Plant Propagation Volunteer

Volunteer sessions take place on:

Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:30 am – 3:00 pm

This volunteer position would be ideal for a person looking to gain valuable experience prior to entering a career in horticulture, or for an experienced gardener looking to use their skills to help out in the community.

Background:

Castlebank Horticultural Centre sits within the historic Castlebank Park, on the banks of the Clyde in Lanark. We are looking for an enthusiastic individual to facilitate our plant propagation activities to provide our gardens with healthy, pesticide free, organically grown plants and seedlings. Castlebank propagation volunteers are supported by a dedicated team of staff and volunteers.

Together we propagate and grow a wide range of heirloom vegetables, herbs, rare edible plants, herbaceous perennials, alpines, succulents, trees and shrubs for education and the restoration of historic Castlebank Park.

Objectives:

Work with our Educational Gardener Walter and fellow volunteers to produce quality, organic seedlings, herbs and other plants for growing on in the Education gardens and Castlebank Park and to sell at Castlebank Horticultural Centre events to raise funds for ongoing projects
Maintain and improve the propagation area including infrastructure and gardens.

Specific tasks and duties:

Propagating by seed, cuttings, division and transplanting
Watering, fertilising, weeding and plant detailing
Labelling plants for sale
Helping to maintain infrastructure and propagation surrounds

Benefits:

Meet and work with a social, friendly team with an opportunity to connect with both the Castlebank community and like-minded people
Free access to expand and develop a collection of roses in beautiful historic gardens.
Working outdoors
Access to excess plant stock that we cannot sell to take home and plant in your garden
Attend horticultural and environmental workshops at Castlebank as part of ongoing training
Gain horticultural/industry experience
Industry placement reference

Training:

Induction and training happen on-the-job
Horticultural workshops are available to long-term volunteers as professional development at a significantly reduced cost

Times/Days:

Tuesdays 9:30am – 3:00pm
Thursday 9:30am – 3:00pm

Commitment required:

Ideally, we ask that volunteers commit to a full day (from 9:30am-3.00pm) for a minimum of one day per week. (please contact us if you are interested in the role, but cannot commit to these hours)
Should you wish to discontinue your volunteer role with us we ask that you notify us by phone or email.

Skills/experience/ personal qualities required:

An enthusiastic passion for being part of the Castlebank Horticultural Centre Community
Good knowledge of roses, their care and propagation
Reliability. It is important that you turn up for your shift and communicate (as agreed with Educational Gardener) if you can’t make it.
Ability to understand and carry out verbal instructions.
Be able to work both independently and as a part of a team.
Positive attitude and good work ethic.
Be respectful, polite and courteous to fellow volunteers.
A commitment to employ safe work practices as guided by your supervisor is mandatory.