Meet Daniel Steel, Senior Gardener at Royal Holloway, and find out how his work connects the University to our local community.

How would you describe your role and your connection with the local community?

I’m responsible for overseeing the care and long-term management of the site’s gardens, woodlands, and biodiversity. A key part of my role is supporting the relationship between the site and the local community by helping create and maintain spaces that people can enjoy, learn from, and feel connected to.

How long have you worked at Royal Holloway?

I have worked at Royal Holloway for almost three years now. To be precise - 2 years 8 months.

What is the thing you enjoy most about your role?

I enjoy how lucky we are to have such a historic and diverse landscape filled with diversity, which we’re lucky enough to look after and safeguard for future generations.

Is there a particular project or event that you’re proud to have been part of recently?

We have been running a new series of activities as part of the ‘Spade Brigade’ that aim to engage colleagues and students in the natural campus through offering walks and talks, guest speakers and other activities.

What is something that people might not know about you?

I’ve developed a habit of quietly noting which plants are in flower wherever I go, which can tell us a lot about what is going with regards to the landscape and the year-on-year patterns.

Is there anything else you’re looking forward to?

I’m particularly interested in helping make our campus’ biodiversity and landscape work more visible and accessible. This includes things like sharing occasional updates through the gardeners’ blog, supporting initiatives such as our peregrine live stream, and posting broader highlights on LinkedIn from time to time.

A key focus of my role is also developing how we adapt to the ever-changing seasons within our landscapes and campus, as a lot of past techniques aren’t always sustainable or reliable for the future.