Skip to main content

Green retreat from winter white

January 29, 2008

Photos and text by Jeff Miller

(Jump to slide show)

Anyone feeling weathered of Old Man Winter or that Jack Frost has nipped enough at their likely now-parched skin should consider a retreat to a publicly accessible campus greenhouse. The moist air and growing plant life can be rejuvenating in this seemingly never-ending season.

The Botany Greenhouse behind Birge Hall (see map) features more than 1,000 species and supports the instructional and research needs of the Department of Botany and other university departments. The greenhouse offers scheduled tours and is open to students, faculty, staff and the public from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. when the university is open. For more information, contact greenhouse director Mo Fayyaz at 262-2235.

On the west side of campus is the D.C. Smith Greenhouse, 465 Babcock Drive (see map). In addition to a conservatory, which has a reflecting pond and sitting benches, the greenhouse includes 11 plant-growing bays and space for the instructional needs of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. Though primarily used by students and faculty, the greenhouse also offers tours and is open to the public during regular university building hours. For more information, contact instructional greenhouse manager Johanna Oosterwyk at 262-3844.

This is a slide show story that requires the Flash 8 or higher player plugin. Download and install it.