Fall leaf tours

By Lauren Owens

Flowers are in bloom year-round in the Rinard Orchid Greenhouse. The greenhouse hosts events to collaborate with community artists as well as educational events. Photo by: Lauren Owens

Right next to IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital a “gem” of Muncie is hidden. The Rinard Orchid Greenhouse is free to the public to explore.

With nearly 2,000 orchids, the greenhouse is a relaxing place to learn about the most diverse flowering plant in the world. With more than 25,000 species, orchids naturally exist on six of the seven continents.

Closely connected to Christy Woods, the Rinard Orchid Greenhouse hosts monthly events that are free to the public. This fall, they are hosting “Fall Leaf Tours” in Christy Woods to teach the public about local trees at the beginning of the fall color change.

Kristen Canan, a Ball State student, has worked at the greenhouse for almost a year. Her experience shows the greenhouse as a good learning environment for those who visit.

“Just the atmosphere, super relaxing, it’s just a gem on campus,” Canan said. “I get to come in in the winter and it’s warm and nice and just wonderful.”

The Rinard Orchid greenhouse is comprised of two collections, the Wheeler-Thanhauser Orchid Collection and Species Bank and the Betty Kendall Ladyslipper Orchid Species Collection. It also has a variety of edible tropical plants. A fig tree, a coffee tree, a tapioca tree, a tarot tree and a banana plant are just a few. The banana plant is currently in bloom.

“I think it’ll take like 7 more months for the fruit to be edible,” Canan said. “If you do come back in seven months you can try our banana fruit.”

Established only four years ago, by local dentist Joe Rinard in honor of his late wife, Alice, they already have returning visitors.

“My favorite part about it would probably be the back room, just because I’ve gone back there to read books before,” Ryne Bulington, a Ball State student, said. “It’s usually really quiet and the temperature’s nice for me and I like the little water area thing that they have back there and there’s usually like a seat I can get and take back there and I won’t be disrupted by the people who work here.”

The greenhouse hosts weekly meditations, educational programs, walk-in tours and scheduled tours.

“We have events a lot, schools will come in and little kid events,” Canan said. “We had a summer science camp for young female future scientists this summer. So, it was like middle aged girls coming in, they want to be future scientists and it was just an empowering little seminar hosted by all women.”

The Fall Leaf Tour is 1 p.m. Oct. 20 in Christy Woods.