Lighting up Leeds for winter
Christmas is a very busy time of year for the University’s Grounds and Gardens team. Led by James Wright, the team installs no less than 35 Christmas trees all over campus, including the two biggest at Beech Grove Plaza, next to the Sign for Art statue, and at Nexus, the University’s innovation centre.
“I love this time of year,” says James, who has worked at the University for nine years. “It’s very busy for my team of nine, but all worth it when you see how festive the campus looks.”
Creating lifetime memories
The installation of the 35ft tree in the Plaza is a complex operation, and this year it started at 6am last Friday. A huge crane is needed to get it into place after its journey from a plantation in the Midlands.
After the tree is installed, professional decorators step in to bring the final festive touches to it, adding nearly 8,000 lights and making it a sparkling, festive backdrop for the winter graduations starting on 12th of December.
James feels good about the festive atmosphere across different parts of campus. Every year the team tries to make holiday season joyful and unforgettable while also trying to do something different.
This year, for example, the tree on the ground floor of the Great Hall has baubles, unlike previous years.
“You want to keep making improvements,” says James, “so the trees in the Great Hall and in Parkinson Court both have fabulous decorations, bringing an extra dimension.”
Campus landscape
Our beautiful campus — one of the largest single-site campuses in the UK — is full of trees and green spaces and they help to create the relaxed atmosphere that is an integral part of our everyday experience of the University as staff and students.
This team is responsible for the maintenance of all of these spaces, plus the sports grounds, managing the University’s trees, and a constant supply of floral decorations.
There are plenty of spaces to relax on campus, where you can enjoy your lunch or switch off for a while. Whether you are on the way to the next lecture or a meeting, it is hard not to notice the landscape of the campus and that it is beautifully maintained.
Behind-the-scenes work
Undoubtedly, the design of a campus landscape impacts the overall experience around us and makes the number of events and celebrations throughout the year extra special.
“The external estates might sometimes go unnoticed, especially over winter when everyone stays inside,” says James. “But in summer, it’s great to see everyone outside, sitting on lawns and enjoying the weather.”
The team usually works behind- the-scenes and really appreciates feedback on their work. James likes coming across comments about the work of the team when browsing social media.
“It’s particularly great to see pictures on Instagram, including those on the University’s account,” he says. “I might have a little snoop in there and see what people’s comments are.”
Preparation for the festive season on campus starts well in advance. For example, in summer the team started growing poinsettias for the December graduations, and in September, James chose the trees for the Plaza and Nexus.
“It’s tricky to choose, but I look for those with an even shape,” says James.
Looking after green environment on campus
James and his team also assist with updating the tree management policy, and most trees on campus are surveyed independently once a year. Over 1400 trees are checked for structural health and safety defects and how they relate to buildings in terms of safe access.
“We have a good and robust process in place,” he says, “which means that we are very proactive in the way that we manage trees, but there are more challenges. I think 13 or 14 trees were flagged up in the initial survey and we have to do more inspections.”
James explains that some trees might have to come out but cutting them down is something that he tries to avoid at all costs. The proactive approach to managing green spaces on campus means that trees are cut down rarely and replaced with new trees as soon as possible if they are.
Gold standard grounds keeping
The team’s efforts on campus were recognised when they received a gold award for outstanding grounds and gardens at this year’s Yorkshire in Bloom awards.
“We were absolutely thrilled to get this award,” says James. “My job gives me a lot of pleasure.”
You can explore more of Leeds grounds and gardens on our Instagram.
