Grounds & Gardens – Spring Highlights
Spring has arrived in full force across campus and our Grounds team has been busier than ever nurturing our landscapes, supporting wildlife and preparing for the season ahead. Here’s what’s been happening outdoors over the past few weeks — and what to look out for when you’re out and about.
A Growing Symbol of Friendship: 30 New Cherry Trees
Thirty cherry trees have been planted in the Cherry Orchard at the front of Washington Singer, donated through the Sakura Project — an international initiative celebrating the long-lasting friendship between Japan and the UK. They may be small now but they’re already beginning to flower, offering a hint of the spectacular blossom displays we can look forward to in the years ahead.
Magnolias, Camellias & Rhododendrons in Bloom
If you haven’t taken a walk around campus recently, now is the time!
Millennium Magnolias, Taddiforde Valley – the Magnolias at the top of the valley are currently at their peak and their impressive white flowers are putting on a stunning show near the East Park top entrance.
Reed Hall Gardens – Rhododendrons and Camellias are also in bloom, creating some breathtaking bursts of colour around the grounds of Reed Hall. Some specimens are particularly striking this year — well worth a lunchtime wander!
Improving Habitats Along Stocker Road
In partnership with the Sustainability team, major restoration work is happening in the Plantation — the wooded belt along Stocker Road. Invasive species including Laurel and Bamboo are being carefully removed. This will open up space for more wildlife-friendly and less invasive planting over the next few years, supporting richer habitats across campus.
Storm Impacts & Protecting Nesting Birds
Recent exceptionally wet weather has unfortunately brought down two significant trees. However one of these, a large Macrocarpa near the new PV field by Duryard, has quickly become a nesting site for birds. To protect these new residents, the fallen tree will remain in place until after the nesting season ends in September.
2026 Long Grass & Biodiversity Plan Underway
The team is currently developing a campus-wide long-grass strategy for the 2026 mowing season. Key aims include:
- creating wildlife corridors
- introducing varied mowing regimes
- supporting winter foraging for birds
- giving shelter to small invertebrates
- gradually reducing soil fertility to encourage wildflower-rich grasslands
Over time, these areas should become vibrant pockets of biodiversity woven throughout campus.
A Century Since the Palm House Orangery Moved
This year marks 100 years since the Orangery was moved from Reed Hall to the Imperial. To celebrate, the nursery team is growing 1920s-style bedding plants for a commemorative display. We will be sharing these home grown plants with the Imperial, so that they can mirror our planting scheme to jointly celebrate the move of this iconic feature.
Restoring the Bank at Hatherley
In an effort to suppress the invasive weeds at the bank at the front of Hatherley, this area has now been re-seeded with grass and will be carefully monitored over the next couple of years before being gradually transformed into a pollinator friendly planted area supporting biodiversity through habitats and nectar sources.
Sports Grounds: Transitioning to Summer
The Sports Grounds team is shifting from winter to summer sports — a busy period that includes:
- bringing football, rugby and ultimate frisbee seasons to a close
- preparing cricket squares for an early student season start
- repairing winter-worn pitches
Weather has made preparations challenging this year, but the team is working incredibly hard to get everything ready.
Log Sales – An Update
We often receive enquiries about log sales from felled campus trees. Unfortunately we’re unable to give away or sell logs first hand, as we cannot store them in a dry location and the moisture content is therefore too high for us to sell them directly. However, we are investigating an option to sell the timber to a local merchant who can dry and prepare the wood for resale on the open market.