Hidden in the heart of the Michael Smith Building, the Quad Garden is an urban oasis of biodiversity on campus. Home to various plant and animal species, the Quad is also a hub for community engagement and education. In this blog, Quad Manager Bred Beckett offers a look into what’s been happening in and around the Quad over the past few months. 

Attendees enjoying the crafts event

We hosted a very successful winter eco-craft event just before the December break. Christmas wreaths (mine is still alive!) seemed to be a big highlight using material sourced from across campus. Attendees offered some useful comments on how to integrate more events within the quad space and requested more seating to enjoy the space as it becomes busy over summer.  

Another event is in the works – it’s likely to be a more spring focused event that provides a drop in option and should bring about a more biodiverse habitat overall. Though we’re still working on the fine detail for this (any suggestions are always well received – email srbmh@manchester.ac.uk). 

We’ve just taken part in a Time to Talk event (Feb 6th!), in which we talked people through the Quad and how it can provide a break for people to sit and enjoy some quiet within a chaotic space. We received really good feedback on how lovely the pond feels in the summer and being able to see the change of seasons over time. 

The Quad sharing library

We’ve also had a big resurgence of activity within the raised bed teams. Two beds having been completely taken over and revitalised. Our aim is for one bed to be a successional meadow system to enhance biodiversity, alongside some minimal food options. With the other bed, we’ll be taking a more traditional approach to an allotment and have a prepared space for a variety of funky vegetables, so keep an eye out. 

We’ve seen a growth in the usage of the Quad sharing bookshelf, with more books appearing and we anticipate more seedlings to be up for grabs soon. If anybody has any seedlings to share, do let me know! 

Lastly, we’re looking into designs for the window space to help attract more people into the Quad.  

To find out more about the Quad, get in touch with Bred by emailing brenden.beckett@manchester.ac.uk or srbmh@manchester.ac.uk.

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