Volunteer Spotlight: Rich Liberto

By Greta Engel

Phipps is well-known for our beautiful gardens, seasonal flower shows, pioneering sustainability initiatives, informative educational programs and community outreach. None of our work, however, would be possible without the knowledge and dedication of our volunteers. In this series of profiles, we meet some of the people who give their time to make Phipps possible.

Volunteer Rich Liberto describes his career in horticulture as life-long. He began assisting his grandfather with his vegetable garden and his mother with her flower beds at eight years old. “I was instantly hooked,” says Rich. At age 16, Rich was interested in houseplants and began working at a garden center where his plant interests expanded. With the encouragement of his family and school counselor, Rich went on to major in Horticulture at Pennsylvania State University.

Once he graduated, Rich accepted a position at the same garden center he worked at as a teenager! He stayed there for eight years before leaving to start his own design and consulting business. He remains in the business to this day and helps to beautify many landscapes across Pittsburgh. Besides horticulture, Rich enjoys kayaking on local waterways and visiting local jazz venues.

Rich became a Phipps volunteer in 2019 to indulge his passion in horticulture during the off season. He finds it rewarding to work with the Horticulture team during the show installs, completing tasks like repotting plants and spreading mulch. “I describe these efforts like performing a magic show, so many moving parts and behind-the scenes tasks all working for one end result,” says Rich. His favorite part of volunteering is leading tours and sharing the history of horticulture at Phipps with guests. With his expertise and passion for horticulture, Rich is an exceptional volunteer!