Behind the Scenes at UR
By Marshall Ervine (Photo by Tim Hanger)
Plants give us oxygen for the lungs and for the soul. –Linda Solegato
“The University of Richmond campus is beautiful!” That sentiment is shared by first time visitors and by those who work and study here, no matter the season of the year. Others share this view as well. In 1999 the Princeton Review recognized UR as the most beautiful campus in the U.S.
Steve Glass, Horticulturist and Landscape Manager, leads a staff of 20 dedicated professionals who are responsible for maintaining the 378-acre UR campus. This includes 170 acres of turf, 21 acres of parking lots, 2.5 acres of walkways, 16 formal flowerbeds, the woods on the south side of Westhampton Lake, and Westhampton Lake itself. The Landscape Department is also responsible for leaf and snow removal, trash pickup, maintenance of the UR vehicle fleet, care of the campus sports fields, campus directional signs, even the painting of railings and posts.
When the University moved to the current West End location, landscape architect Charles Gillette was selected to design the campus grounds. Landscape architect Warren Manning also assisted in the original campus landscape design. Their combined efforts established an enduring style that continues to showcase the university’s classic Collegiate Gothic architecture.
As the university has expanded, with the associated increase in vehicular and foot traffic, the Landscape Department has adhered to the original basic design while practicing environmental stewardship and sustainable horticulture management. The Department follows strict voluntary standards on the use of herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers. The Department also endeavors to use native and sustainable plants suitable for specific campus microclimates to minimize irrigation and nutrient applications. An example is the use of crepe myrtles in the large parking lot adjacent to the Robins Center where they thrive without manual watering.
In a typical year, Landscape Department personnel plant between 16,000 and 22,000 bulbs, 120 flats of pansies, and 200 flats of annuals (15 plants per flat). About every 4 to 5 years, 3,000 to 4,000 daffodils are replaced.
When asked about his favorite gardens on campus, Steve Glass said he enjoys the quiet beauty of the Columbarium and Memorial Garden beside the chapel, the Shepherd Memorial Garden behind Keller Hall where a breeze always seems to blow through the brick gazebo, and the Garden of Five Lions beside Weinstein Hall.
During your visit to campus, enjoy the beauty but be aware that it is because of the good work of the Landscape Department. If you happen to see any of these busy folks, let them know how much you appreciate what they do to make the campus a place where visitors, students, faculty, and staff can feel welcome and be inspired.