Volunteer at BRG - Gardeners, Students, Community Groups, Green Thumbs!

Gardeners, community groups, students looking for community service hours, or anyone who loves plants, Brueckner Rhododendron Gardens wants YOU as a volunteer to help make and keep the gardens looking beautiful.

Mayor McCallion Tour With BRG Volunteers

How Can You Help? Simple! Just come help the garden grow! As new beds are added, maintenance is more than the dedicated city park staff can manage on their own. They need help weeding the new rose garden, the lily bed, the peony garden and the natural areas. And that's where volunteers are invaluable!

When Rhododendrons Finish Blooming . . .

Like the rhodo in the picture above, when it's done blooming in June each year, it needs help getting rid of the old flowers before the new buds that will bloom the following spring grow too large. And at Brueckner Rhododendron Gardens, there are thousands of spent rhodo blooms to be removed, which is best done within a few weeks.

Deadheading Rhodos - Removing Spent Blooms

Deadheading the rhodos is much easier with many hands working to pinch off the spent blooms. It's not hard to do, and volunteers are shown how to remove the old blossoms without damaging the buds. Some of the rhodos are very high, so volunteers keep their feet on the ground and let staff deadhead the tall plants.

BRG Volunteers Help Keep Gardens Gorgeous

Keeping the BRG lakeshore (video) tidy and clean would also be a great help. Storms and high waves bring in bits of litter and dump it onto our shoreline. Occasionally, thoughtless visitors do the same. Not for the newby, but trained volunteers help prune roses (video).

New Peony Bed Volunteer and City Staff Project

Volunteers and park staff worked together to make the new peony garden a reality. As lovely as the new garden was its first season, it should prove even more spectacular in coming years. Volunteers can help keep this garden and the other beds weed-free.

Volunteer Planting Irises Perimeter Lily Garden

How Much Time Does It Take? As much as you have available to give to the gardens. Some volunteers work many hours for days on end, and others come help out for an hour or two every month. Very little volunteer help is needed over the winter or on rainy days.

More help is needed in late spring to deadhead the rhodos. Help with weeding is always welcome. A tidy gardens makes a prettier showcase for our community, and the City of Mississauga. A tidy, healthy Garden is one way we can all show our appreciation for Dr. Brueckner's wonderful legacy.

Don - Volunteer at Brueckner Rhododendron Gardens

Call to Volunteer

"The B.R.G Stewardship Committee needs volunteers to help the Garden grow," says David Culham, chair of the Committee. "We train you for the tasks, and all work is done under the park staff guidance," he says.

"If gardening is something you think you'd like to do, or if you want to know more about helping out at the gardens, then please call me at 905-608-2886, and leave a message, and I will get back to you."

Gardeners, community groups, students : Do join us! Fresh air, exercise, giving back to our community, meeting Garden visitors from around the GTA and from our own neighbourhoods in such beautiful surroundings -- Win-Win!

See more photos BRG Volunteers and Volunteer Pathfinders (Girl Guides of Canada).
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