NEW DATE: 11/08/2025 Mifflin Rock Garden - Volunteer Day

Join us for a Rock Garden/Arboretum volunteering day as we continue transforming the space into a restored Native Ecosystem and an outdoor classroom!

We’ll meet up the first flight of stairs of the outdoor staircase on Midvale Avenue across from the former Rite Aid. This staircase leads up to the backside of the school (not the small set of stairs right near the intersection with Conrad Street nor the stairs by the bridges that lead up to Cresson Street). See the attached map.

10am - 10:15am - Welcome; Introductions; About the Project; A Brief How-To

10:15am - 11:00am - Removal of Invasive Species (and Poison Ivy, for those willing to do so!)

11:00am - 11:45am - Planting of new native plants

11:45am - 12pm - Spread mulch and cuttings; Clean-up

—A Few Other Details—

- Please wear gloves, long pants, and long sleeves. And if possible, bring gardening tools such as pruners, loppers, saws, and shovels.

- The day's focus will be pulling English Ivy vines, cutting back invasive shrubs, and removing any other invasive plants we spot.

- There is also Poison Ivy in the area, which—although an important native plant—those who might be willing to remove can do so! (In the future, we’ll leave some Poison Ivy sequestered in a different location, since it does have a positive ecological function).

- While there is work to be done on the slope, there is a flatter area to work in, too. So, no problem if you don’t feel comfortable pulling vines on an incline!

—About the Project—

Our goal is to remove invasive plants that harm our ecosystem and environment and replace them with plants that are native to Philadelphia. Doing so will increase biodiversity, improving habitat for wildlife. Additionally, the project will create educational opportunities for the students at the school and our whole community and will of course add beauty for us humans to enjoy!