A hoop house (or high tunnel) is an unheated greenhouse structure usually made by stretching plastic over a skeleton of metal hoops in order to house several rows of crops across multiple seasons.

Our 30’x 60’ hoop house, located behind the Fitness and Wellness Center, provides ample space for diverse projects. A hoop house differs from the Jolly Garden because it can be used for all-season produce production. It provides the insulation and protection from harsh weather changes that would allow students to plant crops during fall quarter to harvest throughout winter quarter, significantly increasing students’ ability to produce food with efficiency and comprehension.

The Hoop House area is located in the field behind the Fitness and Wellness Center.

Map your route to the Hoop House!

Drop-in Hours for Fall and Spring:

Stop in and visit with Hoop House Interns, help out with projects, and harvest in-season produce.

• Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays: 4:30-6pm.

The Hoop House and surrounding gardens are cared for by:

• a variety of classes
• Lee Arborgast (Hoop House Manager)
• Student leadership positions with the Larry J. Bell ’80 Environmental Stewardship Center and the Mary Jane Stryker Underwood Center for Civic Engagement

For more information or questions about the K College Hoop House Gardens, email EnvironmentalStewardship@kzoo.edu.

The Jolly Garden is a small community garden that was first planted in the spring of 2010. It is named in honor of Seema Jolly K’07, the first instructor of the gardening course and a strong force behind the garden’s success. The garden serves as an outdoor classroom in spring and fall terms, when the college offers a course in Gardening through the Physical Education Department. In the summer, the garden is maintained by a community of College staff, students, faculty members, and friends.

The Jolly Garden is located behind 1324 Academy Street. The entrance gate is visible from the back of the driveway and backyard.

Map your route to the Jolly Garden!

The Jolly Garden is open for visitors from dawn to dusk, year round.

In fall and spring terms, the Gardening PE course occurs from 4:45-5:30pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Summer work days are coordinated through the Jolly Garden channel on the Gardens at K Team Page.

The Jolly Garden is cared for by:

• Gardening PE class in Fall and Spring Terms
• Jane Hoinville, Master Gardener (and Prospect Research Analyst with the Kalamazoo College Advancement Division)
• Student leadership positions with the Larry J. Bell ’80 Environmental Stewardship Center 
• Community volunteers during the summer

For more information or questions about the Jolly Garden, email Jane.Hoinville@kzoo.edu.

The Grove is the most densely forested area of campus, located between the Living Learning Houses, the Arcus Center for Social Justice, and the Trowbridge parking lot. The Grove is home to a variety of different organisms as well as the composting shed, green buckets, tools, and compost piles the Compost Crew uses to process food waste. When the piles are finished, the soil is open to everyone! 

The Grove is in the forested area between the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership, Trowbridge parking lot, DeWaters Hall and the Living Learning Houses. The entrance is a dirt path between DeWaters Hall and the Living Learning Houses.

Map your route to the Grove!

The Grove is open for visitors from dawn to dusk, year round.

In fall and spring terms, the Composting PE course occurs from 4-6pm on Thursdays.

The Grove is cared for by:

For more information or questions about the Grove or Composting Program, email EnvironmentalStewardship@kzoo.edu.

• Composting Crew members
• Larry J. Bell ’80 Environmental Stewardship Center
• Facilities Management
• Composting PE class in Fall and Spring Terms

The Lillian Anderson Arboretum (the “Arb”) is a natural area in Oshtemo Township, Michigan, owned by Kalamazoo College. The Arb is comprised of 140 acres of marsh, meadow, pine plantation and second-growth deciduous forest. There are approximately 5 miles of trails that are open to the public.

The Arb is located on M43 (West Main Street), about 5.5 miles away from Kalamazoo College. From the College’s campus, head west along West Main Street, away from downtown, for about 4.5 miles. You will pass the bridge over 131, and Meijer. West Main Street will become M43. Once you’ve passed Meijer, the parking lot to the Arb is located about a mile away, on the left hand side of the road, just after a white farmhouse.

Map your route to the Arb!

The Arb is open for visitors from dawn to dusk, year round.

The Arb is cared for by:

• Arb Trail Crew students
• Larry J. Bell ’80 Environmental Stewardship Center
• Facilities Management
• Arb partners and community members

For more information or questions about the Arb, visit the Lillian Anderson Arboretum website or email EnvironmentalStewardship@kzoo.edu.

Established in 1999 by biology professor Dr. Paul Olexia, the Dow Wildflower Sanctuary provides an urban, living laboratory to feed curiosity, educate, and invite exploration. Over the years, more than 50 species of plants native to Michigan have been added to and are thriving on this hillside (see photos below). These plants are adapted to local conditions and help sustain a diversity of pollinators, herbivores and seed consumers. The sanctuary is used as an educational space for K classes and as a showcase for alternative, sustainable landscaping.

The Dow Wildflower Sanctuary is located on the east side of the Dow Science Center, beside the stairs leading to the tennis courts. We invite you to drop by and explore!

Map your route to the DWS!

The Dow Wildflower Sanctuary is open for visitors from dawn to dusk, year round.

The Dow Wildflower Sanctuary is cared for by:

• Community volunteers
• Larry J. Bell ’80 Environmental Stewardship Center
• Facilities Management
• Biology Department

For more information or questions about the Dow Wildflower Sanctuary, email EnvironmentalStewardship@kzoo.edu.