Want to help make Anchorage BLOOM? Consider volunteering with our Adopt-A-Garden program, and caring for a flower bed managed by the Municipality. This program is a fun way to give back and make our city a more vibrant place for residents and visitors!
Applications Are Open!
Applications will close on May
29th or until all available gardens are adopted - whichever comes first. To see which gardens area available for adoption, check out the garden locations using the interactive map at the bottom of this page.
How to Volunteer
The program runs from May to September, and includes 30 garden beds throughout town. Some gardens have adopters that have been with them for 20+ years, while others may be looking for a new garden guardian. The adoption window typically opens every year for 2-4 weeks beginning mid-April.
Volunteer Contact Information
If you are interested in adopting a garden outside of the adoption window, contact the Community Engagement Coordinator to discover your future garden bed.
Volunteer Expectations
As an Adopt-A-Garden volunteer, you'll be expected to do the following tasks:
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Pick Up Flowers: The Anchorage Parks and Recreation horticulture crew grows all the flowers for your Adopt-A-Garden. In late May, the Community Engagement Coordinator will schedule a time with you to swing by the Mann Leiser Memorial Greenhouse to pick up ready-to-plant annual flowers and designs for your Adopt-A-Garden!
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Recruit People to Help: If you adopt a garden that has many flowers and is untenable for an individual, it is your responsibility to recruit volunteers to help you with your garden or find a community group to adopt with.
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Plant/Maintain Your Garden: Once you've got your flowers, it's time to get your hands dirty! Planting and maintaining your garden is where the real fun begins. This includes:
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Watering: Keep your garden hydrated! Aim to give your plants a drink at least 2x/week (depending on weather). Since most garden sites don't have water access, you'll need to bring your own water to keep the flowers happy.
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Weeding: When you water your flowers, take some time to keep the weeds at bay.
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Remove Plants at the End of the Season: In September, as our growing season starts to wind down, gardeners remove the flowers and get the bed ready for the next season.
Adopt-A-Garden Locations
