Announcing the winners of the 2017 Stody Young Talent Awards

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Image courtesy of North Norfolk News

Stody Lodge Gardens is delighted to announce the three winners of the 2017 Stody Young Talent Awards.

Now in its third year, this year’s awards challenged years 4, 5 and 6 and four local primary schools to depict ‘farmyard animals’ in any 2D form. Millie McCallum, the London-based animal artist, judged the finalists and selected the following winners from each of the three age groups:

Toby Monk of Astley Primary School won the Year 4 category for his pencil drawing of a delightful highland cow. Mille McCallum praised ‘the simple confident lines’ which she said beautifully portrayed the animal’s character.

In the year 5 category, Skye McIntyre of Gresham’s Preparatory School won for her white pig on a pink background. Her work stood out for its ‘original use of stencil technique and brilliant variety of shapes and shades of pink.’

Felix Lazell of Beeston Hall Preparatory School won the Year 6 category for his stunning depiction of a cow on a gold background. Millie McCallum noted his ‘excellent use of geometric pattern to contrast beautifully with the natural state of the animal’ and ‘fantastic attention to detail.’

Unable to only select three winners, one for each age group, Millie also awarded Special Mentions to Jemima Morgan-Evans and Hettie Holden from Gresham’s Preparatory (year 4), Holly Mitchell from Holt Community Primary School (year 5) and Stanley Peart from Astley Primary School, Jesse Brown from Corpusty Primary School and Louis Horsman-Carpenter from Gresham’s Preparatory School (year 6.)

Stody Kids day raises £1,590 for The Holt Youth Project and £385 for the North Norfolk Radio Kids Trust!

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Visitors to the Stody 'Kids for Kids' Family Fun Day on Sunday 7th May 2017

The Stody ‘Kids for Kids’ Family Fun Day on Sunday 7th May saw hundreds of children enjoying face painting, petting zoo, goat show, fun dog show and treasure hunt throughout Stody Lodge’s stunning 14-acre rhododendron and azalea gardens.

Kate MacNicol of Stody Lodge Gardens, said: ‘We love filling our brightly coloured gardens with children and this year’s Stody Kids For Kids Family Fun Day was no exception.  We had a great turnout despite the chilly weather and we were thrilled to raised £1,590 for The Holt Youth Project and £385 for the North Norfolk Radio Kids Trust.”

Stody Lodge Gardens announces opening dates for May 2017

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The Azalea Water Gardens - over 2,000 azalea mollis plants across two acres, filled with meandering waterways, gravel paths and bridges (photograph by Steven Brooks)
  

The spectacular 14-acre rhododendron and azalea gardens at Stody Lodge near Holt will be welcoming the public through its gates once again in May 2017. Bookings for groups and tours are being taken now - don't miss out on this unique garden experience!

2017 opening times are:

- Sunday 7th May 2017 (1pm - 5pm) The Stody 'Kids for Kids' Family Fun Day

- Sunday 14th May 2017 (1pm - 5pm) 

- Sunday 21st May 2017 (1pm - 5pm)

- Tuesday 23rd May 2017* (1pm - 5pm) in aid of the National Garden Scheme

- Wednesday 24th May 2017 (1pm - 5pm)

- Thursday 25th May 2017 (1pm - 5pm)

- Friday 26th May 2017 - (1pm - 5pm)

(Saturday 27th May 2017 - CLOSED)

- Sunday 28th May 2017 (1pm - 5pm)

- Bank Holiday Monday 29th May 2017 (1pm - 5pm)

*Stody Lodge Gardens will open in aid of the National Garden Scheme 1pm - 5pm on Tuesday 23rd May 2017. Non-members also welcome.

Entrance is £6, children under 12 free (payable by cash or cheque)

For details of charities supported on Stody Lodge Gardens open days, please click here.

Dogs on leads are welcome, there is a free car park, plant stall and delicious homemade teas.

Private group visits are available by appointment Monday to Friday.

Please contact 01263 863994 for further visitor information and entrance fees.

There is good disabled access to most areas of the gardens.

 
Entrance is £6*, children under 12 free, payable by cash or cheque.
Dogs welcome. Delicious homemade teas. Good wheelchair access to most areas of the garden.


Midweek groups welcome by appointment. Please call 01263 863994 or email enquiries@stodyestate.co.uk

Last chance to see Stody Lodge Gardens this May

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Come and enjoy the beautiful colour and scent at Stody Lodge Gardens for the last few days this season.

