Horticultural Science Building Drawings

The Horticulture Science Center was occupied on August 6, 2001. The JCCC Horticulture Science Center is tucked behind the 1870's wood-peg barn on the west side of campus the architecture reflects the site's former use as a Kansas farmstead. Two columns of native limestone support a yellow pine beam engraved with the building's name, forming an attractive gateway to the lobby. Brick and white clapboard siding, a cupola topped with a weather vane and a garden serviced by the restored windmill add to the Kansas vernacular. But behind the agrarian charm stand three state-of-the art greenhouses with computerized climate controls, a plant propagation room with a laminar airflow system to purify air, a head house with 6-foot-tall floral refrigerators and a classroom outfitted with large work tables centered under retractable outlets. It's enough to make any gardener green with envy.

Two large hackberry trees were retained on the circle drive. Every architectural detail is intended to reflect the building's use, blend with adjacent buildings, inspire budding horticulturists and maintain the land's heritage. To the west of the entry, three variations of sunflowers are sculpted in stone; to the east a center stone panel depicts purple prairie clover, bees to pollinate the clover and the suggestion of a beehive. The stonework is by Alan Tolekson of Emporia. Looking closely at two of the sunflowers, one see that their purpose is functional as well as aesthetic. They act as scuppers or drain spouts to reclaim rainwater by routing it from the roof, along a trough supported by limestone pilasters, through the front gateways' two columns encased in native limestone, into a 10,000-gallon underground cistern. The old windmill has been moved and is functional to supplement rainwater for the irrigation of outside gardens. And if nature doesn't come through, a monitoring system visible inside the lobby lets students determine how much city water is required to supplement harvested rain and ground water in the cistern.

JCCC offers a certificate program in Horticultural Science and courses that transfer to a four-year degree in horticulture science at the Horticulture Department at Kansas State University .

Upon successful completion of the Horticulture Vocational Certificate, students will have the competencies to be successful at entry-level or higher positions in landscape design and maintenance, lawn care, garden centers and nurseries, wholesale, greenhouse growers and greenhouse operations and other related occupations.