Texas Discovery Gardens (TDG) Fair Park has three unique opportunities for Master Gardeners to volunteer: the TDG Greenhouse, the Butterfly House, and the Master Gardeners’ Garden.
The Greenhouse
The mission of the greenhouse is to educate the public about the benefits of growing native plants and to offer varieties not readily available. They also educate volunteers on methods of propagation, and proper maintenance of native plants. Plants are grown for use in the TDG gardens, schools, and other non-profit organizations. Plant sales are eagerly anticipated, and monies raised help fund operations. Regular volunteer days are Monday through Friday from 8 am to noon. Volunteers are also needed during plant sales.
The Butterfly House
The Rosine Smith Sammons Butterfly House and Insectarium opened in 2009 and is a year-round exhibit that showcases up to 1000 free-flying butterflies in peak season. Its climate-controlled environment houses hundreds of plants in addition to the butterflies.
Master Gardeners help maintain the plants and serve as docents in this amazing facility, which is a favorite of local school children, area residents and visitors from around the world. Volunteer opportunities are available Wednesday thru Sunday from 10 am to 5 p.m. for docents. The goal of the staff and volunteers is to provide a fascinating experience for visitors and to educate the public regarding the wonderful world of butterflies.
Master Gardener’s Garden at TDG
Started in 2011, the Master Gardener’s Garden demonstrates the beauty and sustainability of a garden that relies on native and well-adapted plants. Located near the main entrance and butterfly house, the garden supports the mission of TDG to provide horticultural education.
The garden welcomes an average of 80,000 visitors per year (pre-pandemic) including adults, families, and school children on field trips. Since the project is educational in nature, the garden maintains a signage program with plant names and brief sustainable gardening tips.
Planned with low maintenance in mind, the Master Gardener’s Garden is based on the Texas Superstar® and Earth-Kind® programs developed by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. These science-based guidelines promote the best horticultural practices for our area, including soil preparation, water use, and plant selection. To see a video of the garden’s evolution, please watch the video here. Enter “garden” as the password.
Consistent with TDG practices, the garden is maintained without chemical pesticides or fertilizers. The garden is also a certified Monarch Waystation, and many of the plants host caterpillars and provide nectar for butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. As the tree canopy continues to grow, the garden demonstrates increased use of shade-tolerant plants.
Our primary goals for 2022 are to remove invasive plants that flourished during the pandemic, reduce overgrown perennials to make room for new plant varieties, and support DCMGA’s PlantTAGG program, which will provide additional plant identification and horticultural information to the public through an easy-to-use cell phone application.
A complete list of plants that are grown in the garden can be viewed here.
Master Gardener volunteer workdays are scheduled for each Thursday. Workdays provide a great opportunity for new gardeners and interns to learn from experienced gardeners. Work is done in the mornings during the spring, summer and fall and in the afternoons during winter. Workdays are not typically scheduled for the fourth Thursday when DCMGA monthly meetings are held.
