Yorkshire in Bloom – Alumni Newsletter, Winter 2018

It’s the fifth time that the York St John team have been awarded a gold prize for the beautiful campus grounds in the heart of the city. They were also named Category Winners in the Universities, Colleges and Further Education Establishments sections, with judges saying they “could not find anything that this entry could improve on.” 

The judges’ report highlighted the work that the grounds team are doing to take ideas out into the community by creating new wildflower areas and introducing bees and wildlife. A new project with York Rotary Club and The Woodlands Trust to plant 3,000 trees, one for each child born in York this year, was also recognised. Special mention was made for the care of wildlife during the summer heatwave, with bowls of water put out for the resident hedgehogs and birds.

Robert Scott, Head Gardener at York St John University, said: ‘We strive to create a welcoming and beautiful space for students, staff and visitors, with quiet areas to escape the hustle and bustle, fostering a sense of wellbeing. I’m very proud of the work we do and it’s fantastic for the grounds team to be recognised with this award. Achieving a Gold award and being the best in category is the icing on the cake and a credit to every member of the team for all their hard work’.

A team of seven gardeners are responsible for the maintenance of the York St John University estate, which totals 87 acres (35 hectares). They also look after internal floral displays, snow clearing and gritting, as well as the upkeep of the artificial and natural turf for sports and recreation.