University Park Gardens Guide and Tree Walk

1 We are proud of the those from Welcome University’s landscaped and in campuses and visitors Bloom, the local and 4 Horticultural highlights are welcome to enjoy our National Civic Trust and 9 Millennium Garden gardens, walks and trees. the British Association of 12 Lakeside Walk Landscape Industries. University Park has 14 Tree Walk The Friends of University been awarded a Green Please use this guide 16 University Park map Flag every year since to explore and enjoy Park encourage everyone to 22 Our other campuses enjoy the campus grounds and 2003. We were the first University Park. all are welcome at their events. 24 Green issues University to achieve this. w: nott.ac.uk/friends 31 Tree Walk map Other awards include

2 3 Horticultural highlights University Park is very much in the English landscape style, with rolling grassland, many trees, shrubs and water features. An adjoining lake divides it from Highfields Park, which is managed by . Formal displays In the summer the display beds are vibrant with exotic annuals One of our boldest displays and bedding plants. In spring is at the North Entrance they are awash with colour from beside the A52 roundabout. A biennials and spring bulbs. contemporary arrangement of informal beds for annual bedding A second, smaller area of formal is backed by a border of exotic bedding is at the West Entrance shrubs, bamboos and grasses, by the old lodges. In the summer, which add value in winter. These large pots of brilliant bedding are complemented by boulders plants enhance our involvement and areas of cobbles. in Nottingham in Bloom.

4 5 Water features fountains are set among boulders. Next to the plaza between the The park is richly endowed with Pope Building and Engineering water features. At the South Science Learning Centre is a Entrance an informal lake has multiple fountain in a rectangular marginal plantings and a large pool. floating fountain. Outside the Centre for The Millennium Garden includes a Biomolecular Sciences there is a circular pond with an island and 12 formal pond with a geyser fountain fountains that ‘tell the time’. Nearby and nearby a series of three pools a small dew pond acts as a natural with cascades and a fountain. To pond for wildlife. the south west is a chain cascade outside the Humanities Building. Formal ponds with fountains elsewhere include the Chemistry Building’s courtyard, where three

Jekyll Garden commissions. It has eight small beds in a formal geometric style The Jekyll Garden is attached to and two long borders. Lenton Hurst, one of the older houses in University Park, and its It is separated from the house by formal design contrasts with more a dramatic rock garden terrace modern layouts elsewhere on the which was restored in 2010 by campus. The house was built for the Friends of University Park and William Player, younger son of gardens staff. The sunken garden tobacco magnate John Player. area beyond was replanted with herbaceous perennials in a Jekyll The sunken garden was designed style incorporating colour and by Gertrude Jekyll in 1911. There seasonal borders. are, however, no surviving plans suggesting it was one of her minor Fountains outside the History Department building, Lenton Grove.

6 7 Building. These old gates originally hung next to the West Entrance gatehouses, when the University buildings were first constructed in the 1920s, and had lain derelict and forgotten for many years. Purely by chance, during their restoration, they returned to yard where they were made.

The wrought iron gates.

The walled garden is a quiet oasis.

Highfields walled garden Spring bulbs Highfields House sits in the centre form the lake. The walled garden is Thousands of spring bulbs, of University Park and was built in now a quiet oasis. Its centrepiece especially narcissus, are planted about 1797 for the Lowe family. is an ornamental wellhead. Seats throughout University Park in a It has a fine old garden with many are set into niches and within a wide range of cultivars. Most are beautiful trees including a huge wrought iron arbour. planted as naturalistic drifts in Tulip Tree and several cedars. grass areas. The earliest to flower Around the house are borders of The garden was replanted in a are February Gold running through exotic and unusual plants. Hidden late Victorian style using exotic the season to the late flowering amongst the laurel shrubbery is plants such as hardy bamboos jonquils. These grass areas are left a curious carved stone object, of and the hardy banana Musa uncut until June and a succession origin and purpose unknown. basjoo. In summer the displays are of wild flowers take over the enhanced by tender foliage and display as the narcissus finish. The house’s walled garden was flowering plants. Two long borders once much larger and ‘filled with are planted with herbaceous In the north-west corner of the vineries, stove houses and exotic perennials in a hot colour scheme. campus near Lenton Lodge an blue flowers in early spring. plants’. It was part of an elaborate area of the native Nottingham Once common in the Trent Valley, estate that ran down to the Stunning wrought iron gates crocus, a form of Crocus vernus colonies of the crocus are now fishpond that was later enlarged to open on to the path to the Trent that produces sheets of pale sparse and endangered. 8 9 The Old Botanic Garden This area near the centre of campus used to have formal order beds to represent the plant kingdom to allow the traditional teaching of botany. Now the garden is a quiet retreat with a number of unusual plants. There is a fine Medlar, Cedars, Ginkgo, Nothofagus and Taxodium. A more recent collection of unusual trees and shrubs will add interest as they mature. Gaps in the berberis hedge give fine views the green roofs of the Lakeside Arts Centre and out across south Nottingham.

