2008 Tour Volunteer Information
© Saxon Holt Photography
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
The 2008 Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour is seeking volunteers who will spend a morning or afternoon greeting tour participants and answering questions. More than 60 gardens located throughout Alameda and Contra Costa counties will be showcased on this Tour, which will take place on Sunday, May 4, 2008 from 10–5.
The marvelous collection of gardens on the tour range from Jenny and Scott Fleming’s 50-year-old collector’s garden to several that are newly installed; from five-acre lots to small front gardens in the flats; and from local natives to the horticulturally available suite of natives from throughout California. A number of gardens were designed and installed by owners, others were designed and installed by professionals.
Benefits to volunteers invitations to monthly Garden Soirees, in which tour gardens are open for leisurely, private viewing by hosts and volunteers; a pre-tour meeting with the owner and private tour of the garden you will be staffing; a guaranteed tour reservation for the half-day you are free; a Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour t-shirt; and, perhaps best of all, heartfelt thanks for helping to educate the general public about the many pleasures and benefits of gardening with California native plants. You can browse the 2008 Tour Garden descriptions to get an idea of the range of gardens available. Gardens will be assigned on a first-come basis. Fill out the main Tour registration form to volunteer and request your preferred gardens.
For more information, please email Kathy Kramer or call 510-236-9558 between 9 am and 9 pm.
Tour Description
Gardens included on this Tour were selected because they:
- Feature 30% or more native plants
- Are pesticide-free,
- Reduce waste by composting, mulching, and selecting appropriate plants,
- Conserve water, and
- Provide habitat for wildlife.
Volunteer Participation Criteria
Tour Volunteers must:
- Have basic gardening knowledge
- Support chemical free gardening
- Enjoy public education and interaction
- Be able to commit to a four-hour shift on May 4 (either 9:30 to 1:30, or 1 to 5. (Volunteers may use the balance of the day to tour gardens).
Garden Placement and Duties
There are two typical volunteer activities:
Greeters. Volunteer Greeters welcome guests, confirm guests have garden tickets, and facilitate the flow of traffic into the garden. Greeters do not need to be knowledgeable about natives plants, just warm to the general public.
Garden Assistants. The Garden Assistants will help the host gardeners answer questions about the garden, plants, and natural gardening techniques used. (Volunteers will meet with their host gardener and see the garden they have been assigned to prior to the tour.)
Volunteers will receive a volunteer orientation packet that includes details about the agreed-upon garden assignment, a host gardener plant list, tour T-shirt (which is their tour pass) and other related materials.