News and Events in 2016
October 27
Dave Emley and Peter Thomas led a walk to Barnes Dell to see and to smell the Katsura Trees. As the leaves of the Katsura start to decay the release a sweet scent remeniscent of candy floss - and were were not disappointed! We also took the opportunity to look at the Giant Redwood (pictured), Fern-leaved Beech, Medlar, Grey Poplar and Deciduous Camellia.
This was Dave's last walk as a member of staff as he retires on Nov 5th after 43 years at Keele. He thanked all for their support over the 15 years doing these walks.
Photo courtesy Rachel Westwood.
October 20
Peter Thomas led a walk to look at the autumn colours in and around Union Square.
He explained how and why leaves change colour.
September 6
The Arboricultural Association planted a disease-resistant Elm Ulmus x 'Vada' ['Wanoux'] on the occasion of their Annual Conference. See here for more details.
September 1
Dave Emley led a group of 10 Japanese students on the 'Gunma-Keele Language and Culture Programme' on a tour of the grounds. They were of course interested in our collection of Japanese flowering cherries but also in the game of Conkers and the squirting seeds of the Himalayan Balsam!
August 17
Dave Emley led a group of 20 on a lunchtime walk in glorious sunshine. The large Carp were showing well in the lake.
Thanks to Sam Toon for the photograph.
July 27
Lectures from the North West Agriculture and Forestry University in China toured the grounds with Dave Emley. They have all won awards for their teaching and are on a UK study tour, funded by the Chinese Ministry of Education to explore teaching practices in the UK, develop their skills even further and, while they are at Keele, to share their knowledge and experience of the Chinese Higher Education system with us. They are also visiting Harper Adams and Reading Universities.
July 20
Dave Emley led a group of 25 to look at dragonflies and wild flowers on the Phase 3 development site. It was a glorious day and we saw a good variety of plants. They included Great Burnet which was a new plant for Keele. Other plants included Meadow Cranesbill, Musk Mallow, Monkey-flower and Yellow Iris. Emperor and Brown Hawker dragonflies showed well too. Photo by Sam Toon.
July 5
Dave Emley led a group to look for wild flowers and butterflies along Clock House Drive. It was a bit windy so butterflies were sheltering but we managed to see:
Speckled Wood, Small Tortoiseshell, Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Small Skipper, Straw Dot moth.
Plants included:
Lesser Stitchwort, Tormentil, Bird's-foot Trefoil, Meadow Vetchling, Tufted Hair-grass, Common Sorrel, Knapweed.
June 29
Dave Emley led a small group up to the Sustainability Hub to look for wild flowers. Over 100 species have been recorded in the stretch from the SU car-park to the Hub.
Of note today were Yellow Rattle and Smooth Tare but there were lots of Ox-eye Daisies, Borage, Red and White Campions.
Photo of Buff-tailed Bumblebee on Ox-eye Daisy by Annette Götz.
May 18
Dave Emley led a group from the Sustainability Hub on a tour of the cherries and the top lake.
May 5
Dave Emley led a group of at least 40 to look at the Bluebells. They were at their best as was the weather! My thanks to Sam Toon for the photo.
April 28
Dave Emley led a party of Friends of Keele on a tour of the Cherry Collection and ended with a visit to the Memorial Garden.
April 21
Dave Emley and Peter Thomas led a group of 50 to look at the National Cherry Collection. Peter is seen here explaining the parts of the cherry flower, amongst other things. The tree is Prunus x yedoensis 'Somei-yoshino'.
February 23
Dave Emley led a group of 15 around the top three lakes in warm sunshine! There were two pairs of Canada Geese on Lake one and a Little Grebe on Lake 2. The recent wet weather had caused a number of springs to flow over the path.