A Blooming Success: Our Garden in the Quad Brings People and Wildlife Together
It has been a busy year in the garden after a very cold and wet start to spring, summer 2024.
Our small team was boosted by the help from some of the Occupational Therapy students who helped us get the garden in shape for the summer.
We successfully grew lots of fruits - apples, plums, blueberries, blackcurrants and gooseberries - and planted lots more strawberries. We laid bark down, donated from chippings gathered by the Estates team, in the fruit growing area to help suppress the weeds. Additionally, we grew six bags of potatoes, alongside leeks, lettuce, tomatoes, peas and beans, kale, chard and herbs. Donations of bedding plants helped to fill the pots both in the garden area and on the veranda.
While we haven鈥檛 at this point accurately measured the increase in biodiversity, we have observed the benefits of improving the site. There are far more insects (including a beautiful dragonfly) feeding off the flowers and increasing numbers of worms in the soil, also evidenced by our resident toad and the variety of birds coming down into the garden. The grass currently has a lovely spread of native wild flowers which are supporting the bees and other pollinators.
In September, we held a lunchtime event, with lots of free produce from the garden, salads, herbs and recipe ideas to sample, such as apple tart and courgette brownies. Adriana, a final year Occupational Therapy student, brought some donated woollen jumpers to sell and raised over 拢100 for local charities!
In April this year, staff from the LGBTQIA+ Action Group and ResLife held a BBQ in the garden which attracted over 50 people. They hope to make this a regular event, holding the next one during Freshers' Week in September. We are also planning to have another lunchtime event to give away this year's produce at some point in late August/September.
It has been encouraging to see greater use of the garden over the year by staff and students, and we hope to continue to promote the garden and the benefits of growing and eating fresh food. Everyone is welcome to participate in our gardening activities or simply enjoy a relaxing green space.
I would particularly like to thank Kirstin and Sugandhi for their continuing hard work, alongside Adriana and Alison from the Occupational Health team, also Bill, Brian and Steve and the rest of the Estates team, Unison, and all our other contributors and supporters. Here鈥檚 to another productive year for our Garden in the Quad.
Learn more about sustainability efforts at 羞羞视频:
