Greenhouse offers students a relaxing, zen atmosphere

gh1 — Brooke Mayle/Staff Photographer Harbor Springs junior Caleb Ross relaxes while reading a book on Tuesday afternoon in the campus Greenhouse. “It’s a lovely and tranquil place to come and relax or work on homework,” said Ross.

Clinton Township senior Daniella Daniels knows about the benefits the Central Michigan University greenhouse has to offer students and community members.

The greenhouse is larger on the inside than it seems from the outside. It is filled with palm trees, a moving stream and pond with ornamental fish and other tropical plants in the main room.

Daniels works in the CMU greenhouse two hours a week, watering and misting plants, polishing leaves, cleaning the rooms, topping off the ponds, feeding the fish and other tasks.

“We are each in charge of taking care of one room more specifically, and I’m in charge of the aquatics room. And it sounds really stupid, but it’s so relaxing,” Daniels said.

There are also other specialized rooms for visitors to see including the aquatics room with water plants. This room even has tropical venus flytraps and pitcher plants with labels that read 'Do not touch' since the flytraps spend a great deal of energy to close their traps. These carnivorous plants are a hit with foreign visitors, Daniels said.

The greenhouse is where she feels relaxed and encourages students to take advantage of the free atmosphere located behind Brooks Hall, next to Anspach, available to anyone from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Daniels worked with the program Casey Trees, planting trees to cleanse the air and help the tree canopy during her alternative spring break in Washington, D.C., since they have such pollution issues.

Patti Travioli has many jobs, but horticulturist, manager of the Greenhouse and Botany Laboratory, curator of the CMU Fabiano Botanical Garden and adviser of Campus Grow, are just a few.

Travioli maintains the botanical gardens on campus, but said she often needs help on campus aside from the greenhouse.

“Where I need the most help is always in the (botanical) gardens,” Travioli said.

Travioli talked about the various rooms the greenhouse holds such as the main sub-tropical area, arid and aquatics rooms.

"I don't really have a favorite room. There's something I like about every room," Travioli said.

While Travioli seemed a bit like a mother having to choose a favorite child, she did say that in the winter the Arid room featuring cacti and succulents gets a lot of sun and makes the room come to life.

Common attractions

The fish in the ponds that were not meant to be there and are only there since students dumped them in. Travioli said her daughter and other students received fish at Welcome Week her freshman year. Soon after, Travioli said she saw fish in all the ponds.

Travioli said they do not need any more fish in their pond in the greenhouse, but did welcome students to come in and enjoy the greenhouse as well as garden features around campus such as Fabiano Botanical Gardens next to the Park Library.

Whether it is a warm tropical oasis, the intriguing desert cacti and succulents, or just a serene place to study Daniels and Travioli say you can find it at the CMU Greenhouse.

“Usually it’s a quiet place to study, and get some sun if the sun’s out,” Traviloli said.