ABOVE: Volunteers enjoying lunch on the Visitors Center patio.
On the afternoon of October 3, more than 100 volunteers attended the UW Botanic Gardens and Arboretum Foundation’s joint annual Volunteer Appreciation Party, held at the Graham Visitors Center in the Arboretum. They enjoyed fun activities, a catered lunch, and the chance to meet other volunteers from across our organizations’ wide range of programs.
“It was wonderful to see so many volunteers and staff together, sharing stories and making connections,” says Arboretum Foundation Volunteer Programs Manager Alicia Hamilton. “The afternoon was a great reminder of how much heart and history our volunteer community carries and how much we continue to grow together.”
Activities included an outdoor scavenger hunt designed to spark curiosity and exploration. It’s an activity we are hoping to introduce to Arboretum visitors soon, and participating volunteers helped us give it a test run.
Volunteers enjoying the party in Wisteria Hall at the Visitors Center.
UW Botanic Gardens Adult Education hosted a foliage-inspired printmaking station on the patio that drew steady participation throughout the event. Many volunteers created prints to take home as keepsakes, adding to the interactive and creative spirit of the day.
“We also created a dot-mapping activity that revealed just how wide our volunteer landscape truly is,” says Alicia, “with more than 20 distinct programs represented across the partner organizations. Many participants learned about roles and efforts they hadn’t encountered before, sparking conversations about how our work connects and overlaps. What stood out most among the volunteers was the curiosity to understand not just their own program, but also the full picture of how we all contribute.”
See “Foundation and UWBG Volunteer Programs” below for a full, joint list.
“Going into 2026,” continues Alicia, “our focus will be on becoming a more connected and collaborative volunteer community. Each program plays a vital role in supporting our shared work, and we want to continue strengthening the ways we learn from and support one another.”
Volunteers from UW Botanic Gardens’ Junior Naturalist program.
Rare Plant Care volunteers enjoying the party.
Volunteers enjoying the print-making activity.
Foundation and UWBG Volunteer Programs
1. Arboretum Corporate/Group Volunteers
2. Arboretum Foundation Administrative Volunteers
3. Arboretum Foundation Special Events Volunteers
4. Arboretum Garden Stewards
5. Arboretum Gift Shop Hosts
6. UW Climate-Ready Plants Project Volunteers
7. CUH Volunteer Gardeners
8. Cloney-Harris Plant Nursery
9. Dedicated Independent Gardeners (DIG Volunteers)
10. Fiddleheads Forest School Volunteers
11. Hyde Herbarium Volunteers
12.Junior Naturalists (Summer Camp Interns)
13. Miller Library Volunteers
14. Miller Seed Vault Assistants
15. Monday Volunteers (Arboretum Horticulture Assistants)
16. Pat Calvert Greenhouse & Border Garden
17. Seattle Japanese Garden Volunteers
18. UW Farm Volunteers
19. UWBG Survey Crew
20. WA Rare Plant Care & Conservation Monitors
21. WA Rare Plant Care & Conservation Seed Collectors
Learn more:
