Get involved with Garden Club
In 2021 Hospitalfield’s Walled Garden, designed by the horticulturalist Nigel Dunnett, opened to the public. The scheme was developed to reveal the unique horticultural history of the site at Hospitalfield, which has been tended as a garden for over 800 years.
The garden and grounds at Hospitalfield are maintained, made fruitful and more beautiful with the fantastic support of our volunteers who meet regularly at Garden Club. Garden Club support the development of the garden from helping weed the gardens, sowing seeds, potting up plants and assisting with seasonal projects. Our next garden project is the development of the medicinal garden.
The site at Hospitalfield has been populated since the 13th century when the monks who ran Arbroath Abbey established their hotel or hospital, here where we believe that they must have grown a medicinal garden and brewed potions as medicines to improve the health and wellbeing of those who they cared for.
From January 2023 we are inviting a medicinal plant specialist to design the garden with Garden Club volunteers, Hospitalfield’s grounds keeping team and soon to be appointed Community Gardener. The new medicinal garden will be planted in a large area within the walled garden at Hospitalfield. As part of our upcoming Garden Club sessions we’ll be planning, preparing, and planting this new medicinal garden.
Garden Club Volunteers meet regularly from 10am to 12pm on Fridays at Hospitalfield. We’re looking for volunteers to come along and get involved in the new medicinal garden at Hospitalfield.
For full information on how to get involved and accessibility notes please see our website https://hospitalfield.org.uk/support/volunteer/garden-club/ or contact us at volunteer@hospitalfield.org.uk
Minimum age: 18
You will assist the North Reserves Project Officer in delivering practical conservation tasks across a variety of nature reserves in the Highlands. This position will allow you to:
- Develop a wide variety of practical conservation and survey skills;
- Gain experience in nature conservation and habitat management;
- Observe and learn about Scotland’s wildlife;
- Increase your employability within the environment sector.
We will supervise you on a wide variety of valuable outdoor practical management tasks such as:
- Control of non-native invasive species;
- Woodland management: including tree planting and restructuring, control of invasive species;
- Infrastructure construction, repairs and maintenance;
- Access and footpath improvements: strimming, drainage, installing way-markers and boardwalks;
- Species surveys and monitoring
We need people to report their squirrel sightings so that we can assess where the threat is prevalent. You can report sightings of both red and grey squirrels at scottishsquirrels.org.uk
We also need people to get actively involved in red squirrel conservation. There is a role for everyone and full training is provided:
• surveying and monitoring of local woods
• raising public awareness and engaging the community (including running events and social media)
• group administration duties
• data management and IT
• grey squirrel control
Sandside Community Garden Association is a constituted organisation which relies on the support of dedicated volunteers to manage and support with the day to day activities of running the organisation. The role of garden volunteer involves general maintenance and upkeep of the garden and allotment space which is based in North West Dumfries, to help to transform the space into a sanctuary for the local community. Duties may include planting and pruning plants and vegetables, maintaining the grass, sweeping, painting and any other relevant duties. Volunteers will work in a team with other garden volunteers to share the workload.
Come along and join the Calderglen Conservation Volunteers for a practical Woodland Workout!
Are you passionate about working in nature? Could you help the Calderglen Conservation Volunteers help protect our ancient woodlands, wildlife, and heritage? By joining the volunteer conservation sessions, you will be helping protect our special places for the benefit of people and wildlife.
Anyone can be a Calderglen Conservation Volunteer; all you need is a bit of spare time on the second Sunday of the month and a love of the outdoors. You will get to meet like-minded volunteers, hopefully, have a laugh, and a chance to get fit for 2023 without going to the gym!
We will provide full training and tools to undertake the conservation tasks working with SLC Countryside Ranger Service and experienced volunteers.
This is a volunteering opportunity principally aimed at adults because of the physical nature of the work and tool use. Family groups are welcome but children will have to be supervised by parents
As a Friend of Dundee Law you will be part of a team of enthusiastic people, giving their time to make our most iconic green space better for everyone. You can develop your interests and learn from others in Nature and wildlife, Geology and Archaeology, Practical Conservation, Committee admin, People and community involvement, Promotion.
The group are involved in activities committee meetings, advice to the council, cutting back overgrown vegetation, wildlife surveys, historical researching etc. You can help put on events for the public or make use of funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund for training.
Volunteering as a garden buddy within the Ninewells Community Garden can involve a number of activities. In general the role will involve:
• Assisting with the regular (weekly) volunteer sessions, by providing support to the sessional facilitator.
• Supporting and encouraging other volunteers who require extra assistance by working alongside them. This may mean assisting with practical tasks, and/or creating a friendly environment through listening and conversing.
• Assisting in the practical aspects of garden maintenance and development by working independently as required. For example outside of regular facilitated sessions.
• Being a friendly face and welcoming people coming to participate in or visit the garden.
• Working cooperatively with other volunteers, visitors and residents from the neighbouring communities.
• Communicating with the facilitator and/or board of trustees about needs or concerns to ensure a safe, accessible and enjoyable environment.
• Being familiar with and following defined health and safety protocols to enable safe working with tools and equipment to allow for safe gardening practice.
• Assisting with household duties (washing, cleaning etc.) in the Leaf Room to ensure a healthy and safe indoor environment.
• Attending regular garden planning meetings.
• Supporting the greater objectives of the community garden and be an ambassador of the garden.
We offer additional opportunities to share your skills, interests and ideas such as landscaping, planning and design; specific horticultural expertise; wildlife and nature surveys; other supporting skills such as administration, marketing, art & design, events, education etc. Please speak to the garden facilitators about these opportunities.
Volunteering as a garden grower within the Ninewells Community Garden can involve a number of activities. In general the role will involve:
• Working as part of the gardening team.
• Assisting in practical aspects of developing and maintaining the garden.
• General gardening maintenance tasks such as weeding, deadheading, tidying the wider surroundings of the garden, watering, pruning etc.
• Working cooperatively with other volunteers, visitors and residents from the neighbouring communities.
• Communicating with the facilitator and/or board of trustees about needs or concerns to ensure a safe, accessible and enjoyable environment.
• Assisting with household duties (washing, cleaning etc.) in our Leaf Room to ensure a healthy and safe indoor environment.
• Supporting the greater objectives of the community garden and be an ambassador of the garden.
We offer additional opportunities to share your skills, interests and ideas such as landscaping, planning and design; specific horticultural expertise; wildlife and nature surveys; other supporting skills such as administration, marketing, art & design, events, education etc. Please speak to us about these opportunities.
Volunteers - building of confidence in volunteering and enjoyment in giving a degree of commitment to the woodland park. encourage able bodied people to become involved in volunteering and to benefit in feelings of wellbeing and good health. User - the local community will benefit from the continued maintenance and improvement of their woodland park.
Bowhill House and Grounds - Buccleuch Ranger Service
The Volunteer Ranger positions at Bowhill House and Grounds will involve working closely with the Learning and Engagement Ranger to help complete general maintenance tasks, improve estate infrastructure and complete Environmental Surveys.
Role description:
Working as part of a small team of volunteers led by the Learning and Engagement Ranger you will have opportunity to help with a variety of tasks on the Bowhill Estate. This will range from maintaining and expanding an extensive walks network, improving the interpretation offering on the walks, general maintenance of the woodlands including cutting back of rhododendron and clearing of storm damaged branches. There will also be opportunity to have some involvement in monitoring of flora and fauna on the estate.