Open 1pm - 5pm this Friday 27th, Sunday 29th and Bank Holiday Monday 30th May, visitors are invited to explore Stody Lodge's 14-acre gardens, relax with delicious homemade teas and support local causes.

The Azalea Water Gardens are still at their peak with some azaleas just starting to scatter drifts of stunning multicoloured petals on the paths and waterways. Meanwhile the rhododendrons have stolen the show in the gardens surrounding Stody Lodge with towering trees of colour lining beautiful winding pathways.

About with Friends, the charity supporting young adults with learning disabilities based in Cromer, is providing the teas on Friday 27th and Sunday 29th May. Funds will be raised for Stody and Hunworth Churches through the teas offered on Bank Holiday Monday 30th May.

Stody Lodge Gardens is open daily from 1pm - 5pm. It is closed on Saturday 28th May. £5 entry (payable by cash) children under 12 free. Plant stall and dogs on leads welcome.

Katrina, cocktails and all things vintage at The Stody Boutique Festival this Sunday 22nd May

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Katrina, formerly of Katrina & the Waves, will perform on the terrace of Stody Lodge at 4pm on Sunday

Stody Lodge Gardens is teaming up with national event organisers, Britain Does Vintage, to host a brand new, exciting boutique festival in the heart of North Norfolk. 

Set within Stody’s brightly coloured gardens and surrounding parkland, the festival will be the home to Norfolk’s finest artisans, delicious food stalls, brilliant live music, demonstrations and tastings, classic cars, children’s activities including farm yard animals and treasure hunt, relaxation zone, prosecco bar – and of course vintage stalls. 

There is a fantastic music line-up with Katrina from the grammy-nominated band, Katrina & the Waves, performing on the terrace of Stody Lodge at 4pm. Katrina’s ‘Walking on Sunshine’ was a top ten hit around the globe in 1985 and in 1997 her song ‘Love Shine A Light’ won the Eurovision Song Contest with the largest ever margin.

There will also be live music from the brilliant Norfolk folk band Rattlebox and the most perfect vintage DJ, Major Swing and Kitty, will also keep toes tapping with his excellent selection of music from the 20s through to the late 40s and his troupe of professional vintage dance instructors. If you can’t resist having a singalong yourself, then you can let rip with 60s and 70s karaoke inside Songstream Studio’s mobile American Airstream. We also have blacksmith and log carving demonstrations throughout the day alongside crafty workshops for all ages and Junk In Love’s fabulous vintage style Photo Booth with lots of fancy dress.

Hungry visitors will not be disappointed. Expect the most fabulous afternoon teas with Melonberry Vintage, the best fish and chips you’ve ever tasted served from a retro red bus by Red Bus Food, handcrafted pizzas by The Woodfired Feast and ice cream by The Tricicle. If the sound of a rustic Norfolk craft ale and local cider bar takes your fancy then join East Coast Bars throughout the day. If cocktails and prosecco are more your thing then we have Coot & Moorhen serving up unusual and delicious tipples.

And if you need a break from all the fun you can steal away to Penny Groom’s holistic bell tent for a restorative massage or enjoy a peaceful wander through Stody Lodge’s beautiful 14 acre gardens.  The rhododendrons and azaleas are now fully out providing a sensational technicolour backdrop for the festival.

Entrance to the festival and gardens is £9, children under 12 free. Tickets available at the entrance to the festival, payable by cash only.

For more information on the Stody Boutique Festival please join us on Facebook.

Enjoy Stody Lodge Gardens in its full technicolour glory this Sunday 15th May, 1pm - 5pm

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This Sunday Stody Lodge is hosting a 'Sensory Garden' day in aid of the Norfolk & Norwich Association for the Blind. The fantastic sunshine (and rainfall) this week has initiated an explosion of colour in Stody's notorious rhododendron and azalea gardens. The scent from the azaleas is overwhelming, just in time for the sensory experience we wish to share with our visually impaired visitors and the general public alike.

Visitors can expect sensory surprises throughout the gardens, unexpected acoustic performances, giant games on the lawn and delicious homemade teas provided by supporters of the Norfolk & Norwich Association for the Blind with all proceeds going to the charity.

Open 1pm – 5pm. £5 entry (payable by cash) children under 12 free. Plant stall and dogs on leads welcome.

“EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH STANDARD” OF BOTANICAL ART WORK AT THE STODY YOUNG TALENT AWARDS 2016

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Maxwell Starling of Astley Primary School, Tallulah Bason of Beeston Hall Preparatory School and Freddie Betts of Greshams Preparatory School

Stody Lodge Gardens is delighted to announce the three winners of the 2016 Stody Young Talent Awards.

Sarah Caswell, a member of the Society of Botanical Artists and a regular exhibitor at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, judged the finalists. She was very impressed by “the exceptionally high standard” of all the entries and selected the following winners from each of the three age groups:

Freddie Betts of Greshams Preparatory School won the Year 4 category for his beautiful watercolour of two daffodils.  Sarah Caswell praised his “astonishing lightness of touch for his age” adding that “yellow is really difficult to paint so well done him.”  

In the year 5 category, Maxwell Starling of Astley Primary School was chosen for his delicate depiction of some cherry blossom which so impressed Sarah Caswell that she said “the Society of Botanical Artists will be looking out for his submissions in the future!”

Tallulah Bason of Beeston Hall Preparatory School won the Year 6 category with her stunning geometric kaleidoscope flower. Sarah Caswell praised “her interpretation of the brief and how she combines boldness of colour with finding the patterns in nature.”

Unable to only select three winners, one for each age group, Sarah also awarded Special Mentions to Monty Rolfe from Greshams Preparatory (year 4), Benjamen Whalley from Holt Community Primary School (year 5) and Jenna Morgan-Wickson from Astley Primary School (year 6.)

Celebrated local botanical artist, Sarah Caswell, judges the finalists of the Stody Young Talent Awards 2016

Five North Norfolk primary schools were invited to take part in the Stody Young Talent Awards 2016. Years 4, 5 and 6 at Astley Primary School, Holt Community Primary School, Corpusty Primary School, Beeston Hall Preparatory School and Greshams Preparatory School have in the past two weeks been hard at work creating beautiful depictions of flowers, foliage and garden views in any frameable medium.  The 40 finalists were exhibited at the Stody ‘Kids for Kids’ Family Fun Day on Sunday 8th May with hundreds of children enjoying the face painting, petting zoo, goat show and treasure hunt throughout Stody Lodge’s stunning 14-acre rhododendron and azalea gardens.

Kate MacNicol of Stody Lodge Gardens, said: ‘We are delighted that our gardens have has inspired our local primary school children to be so creative. Many of them came to see their works exhibited in the gardens on Sunday at our sell-out Stody ‘Kids for Kids’ Family Fun Day – it was beautiful weather and we were thrilled to raised £1,333 for The Holt Youth Project and £340 for the North Norfolk Radio Kids Trust.”

 

Sunshine, flowers and fun for all the family at the Stody Kids for Kids day this Sunday 8th May 2016!

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The Stody ‘Kids for Kids’ Family Fun Day returns this Sunday 8th May 2016

For a great afternoon out with the kids - where they are happily entertained while you relax in beautiful surroundings - look no further than The Stody ‘Kids for Kids’ Family Fun Day near Holt this Sunday 8th May 2016.

Open 1pm – 5pm, adults £5, children under 12 free, and set in Stody Lodge’s stunning 14-acre rhododendrons and azalea gardens, children can play amongst adorable young goats and kids as part of the Norwich & District Kid & Goatling show. There is also a farmyard animal petting zoo with irresistible miniature donkeys, lambs, calves and, the star of last year’s sell out Stody Kids for Kids day, Mitch the Titch the cheeky Shetland.

Anyone needing to burn off steam can take part in the treasure hunt and test their wily treasure collecting skills with a maraud around the garden. A particularly fearsome map has been devised to give supervising parents the best views of Stody Lodge’s stunning floral display.

Visitors will also be able to enjoy delicious ice creams by The Hunstanton Icecream Company and face painting by mother and daughter dream team Jorma and Neve Reynolds.

Lastly, the finalists of The Stody Young Talent Awards will be exhibited on the main lawn of Stody Lodge. Five primary schools in the Holt area have entered their year’s 4, 5 and 6 into this botanical art competition. The finalists will be judged by celebrated local botanical artist Sarah Caswell and the three winners will have their art work professional framed and presented to them at Stody Lodge Gardens on Wednesday 11th May.

The Stody Kids for Kids Family Fun Day is in support of The North Norfolk Radio Kids Trust. The Holt Youth Project will provide delicious homemade teas with all proceeds going to the charity.

The unmissable Stody Boutique Festival on Sunday 22nd May 2016!

