Even in the midst of a metropolis, a little bit of nature can flourish, with the right help.
Each week, volunteers tend the seven and a half acres of the Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden at UCLA.
The gardens, which contain approximately 5,000 species of plant life, are characterized by their tropical and subtropical specimens, according to their Web site. Often called an “oasis” by volunteers, the gardens create a peaceful atmosphere that is appreciated by staff and visitors alike.
Volunteer work occurs on Tuesdays and Fridays, said volunteer coordinator and garden manager, Joan Muench. On these days, volunteers often work from two to eight hours, Muench said.
To maintain the aesthetics of the gardens, which are located on Hilgard and Le Conte avenues, volunteers are expected to rake, weed and clear debris from plants, Muench said.
Most recently, gardeners helped to construct new steps in the garden, as well as muck out a creek in preparation for the construction of a new bridge.
Volunteers range from undergraduate and graduate students to UCLA employees and passersby, Muench said.
While walking down Hilgard Avenue during the summer, James Henry saw the plants in the desert section labeled with their scientific names. This small detail caught his interest.
“I thought, “˜What’s happening here?’ I didn’t realize it was a garden,” Henry said, who has a background in agronomy, a type of agriculture that deals with the management of soil and the production of crops.
After seeing a sign that asked for volunteers, he decided to stop at the garden office a few days later.
“It’s really interesting seeing the plants labeled with their scientific names,” Henry said. “It’s a joyous experience working at the gardens.”
After a few training exercises in pruning and irrigation and drainage, Henry began to volunteer two days a week.
“Every day we do something new,” Henry said.
Like Henry, other volunteers are drawn to the garden based on their previous knowledge of horticulture.
“I wanted to work in the botanical gardens because I thought it would be a good experience,” said volunteer Marie Massa, who has a background in botany, as well as plant-insect interaction.
A former employee of the UCLA Medical Center, Massa found out about the gardens while working at the Jules Stein Eye Institute. After discovering that the gardens had a native plants section, she became a volunteer in July and has worked there ever since.
On a typical day, Massa removes invasive grasses to allow better growth of native plants.
“They overtake some really beautiful natives,” she said.
In addition to removing non-native plants, Massa also plants new plants and cleans up the garden.
“When people see the native section well-kept, they’ll appreciate it more and more,” Massa said.
Although one can wander through the gardens, some visitors choose to take advantage of the docent-led tours. These hour-long guided expeditions, which can be arranged for school-age children as well as adults, are conducted by volunteers such as Dr. Howard Alexander, a retired dentist.
A former docent at the Ballona Wetlands in Los Angeles County, Alexander became interested in the gardens after his fellow docents coordinated a trip to the botanical gardens at UCLA 12 years ago. When invited to become a docent for the UCLA gardens, Alexander jumped at the chance.
“Horticulture has been my main hobby for several years,” Alexander said.
Although some docents, such as Alexander, do have prior knowledge of botany, it is not a requirement for the job. With the aid of training sessions, which give docents a basic knowledge of the plants in the gardens, and “tour shadowing,” anyone can become a docent. This aspect was a great relief for UCLA alumna Dorothy Jewell, who graduated in 2006 with a degree in anthropology. During her time at UCLA, Jewell loved to walk through the gardens on her way to class.
“It’s a very therapeutic area,” she said.
After hearing about docent training from a friend who worked at the James West Alumni Center, Jewell decided to give the job a try, despite her non-related major.
One year later, she believes that being a docent is a “good fit” for her, and she has given tours to school children, adults and faculty.
“It gets easier each time,” Jewell said. “You get used to it.”
However, despite her increased time in the garden, Jewell says she still sees something new each day.
“One doesn’t know from day to day what might be in bloom … as plants constantly change,” she said. “The gardens are truly an oasis on the beautiful campus.”