Last updated: November 2021
The sustainable garden was created in 2013. Based on the gold award-winning RHS flower show entry in 2012 by the university’s ‘water@leeds’, the garden is an excellent example of collaborative working between the Facilities Directorate, Leeds University Union and academic staff. The garden provides a multi-functional space for staff, students and visitors to campus to enjoy quiet contemplation but also to cultivate an allotment-and-forest-style edible garden. It is a great example of a functioning ecosystem with wildflower areas, soft fruit hedgerows, insect houses and pocket habitats. (1)
Sustainable Garden at the University of Leeds (2016)
Richard Parker, retrieved 08/22/2018
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Nature on buildings (external)
- Green roofs
- Parks and urban forests
- Pocket parks/neighbourhood green spaces
- Other
- Community gardens and allotments
- Community gardens
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change adaptation
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Environmental quality
- Soil quality improvement
- Waste management
- Regeneration, land-use and urban development
- Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Improving mental health
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
- Sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12)
- Sustainable production
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Other
Project objectives
The garden houses both perennial and annual edible plants. The perennial area is planted as a ‘forest garden’ using permaculture design. It includes fruit trees, soft-fruit bushes and shrubs and ground-covering plants. The idea is to create a low maintenance, sustainable system for food production which mimics the efficient ecosystem of a natural woodland. Perennial plants are not only less work to look after, producing crops year after year; they also provide a permanent habitat for wildlife, and preserve the delicate web of micro-organisms in the soil which can be mainly left undisturbed. (3 and 7) Having been informed by the water@leeds staff, it also has water sensitive features and provides an edible growing space for staff and students. (7)
Implementation activities
In the spring of 2012, Green-tech were asked to help with an exciting new project being specified by Martin Woolley Landscape Architects. The project involved creating a sustainable roof top garden for the Chancellor’s Court, part of the University of Leeds. As it was a roof top garden, soil was an issue for the architects. They needed soil that was light in weight but also nutrient-rich to ensure successful growth.
Green-tech were able to provide the perfect solution – a bespoke soil mix which was very light and had a high nutrient content known as Green-tree Topsoil. The topsoil is a highly fertile and organic-rich material, compliant to BS 3882:2007 standards. It does not require any additional fertiliser for the first season.
The contract was awarded to Brambledown Landscapes and a year after the initial enquiry, with all materials delivered to site, the installation commenced. By mid-August the garden was complete and unveiled to the university. (2)
Low maintenance, sustainable system for food production which mimics the efficient ecosystem of natural woodland. Perennial plants are not only less work to look after, producing crops year after year; they also provide a permanent habitat for wildlife, and preserve the delicate web of micro-organisms in the soil which can be mainly left undisturbed. (3 and 7)
Climate-focused activities
Climate change adaptation:
- Increase the use of climate-resilient plant species (resistant to drought, fire, and pests)
Main beneficiaries
- Researchers/University
- Other
Governance
Management set-up
- Led by non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Researchers/university
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
- Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The project was a result of collaborative working between the Facilities Directorate, Leeds University Union and academic staff (collectively the University of Leeds Sustainability Team and the Estates Team). (1)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(The garden encourages biodiversity on campus in coherence with the University’s Biodiversity Action Plan, through developing a range of habitats for local species. (6))
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Unknown
Type of funding
- Unknown
Non-financial contribution
Type of non-financial contribution
- Provision of labour
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
- Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
- Other
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Climate change
- Enhanced carbon sequestration
- Environmental quality
- Improved soil quality
- Green space and habitat
- Promotion of naturalistic styles of landscape design for urban development
- Increased green space area
- Increased number of species present
- Improved prevention or control of invasive alien species
- Other
Economic impacts
- Unknown
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Increased access to healthy/affordable food
- Health and wellbeing
- Improved mental health
- Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Cultural heritage and sense of place
- Improvement in people’s connection to nature
- Education
- Increased support for education and scientific research
Type of reported impacts
Achieved impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Unknown
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
Yes
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
References
(1) University of Leeds. [no date]. Sustainable Garden. Source: Source link [Accessed 30 September 2020]
(2) Green-tech. [no date]. Green-tree roof garden substrate - The perfect solution for Leeds University. [Website not available in 2020]
(3) Bardon Grange Project. [no date]. Eat Learn & Grow: Sustainable Garden. [Website unavailable in 2020]
(4) Sustainability Exchange. [no date]. Green Gown Awards 2014 - Facilities and Services - University of Leeds - Finalist. Source: Source link [Accessed 30 September 2020]
(5) Water@Leeds. [no date]. About Us. Source link [Accessed 30 September 2020]
(6) Scattergood, Jennifer. (2014). Sustainable garden created by University of Leeds lends itself to research. [Website unavailable in 2020]
(7) Waterdc. (2014). Leeds Architecture Award. Source link [Accessed 30 November 2020]
(8) Howroyd, Michael. [no date]. Green Gown Awards 2014: Awarding Sustainability Excellence For 10 Years: Finalist's Case Study. [Website unavailable in 2020, but document attached]
(2) Green-tech. [no date]. Green-tree roof garden substrate - The perfect solution for Leeds University. [Website not available in 2020]
(3) Bardon Grange Project. [no date]. Eat Learn & Grow: Sustainable Garden. [Website unavailable in 2020]
(4) Sustainability Exchange. [no date]. Green Gown Awards 2014 - Facilities and Services - University of Leeds - Finalist. Source: Source link [Accessed 30 September 2020]
(5) Water@Leeds. [no date]. About Us. Source link [Accessed 30 September 2020]
(6) Scattergood, Jennifer. (2014). Sustainable garden created by University of Leeds lends itself to research. [Website unavailable in 2020]
(7) Waterdc. (2014). Leeds Architecture Award. Source link [Accessed 30 November 2020]
(8) Howroyd, Michael. [no date]. Green Gown Awards 2014: Awarding Sustainability Excellence For 10 Years: Finalist's Case Study. [Website unavailable in 2020, but document attached]
Sustainable Garden at the University of Leeds (2017)
Richard Parker, retrieved 08/22/2018
Sustainable Garden at the University of Leeds (2017)
Richard Parker, retrieved 08/22/2018