From the gardens

No sooner did we have all the gardens staff back from furlough, another wave of the pandemic hit and the whole team, bar myself, were furloughed once more. The long-term effects of these bouts of furlough combined with the ongoing building works remain to be seen. Still, one must not dwell on the negative and instead look to the future and the exciting opportunities it brings.

With vastly reduced resources, work this year focused on the Scholars’ Garden and Memorial Court, and through these difficult times it is heart-warming to receive such wonderful feedback and see College members enjoying the outside areas. The removal of the scaffolding in Old Court meant we were able to re-turf two of the four squares and plant up between the bay columns to give the area a much-needed lift, if not return a sense of normality.

Along with me taking the position of Head Gardener, John Mears earned promotion to Deputy Head Gardener. John has been with the department for over a decade now and is well versed in the ways of Clare and its beautiful gardens. Together we have the knowledge and experience to restore the gardens to their former glory. The departure of Rut Gallmeier meant we had two vacancies in the department. Alyson Tapp and Joharna Richards joined the team in May and June, respectively. Both are experienced and knowledgeable horticulturists who are already proving to be assets to the team.

We welcomed Damien Watt, who is our first apprentice under the new Cambridge University Colleges’ Gardeners Apprenticeship Scheme, run in conjunction with Keits Training Services. This new scheme aims to tap into the wealth of horticultural knowledge within the colleges of Cambridge University and to train the next generation to exceptionally high standards.

Now that we are back to a full complement of staff, we can concentrate on not only maintaining the visible areas of the College that our members enjoy but also restoring the neglected areas behind the scenes. If you partake in any social media I invite you to follow us on either Instagram (@clarecollegegardens) or Twitter (@Claregdns) to give you a little window into the gardens of Clare. These digital platforms allow us to share with you the gardens through the changing seasons, the ongoing building work of the River Room and the ability to all enjoy a little piece of Clare wherever you may find yourself in the world.

Our newly developed wild area along the front of Memorial lawn proved to be a huge success with nature and College members alike. Not only was it pleasing on the eye, it was a great boost to the biodiversity in the area, which prompted an informative talk from our very own Dr Ed Turner (see page 16 for more on this).

We shall continue to add to and improve this through the years and, with the Gardens Committee’s blessing, I am very pleased to say that we plan to establish a similar wildflower area around the Henry Moore ‘Fallen Warrior’ sculpture inside Memorial Court. This will not only improve the biodiversity in the court but also have a stunning visual effect, as if the warrior is floating upon a bed of wildflowers. We will mow an access path in and around the sculpture, so College members and visitors alike can still enjoy it up close.

Who knows what next year will bring, but rest assured we will continue to care for and develop the beautiful gardens of Clare College for all its members and visitors to enjoy and relax in.

Kate Hargreaves | Head Gardener
www.clarecollegegardens.com