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Smithsonian Garden Maintenance Volunteer Opportunity in Washington, D. C.
Details
Description
Do you love plants? Smithsonian Gardens volunteer; you will care for plants and help to care to create beauty for visitors to the Smithsonian Institution. You will work with professional horticulturists and will assist with planting, weeding, deadheading and more. Develop your plant knowledge; help scout for disease and insect pests; and share your knowledge with visitors. Please remember the work is physical. Be prepared to
- volunteer in hot weather
- stoop and bend
- safely lift and help others lift plants, mulch, bags of compost and other supplies
Applications for this opportunity are due on or before February 2, 2026.
Who are we looking for?
Seeking energetic and friendly individuals, 18 years or older, who are able to perform general garden tasks outdoors during the spring, summer, and fall months.
Commitment: Applicants must commit to serving at least 3-6 hours per week. Shifts are offered between the hours of 8:00 am and 2 pm on Tuesday, 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 Our Gardens - Smithsonian 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
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 .
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.
Location
Smithsonian Gardens
How to Volunteer for This Opportunity
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? (i.e.: 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)
