Volunteer Job Description: Espalier and Pruning Volunteers/Trainees
Description Join the espalier specialist and work primarily in the Home Demonstration Garden. These gardens are for public education, to evaluate plants, and to inspire and delight all visitors with quality plants in well designed and maintained displays, collections and model landscapes.
Responsibilities Volunteer trainees will shape shrubs and small trees into espalier, topiary, and other architectural plant shapes Tasks include: • Pruning actively growing shrubs and small trees • Root pruning • Weeding • Fruit thinning • Shearing • Detailed pruning of espalier • Pruning inactive shrubs and small trees in winter time if you are willing to work outside then
Required Skills • Must have prior experience pruning shrubs, trees, and small vines • Making a clean pruning cut with sharp equipment • Willingness to learn proper techniques from experts
Time Commitment and Schedule Details •March – Thanksgiving: Tuesdays 8am – 12pm in 2012 (may change to Thursdays in 2013) • Number of hours per week = 4
Benefits • Learn from specialists how to predict how plants will respond to pruning, best tools, sanitation, timing of pruning and disease prevention • Work in a world-class espalier collection • Work with a group of staff and volunteers who are fun, hardworking, and knowledgeable • Eat an apple from an espaliered tree
Work Environment: X Indoors X Lifting - light X Outdoors X Working individually X Sitting X Working with children X Standing X Working as part of a team
*Additional Information: • A willingness to learn and be flexible enough to work in all areas of the garden on various tasks is important. • Bring your own sharp hand pruners, gloves, rain gear, and kneeling pad.
How to Apply for this Opportunity If you are currently an Arboretum Volunteer and would like to apply for this opportunity, please contact the espalier specialist (listed below) and set up an interview. ŀ Supervisor Espalier Specialist Ted Pew, Landscape Gardener 612-859-0535 Katherine Aby 952-928-0792