Saori Banner

Forty-four novice weavers joined forces at Loughton Garden Festival to weave this colourful Saori banner. All the weavers' names went into a hat, and the lucky winner who was drawn on Sunday evening by one of our Churchwardens is Linda Wilks. Linda will soon be receiving a permanent reminder of the rows of weft she put in.

Any questions?
Would you like to reserve tickets (only a few left)?
email:  susanann123@googlemail.com
telephone: 01908 676377

Loughton Festival Address

All Saints' Church, Loughton
MK5 8AS

Get your Garden and Studio Guide from the Church (12noon - 5pm each day) and begin the self-guided walk around this beautiful old village in the heart of Milton Keynes, experiencing a wide variety of gardens and artwork and collecting ikon stamps along the way.
Return to the Church Room for a relaxing cuppa and piece of cake or a BBQ burger, enjoy the flowers in the Church, which will be set up as for a wedding and make a bid for something from the Silent Auction.

Garden Descriptions

Gardener's Cottage - No 5 School Lane

A long established garden didn't survive our remodelling of the old cottage, so a new garden was borne 10 years ago. It is an eclectic mix of everything we love, mostly raised from seed in the greenhouse, and includes more than our fair share of roses. Neither immaculate or even neat, it is a haphazard reflection of our higgledy-life and is our absolute haven. On the left is a small white garden in which, given our haphazard approach, bright orange giant poppies appear in the spring.

Beech Cottage No 3 School Lane

Beech Cottage was built in the 18th century and named after the 200-year-old Copper Beech situated at the entrance of the drive. Its partially walled, secluded cottage garden is overlooked by All Saints' Church and contains some surprising features with lots of colour and interest.

The School House, School Lane

The School House was Loughton's original village school between 1865 and 1915. Its gardens are an interesting mix of shrubs and herbaceous plants in upper and lower areas that were originally part of a much larger design (see The Pool House description below).

The Pool House, School Lane (including plant stall)

We moved to this lovely home with our 3 children in May 2012. We inherited a mature garden designed by June and George Button, who built the large pond and gazebo and planted many of the beautiful trees and shrubs you will see as you wander around. Our latest developments are two ponds intended for fish and wildlife, so do take care of the new grass planting. Keep an eye out for foxes, herons, moorhens and many species of birds.

Manor Cottage, Leys Road (including specialist exhibits)

Approximately 400 years old, Manor Cottage is a Grade 2 listed building that has recently been extended, which required part of the garden to be replanned and replanted. The garden comprises extensive lawns and flower beds, which consist of old English country flowers such as lupins, fox gloves, iris and daisies. It has many mature fruit trees, magnolias, willows along the brook and an ancient poplar tree. There is also a paddock where chickens are kept.

No 10, Lucy Lane

A backdrop of Parks Trust trees partially shades a shaped bordered sweep of lawn which is home to our New Zealand goat sculpture, whilst the Moroccan water feature trickles out beneath bamboo and ferns. Shingle pathways flank the sides of the house and faded marble stone paving provides two seating areas to view the garden at different angles.

No 3 All Saints View

A medium-sized garden wrapped around a modern detached house, featuring formal hard landscaping and mixed borders that include mature shrubs, small trees and many roses. There is also a fishpond fed by a rill, a rockery, an idiosyncratic garden house and a vegetable garden of raised beds.

Church Farm (c. 1600) - Church Lane

The garden at Church Farm adjoins All Saints' Church, Loughton, towards the top of Church Lane, a traditional English sunken lane. The garden is entered through an iron gate between brick pillars. There are raised beds to one side filled with a variety of ornamental shrubs. Lawn fills the centre of the garden either side of the path. A large, aged pear tree is all that remains of an old fruit orchard. A wisteria is being encouraged across the face of the old farmhouse. The ancient tower of All Saints' Church rises over the garden.