The Vale of Tears This grassed area to the east of the Visitor Car Park gets its name from a collection of weeping trees including birch, ash, beech and willow. There are also fine specimens of Corylus colurna, the Turkish Oak and Liquidambar styraciflua, renowned for its autumn colour. each autumn grows a group of Queen Anne’s Lace at the edge of The Downs. East of the Vale of Tears is a group Fly Agaric toadstools, whose red of Eucalyptus trees, under which hoods denote danger. The Downs species of wildflower has grown along with the wildlife that the This vast grassy bowl in the centre meadow supports. of the campus is managed as a wildflower meadow. As acid The biodiversity of this habitat is Dry Garden grassland, it does not have a very important as less than 95% of the county’s neutral to acidic This can be found to the north west of Lenton and Wortley Hall. Excess high proportion of broadleaved grasslands remain and The Downs soil from a building project was used to create the horseshoe-shaped flowering species but in early is a good example of managing the mound with a level ‘circus ring’ centre. The sandy soil has been planted summer is awash with many and landscape for sustainability. with drought-tolerant species such as Cytisus, Hippophae and Kniphofia varied grass flowers. It is cut each and Eucalyptus. There are also island beds of late summer herbaceous year in early July for a hay crop. perennials and prairie grasses. Over the years, the number of 10 11 Millennium Garden The Millennium Garden is a quiet, reflective place for students, staff and the community and was created after a design competition. We regard it as a jewel of University Park.

The summer house. Lenton Firs Rock Garden Near to Lenton Firs, one of our University Park, this was cleared older houses, is a sycamore and replanted. A generous woodland, where once slumbered donation allowed us to restore the a semi-derelict summer house. Edwardian summer house. Early in 2006, with a grant from the The house was once owned by Nottingham Green Partnership, we the Shipstone brewing family. But started to clear heavy vegetation little else is recorded about the with the aim of improving the summerhouse or what was once woodland. known as the Chinese garden. Around the summer house we Take care when exploring as the discovered an extensive and paths and steps are uneven. elaborate rock garden. Over two years, with help from student volunteers and the Friends of 12 13 Millennium Garden

