The People and the History Behind the College Grounds
BY JOHN T. WALLACE
Photo by Chiles T. A. Larson '53
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Think back to some of your best memories at William and Mary. Who were you with, what were you doing, where were you? It may not be surprising to remember that last part most vividly. If your memory takes you back to a particular part of campus -- say the Sunken Garden, where you were sheltered in a valley guarded by boxwoods on two sides -- that is quite understandable. The grounds of William and Mary make an indelible impression. Once this place is under your skin, it stays there forever.
The College, which was formally established by Royal Charter in 1693, began as a 330-acre tract of land purchased from Col. Thomas Ballard. According to The Planting of a Campus Tradition by Professor of Biology Emeritus Martin Mathes, the first formal garden recorded in the existence of the Colonies was noted as being established at the College in 1694. In 1738, Thomas Crease became the first known gardener of the College and the gardens on campus actually generated some of their production for sale. The campus would come under the care of many throughout the years and its size would fluctuate, plunging to a scant 17 acres after the Civil War and expanding to 1,250 acres today.
In 1937, John "J.T." Baldwin '32 returned to the College as a biology professor and brought with him a love of horticulture. Taking advantage of Williamsburg's relatively mild climate, he introduced a large number of new and exotic plants to the campus including China firs, dawn redwoods and Himalaya pines. Dr. Baldwin passed away in 1974, but the fruits of his labor are still evident across campus.
Caring for a 17th-Century Campus in the 21st Century
Faced with more students, more events, unpredictable weather patterns and arguably more construction than ever before in the College's history, the grounds and gardens crew has to work hard and intelligently to preserve the campus grounds. Fortunately, there is a staff in place that is upholding the legacy Baldwin and others have left at William and Mary throughout the years.
"It's a balancing act," says Anna Martin, vice president of administration. "The goal is to plan new facilities in a manner that preserves as much of the natural areas as possible. This is a pedestrian campus and the concept of infill rather than sprawl guides us as we plan."
Care of the campus grounds falls under the direction of John McFarlane, associate director of grounds and gardens, and is subdivided into four areas: arborist, greenhouse, landscape services and turf management. "I've always considered the campus a miniature arboretum," says McFarlane, citing the dawn redwoods and the coast redwoods near James Blair Hall as some of his favorite trees on campus. "We have a really neat collection of odds and ends."
Speaking of Trees ...
Arborist Matt Trowbridge has seen the ups and downs of the tree population on campus. He makes up half of the arborist staff, who are charged with tree removal, pruning and removing dead limbs.
"I wanted to work at a place where I could see the wealth of my work," says Trowbridge. "Trees are like people, each one is different." He has been here for 20 years now and only a couple of years ago witnessed the destruction that Hurricane Isabel wrought on the trees. Trowbridge worked around the clock for 18 days straight, taking down dead trees and cleaning up a multitude of limbs that had fallen across campus.
Despite the challenges from the weather and other threats posed by insects and disease, Trowbridge enjoys his job and takes pride in his work. "Every tree has character," he says. "One of the reasons I love working here is the variety of trees."
Trowbridge notes that between the growth of trees and their destruction by natural forces, the campus is constantly in flux. "It changes every day. In 20 years, everything has changed."
Pushing the Horticultural Envelope
Bill Chappell, the greenhouse and nursery supervisor, may not be able to comment on the differences that have taken shape over the past quarter century like Trowbridge, but he knows plenty about change. Prior to joining the staff two years ago, Chappell owned and operated his own landscaping and design business.
"What we do is really noticed by the campus community and the tourists," says Chappell, who is also acutely aware that this campus has a way of endearing itself to visitors.
"Just like the Admission office does a great job of marketing William and Mary, the gardens and grounds crew has the same responsibility," he says. "I remind my crew of that often."
The greenhouse contains 5,000 square feet of growing space and includes a tropical house where plants like palms and ferns are stored for special events.
Chappell and his staff provide plants and flowers for special events and rotate plants around the campus and store them at the greenhouse when the season or the weather calls for it. Tropical plants are placed in areas like the circle in front of Phi Beta Kappa Hall and the University Center during the spring and summer months. There are approximately 40 of these large potted plants. The greenhouse employees also maintain the seasonal flowerbeds like those located on College Corner and by the old bookstore.