Disclaimer - Although the owners of the gardens/studios have exercised reasonable care in preparing their premises for your visit and enjoyment, neither they, nor their insurers, accept any liability for your presence on the property. For your own safety and that of others, please take care when visiting. Look out for changes of level, steps, overhanging branches and snagging by thorny plants. Please keep to the marked routes and let others pass safely if you are stationary. Please do not try to enter any locked or fenced off areas. Keep children under your control and do not let them pick any plants, flowers or fruit/berries etc from the plants. Dogs are not allowed in the gardens.

Here's a sample of a 'hidden' ikon for you to look out for during the garden and studio trail next June:

Silent Auction

We're looking forward to a new way of holding an auction - in silence!

Potential bidders will each be given a number that can be noted on the bidding sheet for each item along with the amount of the bid. Bidding will commence at 12 noon, Saturday the 18th, and will close at 4.45pm on Sunday afternoon. The Clerk will assess each bid and declare the winners at 5pm, when you can claim either the object of your desire or a certificate for a later promise.

So far, we've received the following items for sale:

 ‘Last of the Summer’ outing with Mr. Toad (aka David Thom)  

David offers a passenger seat in this NG car for an MK outing at the beginning of September. The outing includes breakfast, a light lunch, and tea, and is held on a Sunday, usually starting in the morning around 8.00am. Warm clothing, windproof hat, sunglasses, and gloves needed.  References available!  

Minor Clothing Alteration  (Valerie Jeffries)
Valerie offers to do a minor alteration on a garment (e.g. shortening trousers, adjusting hems etc).   

‘His and hers’ woven scarves (Julienne Thom)
Julienne offers to custom make a pair of toning ‘his and hers’ scarves using the same warp and complementary wefts, with the successful bidder coming to her studio to select the yarns for a completely one-off design.

Chiropractic treatment
One consultation and treatment with sports therapist/chiropractor.               

One use of Milton Keynes rugby club

- for a function on an evening to be agreed with events manager.                     

Massage (Sue Sheldon Davies)
One thirty-minute neck/shoulder/upper back ‘chair’ massage.                                

Lap Quilt ‘Garden Through the Windows’ (Sue Sheldon Davies)

Approx. 5’ – 7’ hand made quilt.                                                                           

 Royal Doulton ceramic figurine: ‘Over the Threshold’                               
 10” – pure white ceramic IMASCD 23109.

One half-hour peal of the Church bells
Approx. 720 'changes' to help celebrate a special event 

Framed cross-stitch map of Buckinghamshire
 14" x 11" 

Framed cross-stitch alphabet
 14" x 11" 

Keyboard background music/recital (Phil Richardson)
Two 45 minute sessions of playing at a mutually agreed time and place.
 

Open Studios

What will you see in the 'Open Studios'?

7 Lucy Lane - Loughton

Julienne and Valerie welcome visitors to their pop-up studio at 7 Lucy Lane to view their collection of new work inspired by nature, diverse cultures and the passage of time. From vibrant colours that sing to tactile Saori weaving, prepare to be inspired.

Julienne is planning to exhibit her extensive collection of 2015 Journal Quilts inspired by the fossil record, a pair of contemporary wall quilts based on magnolias, a pictorial quilt depicting magpies and a memory quilt that she made for her late mother, as well as a series of woven Saori banners, circle weavings depicting Elements and Seasons and an ongoing mixed media art project that explores the theme ‘Moth and Rust’. Weaving on a Saori loom will be demonstrated, and there will be an opportunity to contribute to a woven community banner that will be raffled at the close of the festival in aid of All Saints’ Church.

Studio on the Green - Loughton

The Studio on the Green is an award winning building, in which Pam & John Walker make their own ceramics and artwork. It is a working pottery with some items for sale.

Their ceramic work divides into two types: work thrown on the wheel by John and handmade figurative work by Pam. Each has a range of styles which is constantly evolving.

Artwork is mainly watercolour paintings of people, animals and landscapes, including many inspired by visits to Africa, where Pam was born.