Stunning Streatham

Being in the employ of the University of Exeter means I'm lucky enough to work in a very beautiful part of the city.  We frequently enjoy the grounds of a sunny lunchtime, but for a more in-depth look, we took a weekend stroll - with Mum and Terry - to sample some of the many delights on this most extraordinary campus.

What I like most about this campus are the many little pockets, easily missed if you're in a hurry or don't stop to look, that teem with all manner of life.  First stop, Reed Pond, is a lovely setting, really just a stone's throw from the main road into the city centre, but somehow of another world.  I adore the arboreal backdrop, the duckweed sitting softly on the water's surface, and the stunning dragonflies that skim across the surface, a sure sign that wildlife is alive and well here.

Reed Pond

Through the trees and up the hill sits Reed Hall, an Italianate mansion donated to the (then) Exeter Technical and University Extension College by former Exeter Mayor, Alderman W H Reed, in 1922.  Back then, this was Streatham Hall, but in recognition of the Mayor's generosity, the hall was renamed in his honour.  Surrounding the hall, some of the grounds team's finest work goes into the stately gardens, so that they are always kept up-to-date, in colour, and ready to impress.  On display last weekend, white alyssum and blue ageratum, apparently designed to represent the colours of the University (although on a recent tour, the Scottish head of grounds told us he liked to consider it the Saltire.)

Reed Hall gardens

Reed Hall

Onto my personal favourite part of the gardens, to the plantation running roughly parallel to Stocker Road, but with views and an atmosphere that leave you believing you're in the density of a rainforest.  You'd be hard-pushed to know that the watercourse here is actually man-made, so delightful and natural is the landscaping, the slow trickle of the stream competing only with birdsong on an otherwise silent campus.  Where the plantation yields, so views are afforded across another pond, in an almost-exotic aspect, and just lovely in the hot summer sun.  I have walked down this footpath so many times, in every season and in every weather, and every time it offers a slightly different experience.  Today it's a red admiral butterfly, resting easily on a leaf (although, to my misfortune, it takes wing as soon as my camera lens comes close.)

Pond on North Park Road

Moving on, we take a moment to enjoy the colourful planting around the Library and the Stocker Road entrance, before visiting the wildflower meadow, which sits in the centre of Streatham Court.  If the number of bees is a good indicator of wildlife value, then this square is terrific - it simply buzzes with life.  We've been cultivating our own wild patch at home, so this makes an excellent reference point for us.

Planting outside the Library

Wildflowers at Streatham Court

We end our little tour by wandering up Taddiforde Valley.  Known to be full of colour when the magnolias blossom in spring, on our visit it's a more subdued, welcome pocket of shade.  The birdsong once again flutters through the air, and there's a definite feeling that not only are we on the edge of the campus, but also on the very borders of the city itself - for beyond, the fields roll away into mid Devon.  And this was always the joy of Streatham Campus for me - it's a short walk into the city centre, and an equally short walk into the countryside.  How many other top universities can boast that?

Taddiforde Valley

Taddiforde Valley

A lovely little tour around a stunning campus, which makes me feel very lucky to have at my fingertips, every day of the week.  For gardens that the public can visit and wander around for free, I simply don't think it can be beaten.  You can see the latest updates from the grounds team on their Budding News blog.