Sustainable Gardening at the University of Leeds

The Sustainable Garden at the University of Leeds has now officially opened. Founded through a partnership between the Sustainability Team, the Grounds and Garden team and Leeds University Union, the garden offers a public space for staff, students and the local community, with wildflower areas to enhance biodiversity on campus and edible planting available to all.

The edible part of the garden is managed by the Leeds University Union Bardon Grange Project and has weekly volunteers to help with the planting and maintenance. New research will be conducted by students and academic staff, and the wildflower areas will provide extra food for the bees in the campus hives.

The Sustainability Team organised the launch event, with the ribbon being cut by the University’s Director of Facilities, Dennis Hopper, who applauded the teamwork and positive attitude of everyone who had contributed to the creation of the garden. The launch included stalls and activities to promote sustainable food, with onsite catering staff using ingredients from the garden to make dishes, a cycle-powered smoothie maker, seed giveaways from the Royal Horticulture Society, bird ‘fat feeders’ from the conservation volunteers and nature walks by the RSPB.

The garden contains a number of elements that support and promote local biodiversity, edible food production and also research opportunities as well as and teaching and relaxation space. Head of Sustainability, Dr. Louise Ellis described the garden as “a tangible example of how we collaborate and build a community & can use campus in a positive way, making the most of the space between buildings.”