Volunteer Service Group Events in the Children's Garden

Thank you for organizing a group volunteer day at San Francisco Botanical Garden! This page provides additional Information for you and your team as you prepare for your event once your event has been confirmed. This page is specifically for those who are helping out in the Children's Garden. If you haven't been confirmed for the Children's Garden, please check out this other Volunteer Service Group Events page. 

If your team has not yet confirmed a date and time and you have already completed this form, please email volunteer@gggp.org.

Planning for Your Service Event Day

Volunteers will assist Programs and Partnerships staff with maintaining our learning landscape, the Children's Garden, located in the San Francisco Botanical Garden. Projects range from material preparation to gardening such as weeding, planting, mulching, etc. Projects help our Education Program team care for a space utilized by youth and families throughout the year. This service activity can be physically demanding; for folks who cannot participate in the above tasks, we can offer alternatives - just let us know In advance by emailing clstone@gggp.org.

Arrival Plan

Meeting Point: Children's Garden, located within the San Francisco Botanical Garden. 

Allow up 20-30 minutes for parking and walking to the meeting point. The Botanical Garden is very accessible by public transit and bicycle (bicycle racks are available near the Main Gate entrance).

Note that there are two gates: the Friend (North) Gate is located across from the Japanese Tea Garden, and is a 7 minute walk to the Main Gate. 

The Children's Garden is an additional 10-15 minute walk from the gates after you enter. If this is your first time joining the Children's Garden, you can refer to this map to locate the Children's Garden or ask staff when you check in. 

Check-in: With Gardens of Golden Gate Park at either the Friend (North) Gate or the Main Gate as you enter the space and share your organization's name and that you're volunteering that day.

Additional Information

How to prepare: 

• Wear long pants and close-toed shoes (no sandals)

• Bring reusable water bottles

• Use appropriate weather protection (ie sunscreen, hat, etc.)

• If you're curious about specific plants, you can look them up at: Garden Explorer. 

• Volunteers under the age of 18 who are not accompanied by a parent or legal guardian must bring a completed Minor Consent Waiver to their assignment.

Personal items will have to stay with you during the service activity, so we recommend leaving laptops and other valuables at home. 

Our rain policy is that a 70% (or greater) forecast for rain leads to cancelation. If it is raining the day of, volunteering will be canceled, and we will have to reschedule. Heavy fog doesn’t count.

After the Event

• Volunteer with us again in the future.

• Learn about ways to support the Garden through membership, planned giving, and other opportunities.

• Subscribe to receive our newsletters and stay up to date on what Is happening at the Gardens. 

• Follow us on social. Stay up to date and connected with the Gardens on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

• Visit the Gardens of Golden Gate Park (GGGP) again. The GGGP is a public/private partnership between the San Francisco Recreation & Park Department and the San Francisco Botanical Garden Society (a nonprofit 501c3 organization doing business as the “Gardens of Golden Gate Park”). We jointly operate the Conservatory of Flowers, Japanese Tea Garden, and San Francisco Botanical Garden. We hope you will join us again at one or all of our locations again soon! 

Thank you again for volunteering with us!