Bicton College Garden & Arboretum

History

The structure of the college gardens as they exist today is largely the result of the activities of Jim Furze - Head of Horticulture from 1953 to 1985. More recently a big influence on the gardens has been Dick Fulcher, Head Gardener at the college from 1985 to 1997. During his time many fine trees were lost in the January gale of 1990. Together with the help of English Heritage, Dick produced a restoration plan to replant and protect many new trees and to ensure the continuation of our collections.

In some instances the gardens occupy the original ornamental areas whilst many of the new gardens are on sites previously used for other functions. Much additional planting has taken place since 1985, especially the development of parts of the arboretum as a woodland garden, while several new beds and borders have been added and the campus area planted up. The gardens enhance the visual appeal of the college and provide the base for practical work with a wide range of student groups.

Plants of Note

The college holds the National Collection of Pittosporum planted amongst the trees of the arboretum and within the gardens.

The outer park contains the celebrated Monkey Puzzle Avenue (as seen on the BBC’s ‘Meetings with Remarkable Trees’ based on the book by Thomas Pakenham), which stretches for 500 metres. The arboretum is home to several champion trees including Acacia dealbata and Eucalyptus mooreana and an elegant Populus x canadensis ‘Serotina de Selys’. which is like a Lombardy poplar, but much rarer, and this example which stands at 37 metres, is by far the tallest known in the country.

There are also collections of magnolias, camellias, cherries, hollies and crab apples in the arboretum.

In July and August, the rich blue of many agapanthus varieties is seen all around the garden.