• September 5, 12 – 1 p.m.
• September 5, 4 – 5 p.m.
• September 6, 9 – 10 a.m.
• September 6, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
• September 8, 5 – 6 p.m.

Volunteer to support our fire station gardens. Help us amend soil, plant pollinator plants and spring veggies, and do general maintenance. This is an outdoor event, so please dress for the weather, wear closed toe shoes, and bring a full water bottle. Registration closes 2 days prior to workday. Registration required.

• Fire Station 1 | September 10, 3:30 – 5 p.m.
• Fire Station 2 | September 11, 9 – 10:30 a.m.
• Fire Station 3 | September 11, 12 – 1:30 p.m.
• Fire Station 6 | September 11, 3:30 – 5 p.m.
• Fire Station 5 | September 12, 3:30 – 5 p.m.
• Fire Station 7 | September 13, 9 – 10:30 a.m.
• Fire Station 8 | September 13, 11:30 – 1 p.m.

• Fire Station 4 | September 13, 2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Join us locally and support wildlife biologists nationally by participating in our Citizen Science BioBlitz! Learn how to use tools like iNaturalist to categorize the wildlife and plants you discover. Your data can help scientists protect our public lands by creating a snapshot of wildlife in Cary. Registration required.

• September 13

• September 18
• November 8

Join us for an elegant evening of dining and dancing under the stars! Enjoy farm-fresh gourmet appetizers, locally brewed beer and cider, live music, and a signature gift at Cary’s historic teaching farm. All proceeds benefit the work of Good Hope Farm in creating food security and agriculture opportunities in the region. Learn more and purchase tickets here.

• September 26

Many pollinators and birds overwinter in our North Carolina Piedmont. You can help them survive and thrive during this season with a few simple changes or additions to your yard and garden. Registration required.

• September 27

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.

• September 27

 Help prepare the beds for fall veggies during this family-friendly event in the Compost Education Center located inside Bond Park. Chat with experts about composting, native plants, and more while you dig in to growing green! Anyone younger than 14 must be accompanied by an adult. Registration required.

• October 15

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. 

Carpenter Garden Open House (4420 Louis Stephens Dr.) 

• November 22, 10 – 11:30 a.m.
• Learn more about this garden here.

McCrimmon Garden Open House (3870 Cary Glen Blvd.)

•  November 22, 12:30 – 2 p.m.
• Learn more about this garden here.

• Fall Garden Prep | September 12 and 18

• Family Gardening | September 23, October 19

• Native Gardening for Beginners | October 3

• Divide and Prosper: Native Plants | October 19 and 24

• Invasive Plant Awareness | October 27

• Fall Garden Essentials | November 10 and 20

• Invasive Plant Workshop and Removal Workday | December 6

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.

• August 16
• September 20
• October 18
• November 15
• December 20

The lottery application period is closed for 2025 for both Carpenter and McCrimmon Community Gardens. Stay tuned for the next application period, which runs from on or around Dec 1, 2025, through Jan 2026.

Would you like to grow food for your family and learn more about gardening? The Carpenter and McCrimmon Community Garden plots are rented for an eleven-month term for the price of $30. The rental includes two 6x4 foot raised beds that are amended with compost and ready to plant. 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. 

Support pollinators, local farmers, and a healthy ecosystem by participating in the Good Hope Farm Native Plant Sale this spring. This is a walk-up purchasing opportunity, no registration needed. During the sales event, we will host ongoing children's activities and have farm tours available per the schedule below.

Adding native flowers to your yard helps essential pollinators like birds, bees, and butterflies thrive, which supports growing fresh fruits and vegetables. Proceeds from the sale fund initiatives to help local farmers start agribusinesses and improve food security. Enjoy affordable wildflower plugs, expert advice, farm tours, kids’ crafts, and the beauty of a historic teaching farm.

• Stay tuned for 2026 information!

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.

We can support scouting projects that help us meet Town environmental and recreational goals. Previous projects include constructing bird houses, raised garden beds, and creating educational outreach events.

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

Building gardens that thrive depends on a rich abundance of wildlife, natural habitats, and ecosystems. Through the Cary Garden for Wildlife program, learn how you can plant with pollinators in mind and help support the birds, butterflies, bees, and other species that we depend on. You can also register your backyard as a Certified Wildlife Habitat with the National Wildlife Federation.

The Town of Cary 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, and successfully increased native habitat and promoted pollinator conservation in the Town of Cary.