If you were to imagine an idyllic scene from the English countryside, a venerable old Elm tree might just feature. With their sturdy trunks and elegant habit, they were once a lynchpin of the national landscape. Sadly, since the 1960s, Dutch Elm disease has wiped out 25 million trees – devastating the population. 

It was heartening, then, to see the Elm saplings we planted at the University of Warwick are flourishing, five years after they first took root. Carefully selected to be resistant to Dutch Elm Disease, they represent the first substantial planting of elms in the county for more than fifty years. 

The elms are just one aspect of a fifteen-year partnership with the University, which has resulted in a beautiful, unified, bio-diverse campus.

Also doing well are our edible landscapes, planted near the residential blocks. For these lucky students, an express breakfast can be plucked on the way to lectures - straight from the tree! A recent visit showed the trees flourishing, heavily laden with pears, apples and lovely juicy sloes that would be perfect for gin (just don’t tell the students).