Did you know that many of the flowers + greenery you see around town are grown locally at the City of Lakeland's plant nursery? The Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Arts Department cultivates ~100,000 plants each year that end up in the pots, flowerbeds, and planters that keep Swan City beautiful.

The nursery is located by Oak Hill Burial Park on US Highway 98 South, and it's the only city-owned nursery in Florida. A small team grows everything from annual seedlings to palm trees that will thrive in local gardens. Look for their horticultural handiwork at places like Tigertown, which always has a Tigers color scheme, and Lake Crago Park's blooming butterfly garden.

Volunteers in green shirts work together tending to potted plants at an outdoor plant nursery. — Come with a group, like Publix associates did, or volunteer solo. | Photo by @lakelandparkrec

Amanda James, a grounds maintenance foreman, shared that volunteers are always in high demand, so email her to put your green thumb to use. Depending on your skill level, you can help weed, propagate, fertilize, or fill cups of soil. Hello, family volunteer opportunity.