Volunteer to maintain one of Cary’s pollinator gardens and enjoy hands-on education about the value of native ecosystems. Register here.

• Wednesday, August 19 | 10-11 a.m.

• Wednesday, September 16 | 10-11 a.m.

• Wednesday, October 21 | 10-11 a.m.

• Wednesday, November 18 | 10-11 a.m.

Join us for a hands-on exploration of wildflowers and the wildlife that call our parks home! Take part in citizen science activities, assist with the care of our native plant areas, and connect with your local ecosystem. Service learning activities can include weeding, watering, and other gardening tasks. Registration required.

• Thursday, September 3 | 3–5 p.m.

• Thursday, September 17 | 3–5 p.m.

Curious about compost? Join us for a hands-on program to learn about recycling food waste into healthy soil! Discover what goes in a backyard bin, take a deep dive into the composting process, and get tips for using finished compost in your garden. Classes take place outdoors at Good Hope Farm and participants will receive a bagged compost sample and other helpful resources. Registration required.

• Friday, September 4 | noon–1 p.m.

• Friday, September 4 | 4–5 p.m.

• Monday, September 7 | 5–6 p.m.

Explore the world of composting and gardening! This program supports families in accomplishing their gardening goals. Learn the basics of using a backyard composting bin and take home tips for turning trash into treasure for a healthier planet! Registration required.

• Saturday, September 5 | 9–10 a.m.

• Saturday, September 5 | 10:30–11:30 a.m.

Honor our first responders by helping to plant fall produce at our fire station gardens. Volunteers will help us amend soil, plant, and do general maintenance. Space is limited. Registration required.

• Wednesday, September 9 | 3:30–5 p.m. | Station 1

• Thursday, September 10 | 3:30–5 p.m. | Station 2

• Friday, September 11 | 3:30–5 p.m. | Station 3

• Saturday, September 12 | 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. | Station 5

• Saturday, September 12 | 2–3:30 p.m. | Station 6

• Monday, September 14 | 3:30–5 p.m. | Station 7

• Tuesday, September 15 | 3:30–5 p.m. | Station 8

• Thursday, September 17 | 6:30–7:30 p.m.

Join us for Q&A to learn more about irrigation and rainwater harvesting systems. This outdoor program covers equipment and installation tips for cisterns, drip tape, soaker hoses, rain barrels, and how to use them for various water conservation techniques in your garden. Learn about solar pumps, winterization, fertigation, and view first-hand examples of green storm water infrastructure. Registration required.

• Tuesday, September 15 | 5–6 p.m.

Step back time for a hands-on tour showcasing the history of farming equipment on a small family farm. See examples of tools used in tobacco production from the turn of last century and how agriculture has advanced in our modern era.

• Saturday, September 19 | 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Registration required.
• Saturday, September 19 | 1–2:30 p.m. (Ages +55 only) Registration required.

Learn tips for growing your own produce through organic gardening. Experts will instruct on bed types, growing for all seasons, plant selection, and more. Registration required.

• Saturday, September 26 | 9:30–10:30 a.m.

Explore our community gardens. Ask an expert about our garden program, learn about the plot rental lottery, and how to register for a garden bed. Tour the space and get tips and tools for growing a greener garden at home. No pets allowed. All ages welcome. Children must be accompanied by an adult. 

• Saturday, October 24 | 10–11:30 a.m. | Carpenter Park Community Garden

• Saturday, October 24 | 12:30–2 p.m. | McCrimmon Park Community Garden

Third Saturday of each month | 9-11 a.m.

Help us grow at Good Hope Farm by joining us for one of our monthly workdays on the 3rd Saturday of each month. Volunteers must be at least 12 years old, and volunteers under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult. Registration required.

• September 19
• October 17
• November 21
• December 19

The lottery application period is closed for 2026 for both Carpenter and McCrimmon Park Community Gardens. Stay tuned for the next application period, which runs from on or around December 1, 2026 through January 15, 2027.

Would you like to grow food for your family and learn more about gardening? The Carpenter and McCrimmon Park Community Garden plots are rented for an eleven-month term for the price of $50 for a Standard or ADA plot. McCrimmon Park Community Garden has smaller perimeter beds available for the eleven-month period at a cost of $25. Beds have convenient access to watering hoses, our garden shed is stocked with tools, and we provide renters with educational materials to support their success.

To apply you must be a Cary resident and at least 18 years old, however, no prior garden experience is required.

If you are awarded a garden plot, you are required to attend an orientation session at the assigned garden before beginning any gardening activities. Only individuals who have been awarded a garden plot through the lottery are eligible to attend an orientation. 

For more details about each garden, please visit Carpenter Park Community Garden or McCrimmon Park Community Garden webpages.

Does your group have a garden project we can help with? Through our tool lending library we can provide common garden tools for your group to borrow including wheel barrows, rakes, shovels, pitch forks, garden hoes, etc. Additional volunteers may also be available if needed.

This option is great for churches, school gardens, and other organizations that need support with a workday. Town approval process required.

Visit us at Spruce for more information about our tool lending library.

Questions? Call 311 in Cary or 919-469-4000 outside town limits.

Help support pollinators trough native plants and habitat restoration! Thriving lawns and gardens require wildlife diversity, natural habitats, and healthy soils. Through the Cary Garden for Wildlife program participants learn more about natural gardening and landscape practices that support birds, butterflies, bees, and other wildlife.

The Town of Cary's Mayor's Monarch Pledge began in 2019, which was proclaimed as the Year of the Monarch Butterfly. Through community action, education, and outreach, we accomplished the objectives outlined in the National Wildlife Federation's Mayors' Monarch Pledge. As the national program evolved to become an annual designation opportunity, Cary participates by increasing monarch habitat, promoting pollinator conservation, and educating about the majestic monarch butterfly.