Gardens

Wolfson College is situated within thirteen acres of stunning gardens, including the newly opened 'Bishops Garden' at 27 Linton Road.

Wolfson College gardens extend to approximately thirteen acres and overlie gravel, with the soil itself being a light silty loam. Many of the original trees are still in existence, which immediately gives the gardens a feeling of maturity, and indeed, it would be difficult to imagine the grounds without them.

The gardens comprise a number of differently planted areas which flow seamlessly into each other. There is a herbaceous border containing a wide variety of perennials, a formal garden, with plants originating from the East and a sundial donated by the late Sir Henry Fisher, retiring President at the time.

The College grounds also boast a bog garden, containing a water cascade feature fed by the adjacent River Cherwell, a woodland walk and a winter garden. All of these areas are linked by sweeping informal lawns which provide an excellent canvas to show off the plantings.

Of course, the gardens profit greatly from the fact that they are situated on the banks of the River Cherwell, which provides a calmness and serenity.

Crossing the river via the rainbow bridge leads one into two flood meadows owned by the College. These meadows are designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and as such are not treated with any fertilisers or pesticides. They can be visited by students and members of the public alike and contain a good variety of native flora and fauna.

Allotments

We try to make Wolfson your home from home. That means we offer a range of amenities, including access to the College allotments, just beyond the greenhouse to the very south of the College grounds. Allotment holders are members of the Wolfson community who find pleasure in growing their own fruit, vegetables, and flowers.

The raised beds are free and the allotments are £1.83 per month. A deposit of £25 is required for allotment bookings and held until the end of the booking, it is returned if the plot is left clear, the fees are charged to battels, applications are made through the Accommodation Office.

We offer full allotments, spaces about 2 metres by 5 metres; and we also offer smaller raised beds, perhaps 1 metre by 2 metres, for the more modest gardener. The allotments area has its own water supply for you to water; a three-bin compost corner where you can both leave your cuttings and take your composted matter; and a shed containing a range of garden equipment. You can get the keys to the shed from the Lodge.

The Wolfson gardening staff undertake major gardening works in the allotments – trimming over-hanging tree branches, strimming verges – but keeping the allotments tidy mainly falls to allotment holders as a self-governing community. 

Please take all your rubbish away (the College does not do this), putting it in the appropriate bin behind the College kitchens. If there are things like plant pots which you think others may like to re-use, you may leave them just opposite the compost bays. We have occasional collective days when we will work on the grounds together; and we meet twice a year to take collective decisions.

If you find that you are not able to use your allotment or raised bed to the full, or if you are leaving college, please do let the Accommodation Manager know so she can offer your plot to others on the waiting list.

Linton Road (Bishops Garden) opening times

The Linton Road garden will now be subject to the same opening times as the bridge, ie From 1 May – 21 September: 7am to 9pm.  From 22 September – 30 April: 7am to 6pm. These times may vary.