The winners of the competition, informal seating as well as open-air Quartet Design, particularly performances. Twelve sentinel impressed with their vision of clipped yews, reinforcing the time a garden that would appeal to theme, surround the lawn. students. The bold design is based on the theme of time. A central A raised mound with clipped box pathway leads into the garden hedges overlooks the garden and and to a series of interconnecting has views of the pool. The focal circular paths and areas, which point of this feature is a stone form a strong pattern within the sculpture, Flayed Stone, carved by centre of the garden. Peter Randall-Page from a single piece of glacial granite. There is a formal pool with 12 fountains, which ‘tell the time’ and Towards the end of the garden is a steel bridges — set low to create blue brick and turf maze, an ancient a feeling of ‘walking on water’ garden feature symbolising the — leading to a central island. A rooting of knowledge in antiquity. specimen of Ailanthus altissima, Views from here look out across The garden hosts community events. Below: The Orchard Hotel. the Tree of Heaven, was kept as the meadows to the halls of the centrepiece of the island and residence and distant housing — garden. Dogwoods provide colour focal point of the garden. emphasising the University’s open from the bright red winter twigs. attitude to learning and knowledge Flowering bulbs give spring colour. There is ample access for disabled and our involvement in the wider visitors and consideration for community. Beyond the formal garden is the wildlife. orchard with meadow grass and Tree planting has included Pyrus spring bulbs. In late spring a The adjacent colour garden, with a ‘Chanticleer’, Corylus colurna, the double row of white cherry trees focal point of an armillary sphere, Turkish Hazel, the golden-leaved provides a pleasing walk. has interesting flowers and foliage Robinia pseudoacacia ‘Frisia’, hosted by the Friends of University in all seasons. Colours expand Ginkgo biloba, the Maidenhair tree Lord Dearing, former Chancellor Park. the time theme into a day/night and Paulownia tomentosa. Shrubs of the University, formally opened scheme with one bed planted provide interest at all seasons: the Millennium Garden on Tuesday North west of the Millennium in hot red, orange and yellow evergreens such as Euonymus 4 July 2000. The garden has Garden is the de Vere Orchard colours and the remainder in ‘Emerald and Gold’ give a touch of received many awards and is open Hotel, which opened in 2012 and cool blues, whites and silvers. A ‘winter sun’ and the blocks of dark for use all year; events held here is open to visitors for dining and circular grassed area is used for green box give structure to the include the community picnic refreshments. 14 15

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page 10 NORTH A Gardens Guide by er ENTRANCE D Wollaton Park University Park A52 Derby Road Lenton Firs CHINA MALAYSIA Nottingham Jekyll Victorian Lenton & Rock Garden NG7 2RD Garden Wortley page 6 page 12 Display Garden

C page 4 ripp Beeston Lane s Hill A 5 2 Lincoln C li Derby ft CCrippsripps o n SSherwoodherwood B o u le The Downs v a Sports r page 11 Vale of d NET Phase Two Centre Rutland Tears tram route PD page 10 Nottingham Chemistry crocus PD CP Courtyard page 9 page 7 Hugh Stewart Hugh Rock Garden Stewart Orchard Library Road Hotel Old Botanic East Midlands Conference Garden Centre page 10 Millennium i Lakeside Nightingale Garden P East Drive Arts page 13 Centre P ad Highfields Portland Ro on House Walled Building WC st WC ee Garden PD B CavendishCavendish page 8 A B 64 e Portland 6 es SOUTH 4 to e W n n Copse L La o a h ENTRANCE od n g Trent s e ou id hr e t T R Cu Building o a Willoughby N d Hall Jubilee Avenue Cafe rd Highfields va ule WC Toilets Park Bo ty rsi Florence ve Blue-badge parking Boot ni 5 U 00 CP Conference parking 0 metres 200 A6 WEST P Highfields Park visitor parking ENTRANCE PD Pay & Display visitor parking Display Footpaths Broadgate bedding page 4 Tree Walk map: see back cover Public bus stop Public/Hopper bus stop 16 Public transport information17 04/2013 © Crown Copyright Licence no. 100030223 i Lakeside Walk

This 1¼-mile circular walk the sandstone cliffs, passing the joins University Park with caves and linking with paths to Highfields Park. It is suitable for Highfields Park at the island. wheelchair users and inclines are signposted. Highfields has a playground and in summer boats can be The path skirts the water’s edge, hired on the lake. The walk climbs above cliffs giving views rejoins University land at the DH of the lake, passes across the Lawrence Pavilion, Lakeside Arts stone terrace in front of the Trent Centre, where a cafe is open Building and then drops beneath seven days a week.

18 19 Tree Walk Our Tree Walk as a world tour in less than an hour! You’ll see trees from Europe, the Mediterranean, Morocco, USA, China, Japan, Himalayas, North Africa and Chile. It is amazing that plants from so many areas, different climates and soils thrive here at University Park.

Tree Walk map: page 31

The Trent Building was opened by King George V in 1928.