Chappell and his crew try to balance caring for the plant life that has been on campus for years while trying to introduce new plants.
"That's the challenge for me," he says, "to pay homage to the tradition while also pushing the horticultural envelope by trying to bring new plants that will do well here and add color."
Some of the plants they work with include a poinsettia crop that they bring out during the holiday season, a cyclamen crop and a new hybrid petunia that is joined by a new variety of impatiens.
Although the greenhouse crew, which includes a chief grower, Ben Owen, has infused the plant life on campus with some new vitality, they possess a profound appreciation for what has been here for years.
"I'm a history buff and as simple as the Wren Yard is, I couldn't help but love the President's Garden," says Chappell. "I love the fact that William and Mary is so steeped in history."
Creating Lasting Benefits
Like Bill Chappell, John Mattie recently joined the staff at the College. In his position as director of landscape, the day for him and his crew often begins with unglamorous tasks: picking up trash on the campus and spotting and repairing potholes. They also need to check the multitude of storm drains for blockages that often occur after storms.
The landscape crew devotes a lot of their time to College events as well, as they're charged with putting up signs and barricades to divert traffic during football games or other happenings.
"For the governor's inauguration, we really focused on curb appeal to make the campus' linear structure look good," says Mattie. "We had to coordinate with the city to be aware of what they were doing -- and we helped them out on Richmond Road. An added bonus to doing work like this is that it has lasting benefits. Once an event is finished, we often have a whole area that has been attended to."
Mattie emphasizes that because of the long-lasting effects of their work, crew members often will address a whole area, rather than just fixing one problem. For example, removing a dead bush might mean spreading new mulch and pruning trees in the same area or replant-ing the existing plants so that they better co-exist and future problems can be avoided.
The entire grounds team will work on the same location when necessary, as overlap and teamwork are required to do the job well.
Conserving the Turf and Ensuring a Safer Campus
"We do a little bit of everything," says Paul Morie, the turf management supervisor. "If the arborist needs help, we'll go help him with his job and haul a tree away."
Although turf management helps out just like the other teams, their primary duties are making sure all of the campus lawns are properly fertilized, removing snow and ice, removing leaves, and repairing turf damage from constant traffic from the College's approximately 7,500 students -- not to mention faculty, staff, alumni and visitors.
"Between the damage to the turf and the leaf removal, there is great job security here," jokes Morie.
They also treat the campus for weeds. "I try to keep it as low-tech as possible because I know there are a lot of concerns among the students," says Morie. "Clover is one of my biggest problems. It's easy to kill the tip of it, but difficult to get to the roots. Sometimes several applications of treatment are required.
Turf management also takes care of aerating the lawns. Morie cites the Sunken Garden and the Wren Yard as two big challenges. "The Wren Yard really needs irrigation, but with all the archaeological interest there, it's not going to happen," says Morie.
Morie watches the weather like a hawk. "We're between two rivers and the Chesapeake Bay, and we're on a coastal plain. The weather is a big factor in determining what we do."
When the weather turns more threatening, the turf crew must react and do so quickly. If snowfall starts at around 2 or 3 a.m., they will clear the area around the cafeterias first and then move on to the dorms and the academic areas. Crews will also be dispersed to parking lots, roads and steps.
"We're pretty much on call for all the students, faculty and staff," says Morie, who used to work for a nearby neighborhood.
A Job Well Done
Many years and many dedicated individuals have been invested in the care and development of this college campus. The efforts of Thomas Crease, J.T. Baldwin and countless others have indeed left a lasting impression upon the land. With the grounds and garden crew currently in place, the College's hallowed landscape could not be in better hands.
Anna Martin agrees, "The College is very fortunate to have such a dedicated and knowledgeable group of people caring for its campus."
For McFarlane, it's all worth it -- especially when their efforts get even the slightest bit of recognition. "I get an occasional call from townspeople, gardeners or alumni saying 'Thank you.'"
