The area where she found Edward made it clear that it had not, exactly, been set up because of his request. It was more of an outdoor fire pit for parties than it was a place for experiments. Likely he'd made the request, Angus had told Lane, Lane had told Ambrose and Ambrose had sighed and set something up that would be practical for his brother while still serving a function.

Edward was humming happily regardless though as he set up a fire in the pit, the sun already drifting towards the horizon. He is so wrapped up in what he is doing he doesn't notice Ruth's approach or that Angus, the groundskeeper, who was also present was fixing the fire as Edward worked on it. In that Angus was removing wood and making sure that when the professor went to spark it, it would actually catch. While the man may have been a genius of some sort, he seemed to lack some practical skills.