Edible Uni

The grounds team took on the challenge of creating a new space that could be enjoyed by staff at the 'Hive' in Main Street.  The brief was fairly short, make better use of an unattractive area, somewhere to get outside, somewhere to sit, somewhere to grow a few vegetables and of course created with the tiniest of budget.

Much of the materials were left over from other projects and the labour resource was topped up by our horticultural apprentices who were able to learn new techniques and gain valuable experience. 

Studies into working in gardens or even just getting outside have been carried out for many years and the positive impact it has on well being was the catalyst for the new garden, it could be of benefit to anyone who might want to use it.

Enjoyable aerobic exercise

Gardening is a great form of aerobic exercise plus, you might become so engrossed in your work that you don’t even realize you’re breaking a sweat. Pulling weeds, reaching for various plants and tools, and twisting and bending as you plant will work new muscles in your body and help with strength, stamina, and flexibility. 

Exposure to vitamin D 

Vitamin D increases your calcium levels, which benefits your bones and immune system. So outdoor activities like gardening are a perfect way to get your sunshine while pursuing a fun hobby. (But don’t forget the sunscreen to protect your skin, and sunglasses for your eyes.)

Mood-boosting benefits

A study in the Netherlands, cited by CNN, suggests that gardening fights stress even better than other hobbies. Participants completed a stressful task and were then told to read inside or go outdoors and garden for 30 minutes. The gardening group reported better moods afterward, and their blood tests showed lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol. 

The site

The site had previously been home to a Portakabin and left empty until it's future was known.

The team started by stripping off the old weed growth and leveling the area. 

We used treated timber sleepers to create the raised planting beds which would also create additional sitting areas and improve accessibility to the planting.

Two sleepers high would give adequate planting depth even for a crop of potatoes.



A good layer of compost produced from our own green waste would give the plants the best start in life.



Ready for planting.  

Feedback from the hive has been really positive, 

"The raised beds have transformed an otherwise derelict area of our garden into something much more attractive and productive. The progress (or not!) of our various vegetables has been a talking point in the office and everyone had a chance to take home and enjoy some of the produce.  We filled the beds with left over seeds and plants from our own gardens. Our harvest included potatoes, tomatoes, onions and salad leaves - and our leeks and rainbow chard plants are still going strong.  Cucumbers and climbing beans proved more of a challenge... 

"The undoubted high point of the year was when our onions won third place against stiff competition at Fulford Show! We were all very proud."

Autumn colours on campus

The campus west lake from Central hall bridge

24th November - 2nd December 2018 National Tree Week is the UK's largest annual tree celebration, marking the start of the winter tree planting season (November to March each year). The Tree Council, one of the UK’s leading charities for trees, first established National Tree Week in March 1975 in response to the national replanting required after the outbreak of Dutch Elm disease.

Japanese Maple at the Quiet place

The University has a diverse tree stock and the autumn is a great time to see them changing colour as the days become shorter and cooler with winter looming.   Maybe take a walk around the University tree trail, you can pick up a map from the information centre or link to it from here Campus tree trail

Veteran Sycamore at Derwent college

The grounds team spend much of October and November (1,775 person hours) just clearing leaves away from paths to give safe access around campus and off the lawn areas for the benefit of the grass beneath.  The leaves are composted so they can be returned to the planting beds or redistributed in our woodland areas.

Form and shape are a large consideration when choosing new trees for planting around campus, these complementing each other and without the       threat of getting too big in the future.

Beech tree Fagus sylvatica at Derwent college

The Beech is a large tree, capable of reaching heights of up to 50 m (160 ft) tall we have several on campus, it is also widely used in formal hedges as it responds well to being clipped.

Common Walnut Juglans regia 

Walnuts are very attractive trees often used in parks and large gardens the trees are easily propagated from the nuts  (if you can beat the squirrels to them!) they need space and seedlings grow rapidly

Field Maple
Mature Acer campestre trees can grow to 20m and live for up to 350 years. The bark is light brown and flaky, and twigs are slender and brown, and develop a corky bark with age. Small, grey leaf buds grow on long stems.The UK's only native maple, it is found growing in woods, scrubs and hedgerows.

The Yellow brick road
Lined with Sorbus 'Josephs Rock' on the left and Fastigiate Hornbeam on the right

Common Hazel Corylus avellana

The nuts of all hazels are edible. The common hazel is the species most extensively grown for its nuts, Hazel is also a  traditional material used for making Wattle or Withy fencing, and baskets. The tree can be coppiced, the regenerating shoots allow for harvests every few years.

Weeping Silver Birch (Betula pendula Youngii)

Youngii' is a small deciduous tree forming a dome-shaped crown of arching branches weeping to the ground, with ovate leaves turning brilliant yellow in autumn

Lime tree (Tilia cordata)

                                               Medlar (Mespilus germanica)

Medlar is the name of this large shrub which can also grow to become a small tree, it's also the name of the fruit it bears. The fruit has been used since Roman times and needs to be virtually rotten before it's edible,

Heslington East campus

The campus at Heslington east has ornamental trees alongside architectural trees and native trees planted in woodland blocks. It is also home to the Diamond wood a collection of field maple, alder hornbeam,wild cherry, oak, mountain ash, yew, lime hawthorn, crab apple and blackthorn planted to celebrate the Queens jubilee.  Across the 116 Hectares 70,000 trees have already been planted.Across the 116 hectares site, of which only 65 hectares can be developed, 55,000 trees have already been planted

Ornamental Cherry Prunus fructosa globosa

Field Maples on the central vista 

Woodland planting block

Kimberlow hill woodland was chosen by the Woodland Trust to be one of just 60 Diamond Woods in the UK – one for each year of Her Majesty’s reign – under its Jubilee Woods project. So far, more than 16,700 trees – all native to the British Isles – have been planted.