FAQs

Hilltop Frequently Asked Questions

Can I walk around the gardens at Hilltop?

• During Hilltop's open hours, the gardens and grounds are open to the public and free to visit. No ticket required.
• Please be sure to check out the open hours on Hilltop's website before your visit.

Does Hilltop sell plants, compost, or other gardening supplies?

• Hilltop does not sell plants, compost, or other gardening supplies. An internet search or the phone book can help you locate several great local options for purchasing these items.

How can I compost my food waste?

• Check out the IU Environmental Resilience Institute's resources about composting at home.
• Learn more about composting at home through the 1,000 Households Who Mulch initiative through the City of Bloomington's Office of Innovation. FAQs About Mulching & Composting
• If you are not able to compost at home, an internet search can help you locate local composting companies with options including residential curb-side pick-up services as well as drop-off options.
• If you are looking into composting on behalf of a food service facility or restaurant, check out the Compost Up, Downtown program through the City of Bloomington's Department of Economic and Sustainable Development.

Where can I grow my own garden plot?

• If you have children ages 3-9 you can grow your own garden plot at Hilltop by participating in the Family Gardening Program.
• If your child is between the ages of 10 and 13 they can grow their own garden plot at Hilltop by participating in the Junior Master Gardener Program.
• If you do not fall into the categories above, there are many great options for you to grow your own garden plot nearby!
• City of Bloomington Parks & Recreation garden plot rental options. There are 3 different locations:
  • Willie Streeter - in-ground plots and raised beds
  • Butler Park Community Garden - organic, in-ground plots and raised beds
  • Switchyard Park Community Garden - 39 organic raised beds
• Monroe County Parks & Recreation garden plot rental options
  • Will Detmer Gardens – raised beds, year-round plots, seasonal plots, and ADA seasonal plots

How can I garden at Hilltop?

• Kids
  • Junior Master Gardener Program - For kids ages 10 – 13. Participants come to Hilltop weekly to learn about gardening and to grow their own garden plot.
  • Family Gardening Program - For families with kids ages 3 - 9. Participants come to Hilltop weekly to learn about gardening and to grow their own garden plot.
  • The WonderLab Museum's WonderCamps at Hilltop - Themed camps for kids in grades 2–3 and 4–6.
• Adults
  • Volunteer at Hilltop- Volunteers help with a variety of tasks in the various themed gardens and landscaped areas at Hilltop, including planting, watering, weeding, mulching, harvesting, maintaining pathways, and more. Click here to learn more.
  • Please note: Hilltop does not have individual garden plots available to adults at this time. If you are interested in having your own individual garden plot, check out the options above in the "Where can I grow my own garden plot?" section.
• IU Students
  • Volunteer at Hilltop - Volunteers help with a variety of tasks in the various themed gardens and landscaped areas at Hilltop, including planting, watering, weeding, mulching, harvesting, maintaining pathways, and more. Click here to learn more.
  • Take a class that engages in service learning at Hilltop, such as BIOL-L 350 Environmental Biology.
  • Get involved with one of the academic gardens at Hilltop, which are gardens managed by IU faculty and staff for teaching/research/art.
    • Color Field Dye Garden
    • Healing Garden
  • Please note: Hilltop does not have individual garden plots available to IU students at this time. If you are interested in having your own individual garden plot, check out the options above in the "Where can I grow my own garden plot?" section.
• IU Faculty & Staff
  • Volunteer at Hilltop - Volunteers help with a variety of tasks in the various themed gardens and landscaped areas at Hilltop, including planting, watering, weeding, mulching, harvesting, maintaining pathways, and more. Click here to learn more.
  • Hilltop is able to provide gardening space for a limited number of academic gardens each year, which are gardens managed by IU faculty and staff for teaching/research/art. Hilltop is currently at capacity for academic gardens, feel free to check back in the future to inquire about availability.

What is done with the food grown at Hilltop?

