Do you have what it takes to be featured on the cover of The Garden Dirt?

We are looking for photos for the cover of our member newsletter throughout 2010! We'll choose six  photographs for the cover of The Garden Dirt and an article about the image and why The Gardens is important to the photographer. Each winner will receive also a free membership to The Gardens for one year and have their photo seen by 10,000 people.

Requirements

Remember that this is a cover contest, not a photo contest. You must follow these rules when capturing your photograph.

• Your photo MUST feature people using The Gardens. We will not consider any other photograph;
• Photos must be at least 1600 X 1200 pixels at 300 dpi;
• Images must be portrait (vertical) orientation. Horizontal photos cannot be considered;
• There can't be any critical content in the top 1/3 of the image (see image to the right);
• Photos must be submitted by the deadlines in the editorial calendar below.

The Garden Dirt is published every other month, so you've got several shots at winning! Give it your best shot (sorry, we couldn't resist the easy pun)!

Tentative Editorial Calendar*
Publication Date	Photo Submission Deadline	Editiorial Deadline
January/February	November 2	November 16
March/April	January 4	January 15
May/June	March 1	March 15
July/August	May 3	May 17
September/October	July 1	July 15
November/December	September 1	September 15

*deadlines subject to change

Please submit your photos to Andrew Krebbs at akrebbs@bbgardens.org. Give us a call at 205.414.3950 if you've got any questions!

Here are some more examples of past covers:

Volunteer Opportunities at The Gardens!

When you volunteer at The Gardens, you are both giving something back to our community and helping us to fulfill our mission. Our mission to promote public knowledge and appreciation of plants, gardens, and the environment depends upon a diverse team to act as stewards of this great resource called Birmingham Botanical Gardens. A quality volunteer base is a collection of people from every background, race, religion, socioeconomic status, and age. We rely on countless hours of dedication from local gardeners, retirees, educators, business leaders, young people, and philanthropists who volunteer their time and expertise to maintain our gardens, grow giving, and enhance lives with plants.

Thousands of area school children count on our ability to provide science-based learning experiences through progroms such as Discovery Field Trips, Children's Summer Workshops, and HollyDay Magic; these educational journeys are all made successful with the help of our docents, committees, and other volunteers. In 2008, well over 200 volunteers gave more than 7,000 hours of their time in support of education programs alone (not to mention events, office support, and those who work in the gardens themselves).

From student to baby-boomer, gardening pro to marketing whiz, we have an opportunity to get involved and make a difference for everyone. If you want to help but you're not sure what you would like to do, give us a call (205.414.3950)! We're more than happen to sit down and talk to you about your life story and what you bring to the table.

Watch a video tribute to our fantastic 2009 Spring Plant Sale volunteers!

Below are some of the current opportunities, but rest assured, there are plenty more!

Cocktails in the Gardens

• Thursday, October 8 from 5:30-8:30 p.m.;
• Volunteers may work two-hour shifts from 5-7 p.m. or 7-9 p.m.;
• Volunteer positions include: cashiers, checking ID, counting attendees, drink sales;
• Each volunteer receives free admission plus one free ticket for a guest;
• Contact Carolyn Snow at 414-3962 or csnow@bbgardens.org.

Fall Plant Sale

• Saturday, October 17 from 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. & Sunday, October 18 from 12:00-4:00 p.m.;
• Set-up is Friday, October 16 from 12:00-5:00 p.m.;
• Teen volunteers needed to load customers’ cars and work in hospitality;
• Volunteers may work two or more hour shift(s), depending on day and time;
• Adult volunteer positions available include cashiers, totalizers, counters, hospitality, membership, box builders, floaters, and line monitors;
• Contact Carolyn Snow at 414-3962 or csnow@bbgardens.org.

HollyDay Magic

• Thursday, December 3 and Friday, December 4 from 3:30-5:30 p.m.;
• 24 adult volunteers for planning committee;
• 60 volunteers needed to assist children with holiday crafts and projects;
• Contact Phyllis Sutton at 414-3958 or psutton@bbgardens.org.

Horticultural Therapy

• Volunteers needed to assist with horticultural therapy sessions;
• Volunteers needed for maintenance of beds, containers, and greenhouse.
• Contact Susan Grimes at sgrimes@bbgardens.org.

The Library at Birmingham Botanical Gardens

• Library assistants needed to help with daily activities;
  
• Various time slots are open each day;
  
• Contact Hope Long at 414-3931 or hlong@bbgardens.org.