Volunteering & Internships
UDBG volunteers play a crucial role in many aspects of the organization’s activities. There is a place for people with all kinds of talents, skills, and interests! Volunteering at UDBG is a great way to interact with fellow plant lovers in pleasant surroundings and expand your gardening knowledge.
Get started
We invite you to explore the list of opportunities below to decide what interests you and fill out our online application form. Please note the times of our regularly scheduled volunteer sessions below. If you have questions, please contact our Program Manager, Emily Mox, at 302-831-4188 or email at emox@udel.edu.
- Garden Projects & Maintenance: Volunteers assist with plant and garden maintenance and designed installations. General tasks include weeding, pruning, and planting. Sessions are held most Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
- Nursery Production and Maintenance: Volunteers transplant and maintain plants in our nursery and greenhouse including the propagation and division of plants from cuttings and seed. Maintenance may include watering and weeding containerized plants and moving plant material. Assist with the preparation of plant sales. Sessions are held most Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
- Office Administration: Provide an extra hand to staff with mailings and special event preparation. Staff will work with volunteers to arrange a suitable time.
- Plant Sales: Join in the preparation and staffing of UDBG’s annual plant sales. Revenue generated from plant sales help with garden maintenance, educational programs, and staff and student support. Preparation includes labeling plant materials, moving and arranging plants in sale areas, general sale preparation, and staffing the sale. Volunteers are always needed for our Annual Spring Plant Sale, held Thursday through Saturday, the last week of April.
- Educational Program Assistance: Support lectures, workshops, and special events by assisting with tasks such as staffing registration tables, preparing and distributing program materials, and helping with event setup. Volunteers may be contacted on an as-needed basis to assist with these activities.
- Photography: Capture the beauty of our plants, gardens, and landscapes throughout the year with images to for UDBG educational and marketing purposes. Photographic equipment is not provided. Staff will work with volunteers to arrange a suitable time.
- Special Projects/Skills: Do you have a skill we failed to capture, such as carpentry or handiwork, writing or editing, or artistic skills? We may have the perfect project for you!
The University of Delaware Botanic Garden accepts 4 to 5 interns for their summer cohort. Interns spend the summer gaining hands-on experience and work closely with professional garden staff to learn basic landscape maintenance skills and public horticulture operations.
The majority of work is performed outside including activities such as mowing, pruning, planting, hardscape installation, weed control, and more. In addition, they will develop specialized skills with experiences such as detailed pruning, plant propagation, and using curatorial software for living collections management. The cohort will take several field trips to local public gardens and horticultural entities to further enrich their learning.
No prior horticultural experience is required, though these internships are tailored to provide a valuable supplement to the undergraduate curriculum. Students familiar with horticulture can use the internships to expand their horizons, discover new aspects of this diverse industry, and create meaningful connections between course material and practical experience.
This is an hourly paid internship. Financial support is provided by Patrons of the Spring Plant Sale and generous contributions from Summer Internship Endowments.
Summer Internship Endowments
UDBG gratefully recognizes the donors who have created endowed funds to ensure that generations of students receive valuable hands-on learning experiences and skills in garden and nursery maintenance and public garden operation. The following endowed funds have been created to support student experiences and skills building.
- Dorothy Foster Undergraduate Garden Internship
- Lafferty Family Garden Internship
- Steve and Janet Leate UDBG Internship
- Parvis Family Summer Internship
UDBG provides undergraduates passionate about plants, the environment, horticulture, and landscape management with valuable hands-on learning experiences. By working in the gardens, students gain practical experience while contributing to the maintenance and development of a public garden.
Tour the Garden with the UDBG Interns!: youtube.com/watch?v=7peB8SxRFsg
University of Delaware Botanic Gardens
211 Roger Martin Lane
Newark, DE 19713