Start at the Trent Building, 1 vigorous male clone was once which was completed in 1928 often planted in cities as it tolerates and built of Portland stone. It was pollution. designed by the architect Morley Horder. Some described Walking out to the west you him as a ‘poet in brick’ but will come to Jubilee Avenue, 2 DH Lawrence ridiculed the which was renamed for our Silver building as an ‘iced cake’. The Jubilee in 1998. To mark 50 years Lido, lake and University Boulevard since granting of its Charter, the were constructed at same time. University planted 50 London The building was opened by King Planes, Platanus x acerifolia (x George V and Queen Mary in hispanica), a hybrid between 1928. Platanus occidentalis and Platanus orientalis which occurred in Europe In the quadrangle you will see around 1650. Looking right across clipped specimens of Ilex x the drive and the West Lawn, altarclarensis Hodginsii, a form of we can see a mature specimen the Highclere Holly. This strong, alongside Florence Boot Hall. 20 21 On the right of the drive is a group of young Acer saccharinum, the Silver Maple, a fast-growing tree introduced from eastern North America in 1725. 4

Cross the grass to the right of Jubilee Drive and go right behind the small car park. You’ll find an example of Ulmus ‘Sapporo Autumn Gold’, the so-called resistant elm. Most English elms now rarely reach any great size due to the Dutch elm disease but this clone is resistant and has good autumn colour. There is another specimen opposite Derby Hall. Tree Walk This ‘champion tree’ is the largest specimen in the UK. 5 Highfields House was built for a former Sheriff of Nottingham. Tucked around the corner behind a holly hedge is the Bassingfield The very narrow tree nearby is Nearby, the very upright tree This was built around 1797 for Stone. This Hornblend schist a Fagus sylvatica ‘Dawyck’. The with heavy dark green foliage Joseph Lowe, a local woollen and boulder is thought to have been Dawyck Beech was originally found is Sequoiadendron giganteum linen draper who had been Sheriff washed down from the Grampian in a plantation in Dawyck, Peebles, otherwise known as the of Nottingham in 1763. The Lowe mountains during the last Ice Age. around 1860 but not widely Wellingtonia, or Mammoth Tree. family occupied Highfields for 3 It was discovered in 1949. planted until about 1930. 6 This native of California was 80 years and owned it for 120. introduced to the UK in 1853 and The extensive property featured At the top of the drive on the left Staying in front of the low stone is acknowledged as the largest a walled garden, glasshouses, is a mature horse chestnut. These wall and continuing away from living thing. One specimen, the stables and coach houses as well were introduced to Britain from Jubilee Drive, you will come General Sherman Tree, is 81m high as farmstead for 25 cows. Jesse Greece in the 17th Century. There to a group of exotic conifers. with a girth of 24m. It is also one Boot bought the estate around are also specimens of oak, walnut, Metasequoia glyptostroboides, the of the most long-lived plants —one 1919 and gave it to the East Cedar of Lebanon and a young Dawn Redwood, is a deciduous is thought to be 3,200-years-old. Midlands University in 1921. Cedrus deodara Deodar planted conifer, and loses its delicate It was discovered by William Lobb by the Indian High Commissioner. foliage in winter. Only known in 1853. 8 Around the garden are specimens Nearby is one of the entrances to as fossil for many years, it was Acer palmatum, cultivars of the Lakeside Walk (see page 18). rediscovered in China in 1941. It Move up onto the raised lawn ‘Japanese maple’, with leaves like has good autumn colour. 7 in front of Highfields House. 9 small hands. They originate from 22 23 Tree Walk Continue behind the Archaeology are followed by brown fruit, which Building across the tarmac paths. need to be very ripe before eating. Japan, China and Korea, These On your left, almost clinging to the The flavour is an acquired taste! It small trees need shade and a building, is a huge English Oak, is a native of southern Europe and moist soil to produce good autumn Quercus robur 13 and a short Asia Minor. 21 colour. way on, to your right is a mature specimen of the London Plane, Further on the left is a small upright Near the edge of the garden, at Platanus x acerifolia. 14 tree, Ginkgo biloba. Commonly the back of the Trent Building, are called the Maidenhair tree, it is a examples of Cedrus atlantica and The paths lead you out onto conifer, not a fern. It is one of the Cedrus atlantica glauca, the Blue Cherry Tree Hill. The gnarled old few remaining plants that was Cedar. This blue form occurs in the specimens of Prunus ‘Kanzan’ 15 growing 200 million years ago, wild as well as in cultivation and give this road its name. Their when dinosaurs roamed the earth. originates in the Atlas Mountains masses of pink blossom in early It was discovered in China and has of Algeria and Morocco. It was summer have featured on many from the Gulf of Mexico. 18 long been valued for its medicinal introduced in 1840 but not University pictures. properties. 22 cultivated until the 1900s. 10 In May you will see the strange The open hillside beyond used mixture of pink and yellow flowers Nearby is a bushy evergreen, Nearby is a fine example of to be the site of the Cherry Tree on the +Laburnocytisus adamii, Arbutus unedo, or the Killarney Liriodendron tulipiferae, the Tulip Buildings but now displays groups a curious graft hybrid originally Strawberry tree. In late summer Tree. It has square, truncated of young trees 16 including limes produced from grafting together you’ll see both mature fruit and leaves and in early summer and cherries that will in time take Laburnum and Broom. 19 flowers. Unedo means ‘eat one produces exquisite green tulip- over from the older plantings. Turn only’ because the fruits, although shaped flowers with orange left and cross the road diagonally Going back across the main road edible, are quite unpleasant. It stamens. It is a large, slow-growing and enter a grassy area with more and walking across the top of grows from the Mediterranean tree, which does not flower until trees. You can see a fine spreading Portland Hill, we enter the Botanic through to Ireland. 23 maturity, which takes at least 25 Ailanthus altissima, with huge Garden, 20 formerly a traditional years. It originates from North pinnate leaves. Known as the Tree range of botanical order beds. It is Next to the Strawberry tree is a America and was introduced by of Heaven because of its rapid now a quiet retreat with some fine large Southern Beech, Nothofagus the 17th-century botanist John growth, it originates from northern views across Nottingham towards obliqua, 24 which came from Tradescant the Younger. 11 China. 17 the river. The open area of grass Chile in 1910. Look for the gap in beyond the garden is the site of the planting on the left and cross You can detour here into Nearby is a mature Catalpa Keighton Medieval Village, a site of the road to the Vale of Tears, so Highfields Walled Garden bignonioides, which has large flat archaeological interest. called because of its collection (see page 8) . Eucalyptus here round leaves. The long seedpods of weeping trees. 25 The small represent Australia in our world produced after the white flowers The unusual bushy plant nearby is Weeping Birch is Betula pendula tour and in summer cannas add a give it the common name of Indian a medlar, Mespilus germanica. The ‘Youngii’, an ideal choice for small South American flavour. 12 Bean Tree, although it originates single apple blossom-like flowers gardens. 24 25 Tree Walk

