused on garden safety to stay up to date on changes in protocol. This is an internal training provided by Smithsonian Gardens
- COVID safety training is required
How to Apply
To apply, applicants must register and submit an application online at Smithsonian's Volunteer Management System (Vsys) at vol.si.edu .
Links to the online application are included in the opportunity's description. Once you create a profile, you will be able to use the same application to apply for multiple opportunities. If you have a Vsys account, please verify that the information in your account is still up to date and correct. You can log in via vol.si.edu (link).
It is mandatory for all Smithsonian Volunteers to be registered in Vsys. When completing your Vsys application/ profile all the boxes in yellow are required.
In the application, please provide:
- Phone (Primary) - cell phone
- Birthday - if you are uncomfortable listing your year of birth, please list birth year as 1901
Additional Information Required
Why do you want to be a Garden volunteer?
Is there a particular type of garden or plants that you'd be interested in working with? (ie: native plants, tropicals, vegetables, roses, perennials)
What do you hope to gain and/or learn from the volunteer experience?
Provide any experience you have gardening or caring for plants.
Other documents (resume optional)
