Gardens
Loughborough University covers approximately 212 hectares and is the largest single campus university in Europe. As such it has extensive green spaces with a diverse range of features including gardens, recreational areas, lawns, woodlands, and a lake.
Students, staff, and visitors very much appreciate and enjoy the look and feel of our campus. However, the green spaces are not just used by people but have important ecological value. The two ancient woodlands of Burleigh and Holywell represent the jewels in our natural history crown, with the bluebell display in the former being locally famous.
The green spaces are managed by a team of gardeners complemented by an arborist. Together they have responsibility for maintaining the lawns, flower beds, orchards, woodlands and over 7,000 individual trees.
Our vision statement for the gardens is “to create an inspiring, sustainable and biodiverse green environment in which teaching, research, sport, enterprise and living can thrive.” The objectives of the gardens team are:
- To keep the campus clean and litter free.
- To maintain the campus horticultural features according to recognised best practise standards.
- To ensure that infrastructure is safe, clean and welcoming.
- To maintain and increase the biodiversity across campus, particularly in the areas nearer to Loughborough town centre.
- To provide opportunities for community involvement in the management and maintenance of the campus landscape.
- To consider further means to reduce the impact of managing the campus green spaces on the environment.
The Gardens' management team works collaboratively with a range of campus users and other stakeholders to meet their needs and develop the provision of a vibrant green space.
Wildlife
Hedgehogs
Staff and students from across the University, are working together to help prevent the continuing decline of the species by taking not only practical measures but educating others and raising awareness.