Nearby is an upright birch with and onto the road. The huge chalky white bark. Betula utilis, the grassy area beyond is The Downs Himalayan Birch, was introduced (see page 11). 28 by Sir Joseph Hooker in 1849 from western China. There are Turn right and walk alongside The also specimens of weeping ash Downs. The row of large trees Fraxinus excelsior ‘Pendula’, with alonge the 29 tennis courts are a its shaggy umbrella shape and the purple-leaved form of the common weeping beech Fagus sylvatica beech Fagus sylvatica. The graft ‘Pendula’, distinguished by large line can be clearly distinguished sweeping branches and pendulous half way up the trunk. Walking twigs. Look for another beech with on to the road junction there is a delicate cut leaves, the Fern- small group of conifers 30 with leaved Beech, or Fagus sylvatica more than 30 evergreen ‘Heterophylla’. Sequoiadendron giganteum Wellingtonia interplanted with Walk up the hill head towards the the deciduous Metasequoia top left of the Visitor Car Park. The glyptostroboides Dawn Redwood. steps lead through the courtyard of Hugh Stewart Hall. The Turn right at the road junction golden conifers flanking the path and you will see the restored rock are Chamaecyparis lawsoniana garden 31 where our tour ends. ‘Stewartii’, chosen because of the name of the hall. 26

On the right, opposite the end of the path, is a golden-leaved tulip tree, Liriodendron tulipiferae ‘Aureomarginatum’. Also of interest are a Monkey Puzzle, Araucaria araucana and the Blue or Western Himalayan Pine, Pinus wallachiana with its long glaucous needles. 27

