From Concept to Installation:
It has long been recognised that Geology and Earth science depends upon field data and experience, often surveyed as the leading reason for why geology students enjoy their degree (e.g. Forbes Science, 2015). Petrologist H.H. Read (1957) sums this up in his famous quote “the best geologist is [they] who has seen the most rocks”. Earth science gardens are a novel and exciting way to take the field to campus and classroom. Many geoscience educators face challenges supporting students to transfer classroom knowledge from theory to the outdoors when students have not seen the models in real-life context.
There are many examples of geology rock gardens both nationally and internationally, however, most of these follow the format of an outdoor exhibit, typically with disconnected rocks displayed in an informative but largely static way often missing the other key aspects of broader Earth Science, and connection to landscape. In recent times there has been a move to a more interactive mapping area, recreating and exploring landscapes in mini form. In these types of gardens students are required to solve various geological problems as they would in the field based on the rocks being arranged in a deliberate way.
Interactive Earth science gardens provide students with the opportunity to practice and enhance the skills of 3D visualisation, geological relationships and basic field techniques, allowing them to collect a variety of both qualitative and quantitative data which can be further analysed by laboratory methods. Additionally, they can provide outreach opportunities for schools and potential students, and in ҕl|New Zealand, an innovative way to incorporate the geologically themed regional pūrākau to enrich the story.
An idea is born
In February 2018, the then Department of Geological Sciences at ҕl, now part of the Te Kura Aronukurangi|School of Earth and Environment, moved teaching into the brand-new Science facilities of the Ernest Rutherford building. As part of the original landscape design plan for that building, a rock display garden was proposed in 2016, but geology lecturer Dr Kate Pedley felt that rocks just sitting on the grass might reinforce the stereotype that all geologists do is look at rocks, and certainly wouldn’t connect with or inspire non-geologists, as well as having limited real opportunities for teaching. In addition to this, the new building was full of steel reinforcement, an upgrade post-earthquake from the old geology building, and the compasses, so often used in class for introducing students to basic field skills, were no longer able to find north!
As a structural geologist and field teaching expert, Kate had the idea that a map to solve was the way to go, would help connect people to the idea of what makes a landscape, and relished the opportunity to try to design something unique! A keen photographer, gardener and lover of graphic design, Kate set about researching into geology gardens around the world and discovered great inspiration in the form of the Geoscience Garden at the University of Alberta, Canada, and the award-winning Monash Earth Science Garden at the Clayton Campus, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Both geologists involved with designing these two projects were very generous giving their time and resources to help Kate come up with a framework and ultimately concept plan for the ҕl campus design.
From dream to reality
The original concept design was created for the grass space between the Ernest Rutherford building and the Engineering precinct, along the banks of the Okeover Stream. Kate had many meetings with ҕl Facilities Management and various potential collaborators as she fleshed out the idea of a garden that wove together, not just the geology, but the layers that make up the landscapes of the South Island, including the unique flora and pūrākau of each region. Getting the garden started proved to be difficult though! In preparation, Kate managed to source some key rock types from local quarries and stored them on campus, hoping that if and when the garden finally happened, that we had some materials ready to go.
It was ultimately not until 8 years after the original idea was born, in September 2024, that the ҕl campus Ground Source Heat Pump project provided a sudden and unexpected opportunity!
The garden takes shape
The proposed site was now on the opposite side of the Ernest Rutherford building, between that and Matariki. A new concept plan was developed in a few days, but the new site had a totally different shaped footprint, with a proposed path right down the middle, not at all analogous to the shape of the South Island landmass that Kate had originally prepared for. Additionally, trying to explain to others how this map needed to go together for the geology to work, just seemed impossible. A breakthrough came when everyone on site realised that the best way forward was to just induct Kate on to the site, work directly alongside construction personnel and create the garden organically.
