The gardens wouldn’t exist without the hundreds of volunteers who work thousands of hours every year.
Bonnie Cunningham gets down on hands and knees to prune a tomato plant in Rotary Gardens' vegetable patch. Cunningham and fellow volunteer Linda Madison take care of the plots near the horticultural building.
Photo By: Bill Olmsted
At 10:00 a.m., volunteers and horticultural staff of Rotary Gardens gather for a 15 minute break. The time is used for drinking coffee, eating snacks, catching up with friends and announcements.
Photo By: Bill Olmsted
Weeds would quickly overtake the acres of beds in Rotary Gardens without the persistence of volunteers like Shirley Hoague.
Photo By: Bill Olmsted
Rotary Gardens Volunteers Terry Thompson (l) and John Rockenfield work from a boat while painting the arched bridge near the Japanese Garden.
Photo By: Bill Olmsted
Bob Altmann puts a coat of stain on a wooden bench inside the horticultural building at Rotary Gardens. Volunteers build almost all of the wooden items used in the gardens.
Photo By: Bill Olmsted
Although most of the plants in Rotary Gardens are perennial, thousands of seasonals also go in the ground each year. Adding to the colorful look of the pond's edge, volunteer Art Hilker finds room for a few more New Guinea impatiens.
Photo By: Bill Olmsted
Rotary Gardens volunteer Karen Goelzer-McKaig shears yew bushes in the Japanese garden.
Photo By: Bill Olmsted
In addition to the acres of in ground plantings, pots and plants at the horticultural center need regular care. Long-time "Grumpy" Gary Smith had watering duty. Smith also put in months of time as interim executive director on a voluntary basis.
