Those who seek an occasional release from the humdrum grind of their student career, those who desire a five-minute moment of meditation between classes, need to wander through the University of Memphis desert. Or, a student soul might find better solace in the University of Memphis tropics. Few people know it, but The U of M has both biomes present on campus, along with examples of life found in between the two extremes. To find them, all one has to do is go to the fifth floor of the Natural Science Building. There, tucked away high above the rest of the campus, is the U of M greenhouse.
Ecology and plant physics students, along with the occasional visitor, may thank one woman for the plant life in the U of M's greenhouse. Dr. Barbara Taller, U of M biology professor and greenhouse overseer, has built up the greenhouse's collection primarily through her own personal funds.
Taller uses her own money to support the greenhouse. She purchased most of the plants in it, and even pays for the two workers that keep up the place. Technically, the plants are hers -- but Taller doesn't think of it that way.
"The greenhouse isn't funded by The University. If I didn't keep my personal plants up there, they wouldn't really have much of a collection," said Taller. "So I don't feel bad about it."
Taller also said that The U of M has nothing to worry about -- the plants will probably always be there.
"I don't plan on leaving, but if I did, the only way I would take them with me is if no one had any interest in them at all and they wouldn't be taken care of," said Taller. "Otherwise, I'd leave them here."
Taller said she began collecting for the greenhouse when she came to The U of M in 1983. When she started, she was dismayed at the lack of diversity in the greenhouse plants.
Before her arrival, the greenhouse had gone through periods of boom and bust. She attributes the ups and downs in the greenhouse's history to the students who cared for the plants.
"To be really good at providing for plants you have to be observant and react to the plants' needs," said Taller. "You more or less have to have an innate sense of plants, not just rote book learning. When students who didn't have that sense cared for the plants, only the more tolerant species survived."
Justin Mann, a U of M biology graduate and the current greenhouse worker, said he enjoys working in the greenhouse.
"I like plants, but I don't have any at home," said Mann. "I get enough of them here."
Taller said people who work in the greenhouse get good experience in horticulture, landscaping and other plant-related subjects.
Ecology and plant physics students who use the plants for class experiments are the primary visitors to the greenhouse, for practical reasons. But they aren't the only ones who find themselves exploring the place. The U of M campus orientation department occasionally takes groups on tours through the greenhouse. Classes from The University School, located on the south end of campus, have also taken tours to supplement their natural science lessons. But the most frequent visitors to the greenhouse are the uninvited kind who just want to satisfy their curiosity. Taller said those people are welcome.
"The greenhouse is open to the public. I like to go up there just to relax and putter around, and I know other people do too," Taller said.
In all times of the year, plants wrap around three sides of the building -- although Taller said spring and fall are the best seasons for viewing the plants. One side of the building is warm and sunny -- that's where the desert plants are. The other side is shadowed and damp and home to a host of plants from tropical climates. Between the two regions is the greenhouse's largest collection of one species, the vermilliades -- plants in the orchid family.
Those are Taller's favorite. She is also particularly proud of the greenhouse's large collection of pitcher plants (a carnivorous plant). Some of them come all the way from Borneo and Indonesia.
Those who choose to venture up to the greenhouse this week will find an overwhelming array of blossoms. Stephen German, assistant to Taller, explained the riot of color with a delighted smile, "The orchids are in bloom."
