Photo Gallery – Stockwood Park

Stockwood Park Luton
We go each year to the Dunstable Downs Radio Club boot sale, hence all the cars beyond the trees www.ddrcbootsale.org Sellers offer mostly amateur radio equipment (ancient and modern) with a lesser amount of computer stuff. The atmosphere is always friendly because of the shared interest, and the event gives the guys a chance to talk shop with like-minded enthusiasts. While they are admiring the antique transmitters, I prefer to admire the park and scenery.

Stockwood Park Luton
After a short wander round, I go off to photograph the park or sit under a tree with paintbox on lap. I often hear the plaintive little cry, "We are supposed to be selling the stuff, not buying more!" This event is a men's hassle-free version of a girls' afternoon shoe-shopping.

Stockwood Park Luton
The park is mostly large green areas for sports

Stockwood Park Luton

Stockwood Park Luton
Golf course to one side of the park, with unmown areas of wild flowers

Stockwood Park Luton
A dell between parts of the golf course

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Stockwood Park Luton
Immediately under Luton Airport flight path

Stockwood Park Luton
Stockwood Park Museum, now renamed Stockwood Discovery Centre, contains a wide range of historical rural equipment and tools www.stockwooddiscoverycentre.co.uk

Nearby is the Mossman Carriage Collection of historical horse-drawn carriages from 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, including early bicycles www.luton.gov.uk/enjoying/museums/101862.html

An additional Discovery Centre/gardens was opened in 2008, with tea and gift shop, soft play areas for children, play and climbing area in the centre, and educational plant displays with descriptions of how the plants from around the world are used. Photos are from May 2009 – the garden will improve greatly when the plants have matured. The impossible has been achieved – keeping the children and adults alike interested and pleasantly occupied, and combining pleasure with education.

 
Artificial grass, soft rubber ground and many climbing/riding items for very young children.

 
Huge log climbing frame with slide, amongst bark chips, and spider web climbing ropes between two miniature climbing walls.

 
Story-telling area

   
Many fun wooden carvings dotted around. The last one is a lizard in the gravel/rock garden.

Decorative tiles hand painted by children, a delightful sitting place, even better if they turned the fountain on!

Ancient winding gear for a well

   
Extensive hot greenhouses with a wide variety of heat loving plants - bananas, cacti, fly trap plants.

Stockwood Park Luton
Next to the Discovery Centre is the ornamental walled period gardens with knot and cottage garden areas.

 
Plenty of bedding and stonework/urns

Stockwood Park Luton
Victorian style mini grotto

Stockwood Park Luton

Stockwood Park Luton
Lots of topiary, inspiring me to update my garden with some box hedging, which looks good summer and winter.

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Stockwood Park Luton
The ornamental garden is not huge, but no square inch is wasted. There are pots and urns of all shapes and sizes around the garden. Seats are scattered about. Really I would just like to take the whole lot home with me and sit in it all day! However, inspiration is free.

Stockwood Park Luton

 
Stockwood Park Luton
Reconstruction of a war-time veg plot with real chickens. See a movie of the chickens on Yellow Teddy's Diary entry for 17 May 09!

Stockwood Park Luto
The non-ornamental part has planted beds, paths, copses of trees and mown areas.

Stockwood Park Luton
To see a truly expansive bluebell wood, go to the boot sale at Wrotham Hill, Kent, in late spring! (Cooper's Wood)

Stockwood Park Luton
Another Victorian-style fancy – fake antiquity pretending to be half buried

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