By Tara Fischer

Staff Writer

(April 9, 2026) A new volunteer initiative is giving Berlin residents a hands-on way to help maintain the town’s public green spaces from now through November.

The Berlin Horticulture Advisory Committee last month introduced its “Garden Guardian” program, an adopt-a-garden project designed to make volunteering more flexible and accessible for citizens with busy schedules.

The program allows residents, businesses, nonprofits, or friends-and-family teams to choose a garden in town to oversee for a month during the area’s growing season.

Victoria Spice, a member of the committee, said the idea was inspired by residents who were already informally caring for public spaces.

“The idea grew from observing a few dedicated Berliners who naturally incorporated garden care into their daily routines—pulling weeds or watering plants while walking their dog, on a lunch break, or whenever they felt the need to step outside and reconnect,” she said.

Spice added that the town’s horticultural team is small, with just three members who all juggle full-time jobs, families, and other responsibilities. As such, the extra hand from the residents has helped the team keep the town’s green spaces clean, tidy, and healthy.

“It inspired us to ask: how can we turn this into a broader, more inclusive opportunity that allows more members of the community to participate in a way that fits their schedules?” Spice said.

The result is a program that allows individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit groups to “adopt” one of six designated public gardens throughout town.

Locations are the Memorial Garden at the entrance on North Main Street, Burbage Park at 309 William St., the garden at the post office on Broad Street, the Planning and Zoning office on William Street, the “Main Street Strip” near the Memorial Garden across from Sterling Tavern, and the Tindley Mural Garden on Commerce Street.

Participants can sign up to care for a garden anytime between April and November, helping with basic upkeep such as weeding, picking up trash, watering, and general maintenance.

Spice said the program is about more than just beautification.

“This initiative strengthens community engagement, beautifies our public green spaces, supports sustainability, and makes volunteering feel easy, enjoyable, and rewarding,” she said.

The effort also aligns with Berlin’s designation as a Bee City, supporting pollinator habitats throughout town.

“By encouraging individuals and groups to take shared ownership of a garden, we aim to foster a deeper sense of pride and connection to our public spaces. In doing so, the program helps keep Berlin’s gardens clean, vibrant, and thriving—while also supporting pollinator habitats in alignment with our designation as a Bee City,” Spice said.

So far, eight residents have signed up to participate across various gardens and months. Organizers said plenty of opportunities remain, however.

“There are absolutely still spots available for individuals, families, businesses, or nonprofit groups to join,” Spice said.

Residents interested in becoming a Garden Guardian can sign up online through the program’s registration page at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0448AAA92CABFBC43-62929559-berlin.