Walk on through the archway out of the Hugh Stewart Hall grounds, 26 27 Visit our other campuses

The University’s Jubilee Campus, which in 2013 was awarded a Green Flag, is a mile from University Park, while Sutton Bonington Campus is 10 miles south of University Park on the border of and . A free Hopper Bus Service serves the campuses. For timetables, visit nott.ac.uk/hopper Jubilee Campus Wollaton Road The campus is designed to Nottingham harmonise buildings and landscape NG8 1BB t: 0115 951 5151 and to encourage wildlife. A series of lakes provide cooling Development of University Park for buildings and absorb storm threatened its beautiful green water. Trees and shrubs are well The lakes at Jubilee Campus are a haven for wildlife. landscape and the University established and wildflowers grow decided to build a new campus on the grassy mounds behind nearby, on the former home of the the lakes. Waterfowl including Sutton Bonington Campus Raleigh bicycle factory. The derelict mallards, swans, coots, moorhens, Sutton Bonington arboretum. Of particular interest site lacked trees and even soil, geese and herons breed on the Leicestershire is the lime avenue alongside lakes. Many of the buildings have LE12 5RD although the University’s purchase t: 0115 951 5151 the South Laboratory. This of a narrow band of land containing green roofs, planted with a carpet commemorates those lost in the mature trees provided a backdrop of alpine plants, to help maintain Whereas University Park and First World War. There is said to to the development. building temperatures. Jubilee are green oases in the city, be a ‘Queen’s shilling’ buried under there is also much to enjoy in the each tree. Phase II of the Jubilee Campus Jubilee Campus is an exemplar of rural setting of Sutton Bonington includes new buildings across brownfield regeneration and has Campus. A Diamond Wood was planted on impeccable green credentials. Triumph Road, and a paved University land near the campus to The campus was opened in boulevard linking the two sites. This 40-acre site is home to mark the Queen’s Jubilee. October 1999 by Her Majesty the An avenue of 60 new Sophora land-based sciences such as Queen and has received many japonica, fountains and another Agriculture, Plant Sciences, Food For maps and directions, visit awards, including the Millennium lake will enhance the scheme. Sciences and the Veterinary nott.ac.uk/sutton Marque Award for Environmental School. For maps and directions, visit Excellence and the Royal Institute nott.ac.uk/jubilee of British Architects (RIBA) Journal The campus has a wide variety Sustainability Award. of plantings, including a small 28 29

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Lenton & Wortley 31

C ripp Beeston Lane s Hill 30 Lincoln Derby CCrippsripps A 5 29 2

A carpet of wildflowers on The Downs. 28

27 Millennium Biodiversity Garden 26

Hugh 25 The University is committed to environmentally sensitive Stewart management of its grounds and University Park has its own Library Road 19 biodiversity action plan. 18 22 17 23 21 Trees Habitats 20 24 16 We plant many trees each year, Prunings and felled timber are 15 East Drive both native and exotic species. often left as habitat piles. 12 14 Portland Scrub and meadowland Recycling 9 13 Building 11 These areas are not neglected — Garden waste is recycled as 8 10 7 6 1 leaving some areas to scrub and compost or mulching materials. 5 allowing grassland to naturally 4 Trent Lakeside 3 flower and seed supports wildlife. Historical conservation Building Arts We are also committed to 2 Centre Peat preserving the historic areas and Jubilee Avenue No peat is added to soil. buildings of University Park. N rd va ule Bo Tree surgery Pesticides ity ers niv Leaving dead or dying trees as bat Pesticide use has been 5 U 600 A Tree walk roosts or for wood-boring birds substantially reduced. 0 metres 200 and insects adds biodiversity. Footpaths

30 04/2013 © Crown Copyright Licence no. 10003022331 The has made every Further information effort to ensure that the information in this Grounds Manager guide was accurate when published. Please Estates Office note, however, that the nature of the content University Park means that it is subject to change from time The University of Nottingham to time, and you should therefore consider the NG7 2RD information to be guiding rather than definitive. t: 0115 951 3649 © The University of Nottingham 2014. All rights w: nott.ac.uk/grounds reserved.