• The food grown in the academic gardens at Hilltop (the gardens managed by IU faculty and staff for teaching/research/art) is harvested and utilized by the faculty and staff who manage those gardens.
• The food grown in the individual garden plots of the children in the Junior Master Gardener Program is harvested by the children who grow it. (The Junior Master Gardener Program is for children ages 10 – 13.)
• The food grown in the individual garden plots in the Family Garden is harvest by the families who grow it. (The Family Gardening Program is for families with children ages 3-9.)
• Harvest of the food in some of the other garden areas at Hilltop is managed by the volunteers who maintain it.

Can I harvest food while I am at Hilltop?

• You're welcome to ask Hilltop staff about harvesting some herbs from the Herb Garden, some herbs from the Tea Garden, or some fruit from the Orchard. When harvesting from these areas, please remember that other people might like to harvest some as well, so take only as much as you will need so that there is enough left for other people to enjoy.
• DO NOT eat anything from Hilltop without being certain that you have accurately identified it and confirmed that it is edible.

Who can I talk to about a question I have regarding a plant/garden I'm growing at home?

• Visit the free "Ask A Master Gardener Booth" at the Master Gardener Fair in April, the Monroe County Fair in July, or the Indiana State Fair in August.
• Call or email the free Purdue Extension Master Gardener AnswerLine.

Can Hilltop test my soil?

• Hilltop does not test soil. Check out the Monroe County Soil & Water Conservation District's Soil Testing Program.

Can Hilltop help me identify the name of a plant I saw growing on the IU campus?

• Hilltop does not have a list of the names of the plants growing on the IU campus so is not able to identify them for you. Indiana University Libraries have a wide selection of books on plant identification. There are also many plant identification phone apps that can be used to identify plants.

How can I donate to Hilltop?

• Supporting Hilltop with a monetary donation can be done by visiting the Indiana University Foundation's Give Now page. In the search bar type "Hilltop" and then click "Search." Select which Hilltop fund you would like to contribute to, and complete the prompts.
• At this time Hilltop is not accepting donations of plants, pots, or growing containers.

Where can I find gardening classes for…

• adults?
  • City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Community Gardening Classes
  • Purdue Extension Master Gardener Program
  • The Bloomington Community Orchard Classes
• high school students?
  • Hoosier Hills Career Center offers agriculture classes including Plant & Soil Science, Horticultural Science, and Landscape Management
• IU attendees?
  • CLLC-L 100 Edible Wild Plants
  • SPH-O 214 Wildflowers and Wild Edibles
  • SPEA-E 400 Permaculture

Where can I find local plant sales?

• IU Campus Farm's spring plant sale
• Hoosier Hills Career Center FFA spring plant sale
• MC IRIS Native Plant Sale

Would Hilltop be interested in relocating a beehive from my home?

• Hilltop does not relocate hives, but you can find someone who might be able to by accessing Indiana DNR's "Indiana Beekeepers Swarm List".

Can I take a tour of Hilltop?

• During Hilltop's open hours, you are welcome to take a self-guided tour of the gardens using the maps available at the entry and the informational signs throughout the gardens.
• Hilltop is at capacity for staff-guided tours for IU classes through 2022. Feel free to check back in spring of 2023.
• First time volunteers who sign up for the regular Friday volunteer shifts receive a free staff-guided tour of Hilltop at the begging of their first volunteer shift. When you arrive to volunteer, make sure Hilltop staff know it is your first time volunteering.

How can I sign up to receive free seed kits for my PK-12 class?

• Click here and complete the form, and once spring 2023 seed kit sign-ups have opened you will receive an email notifying you that you are able to sign-up.

Can I bring my PK-12 class, afterschool program, or camp for a staff-guided tour of Hilltop or to do a Hilltop-led learning activity?

• Hilltop is at capacity for 2022. Feel free to check back in spring of 2023.

Can Hilltop recommend someone to do landscaping / gardening work at my home?

• If you are an IU student, faculty member, or staff member, you can post to the IU Classifieds.
• An internet search or the phone book will provide several great local options.

Are Hilltop staff available for student interviews for class projects?

• Staff are currently at capacity for the fall 2022 semester and are no able to commit to additional interviews for student class projects at this time.