Student Garden
The Student Garden at Lafayette Road was created in 2009 by a group of motivated students from the Green Campus Initiative.
The space used to be just cut grass that provided very few ecosystem services — now the area is vibrant and full of life!
Open year-round to students, faculty, staff, and alumni, there are over 25 species of fruits, vegetables, flowers, mushrooms, and trees, many of which are native cultivars. While visiting, you will see butterflies, bees, and other pollinators busy at work; the different areas inside the garden attract a variety of birds, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals. The nearly 1-acre fenced garden and has three main areas: the annual vegetable garden, the orchard, and the forest garden. See below for more information about each.

Got a Green Thumb?
Interested in helping to maintain our garden while earning some money?
We are hiring student Garden Assistants!
Vegetable Garden
Students can learn gardening skills, explore their curiosities, and supplement their food budget by growing unique vegetable species. The space also features a three sisters garden (corn, beans, squash) that is cared for by the ESF Center of Native Peoples and the Environment and uses heirloom species originally used by indigenous peoples.

Orchard
The orchard consists of 16 fruit trees of a variety of species including apples, pears, plums, cherries, and peaches. Adjacent to the trees is a trellis, which grows three different varieties of grapes.

Forest Garden
This section follows agroforestry principals using trees and shrubs for a perennial production of nuts and fruits.
Interested in making jam? There are elderberries, raspberries, honeyberries, strawberries, and serviceberries. Or you can harvest seasonings for your next meal by collecting chives, thyme, oregano, sage, and other herbs. A recent student project added logs that were seeded with oyster mushrooms, which further added to the diversity of the garden.
