The Alcatraz Gardens Stewardship Program aims to preserve the historic gardens once tended by the island’s military and penitentiary residents. For more than a century, gardens were an important part of everyday life for officers, families, and prisoners confined to Alcatraz by sentence or duty. Many of the plants selected by these unheralded gardeners proved to be excellent choices for the harsh and barren environment, flourishing through the four decades of neglect that followed the prison’s closing.

Volunteers help care for the restored gardens with activities such as weeding, pruning, composting, planting, propagating, and seed collecting. As an added bonus, garden volunteers arrive on Alcatraz before other visitors, so you can experience the island during the most tranquil time of day. Please note, registration is required.