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On Sunday 22nd May 2016, Stody Lodge Gardens is teaming up with national event organisers, Britain Does Vintage, to host a brand new, exciting boutique festival in the heart of North Norfolk. 

Set within Stody’s brightly coloured gardens and surrounding parkland, the boutique festival will be the home to Norfolk’s finest artisans, specialist food producers, live music, demonstrations and tastings, a handful of classic cars, children’s activities including farm yard animals and treasure hunt, relaxation zone, prosecco bar – and of course vintage stalls. 

There is a fantastic music line-up with Katrina from the grammy-nominated band, Katrina & the Waves, performing on the terrace of Stody Lodge. Katrina’s ‘Walking on Sunshine’ was a top ten hit around the globe in 1985 and in 1997 her song ‘Love Shine A Light’ won the Eurovision Song Contest with the largest ever margin.

There will also be live music from the brilliant Norfolk folk band Rattlebox and the most perfect vintage DJ, Major Swing and Kitty, will also keep toes tapping with his excellent selection of music from the 20s through to the late 40s and his troupe of professional vintage dance instructors. If you can’t resist having a singalong yourself, then you can let rip with 60s and 70s karaoke inside Songstream Studio’s mobile American Airstream. We also have blacksmith and log carving demonstrations throughout the day alongside crafty workshops for all ages and Junk In Love’s fabulous vintage style Photo Booth with lots of fancy dress.

Hungry visitors will not be disappointed. Expect the most fabulous afternoon teas with Melonberry Vintage, the best fish and chips you’ve ever tasted served from a retro red bus by Red Bus Food, handcrafted pizzas by The Woodfired Feast and ice cream by The Tricicle! If the sound of a rustic Norfolk craft ale and local cider bar takes your fancy then join East Coast Bars throughout the day. Are cocktails and prosecco more your thing? Not a problem - we have Coot & Moorhen with us serving up lovely fizzy drinks! 

It promises to be the perfect Sunday outing.

Entrance £9, children under 12 free. Tickets available at the entrance to the festival, payable by cash only.

For more information on the Stody Boutique Festival please join us on Facebook.

Stody Lodge Gardens raises £14,800 for local and national charities during its May 2015 season

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Stody Lodge Gardens is delighted to have raised £14,800 for nine different charities during its May 2015 garden opening.  

This year Stody Lodge Gardens enjoyed record visitor numbers due to a fantastic flowering season as well as its hosting of the Animal Art Fair Spring Exhibition. Fifteen of the UK’s leading animal artists, both painters and sculptors, exhibited their finest work within the gardens of Stody Lodge throughout the month of May. Visitors flocked to see the dazzling floral colours and the beautiful art, to the benefit of many local and national good causes.  

Charities that were invited to provide delicious homemade teas, from which they took all the profits, were as follows: 

·       The Holt Youth Project - an award-winning scheme which serves young people across North Norfolk

·       About with Friends - a Cromer-based charity supporting children, young people and adults with learning disabilities

·       The Stody & Hunworth Village Hall

·       St Johns Ambulance - leading first aid charity across the UK

·       North Norfolk Riding for the Disabled

·       Heritage House - a day-care centre for the elderly and frail in Wells-next-the-sea

Funds were also raised for Ormiston Families, the charity caring for vulnerable children, young people and families across East Anglia. Ormiston Families was the nominated charity for the Private View of the Animal Art Fair Spring Exhibition on 16th May. £6,000 was raised for the charity through ticket and art sales as well as the online auction of a beautiful sculpture of a young rhino that was kindly donated by leading South African artist, Bruce Little. 

Stody Lodge Gardens was also delighted to support North Norfolk Radio’s Kids Trust. Proceeds from the highly popular ‘Stody Kids for Kids’ family day on 10th May were donated to the charity which supports local children and families in the North Norfolk area. 

 Lastly, Stody Lodge also raised funds for the charities selected by the National Garden Scheme (“NGS”) through a special open day for its members on Tuesday 19th May.  This year, the charities nominated by the NGS are Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie Cancer Care, Hospice UK, Carers Trust, Queen's Nursing Institute, Perennial and Parkinsons UK.

 Kate MacNicol of Stody Lodge Gardens, said: “We are delighted to have been able to support so many different charities – all of whom are doing fantastic work and really having an impact in their chosen areas. Plans are already underway for the May 2016 open days with lots to enjoy alongside the beautiful rhododendrons and azaleas.”

The May 2016 dates are as follows (open daily 1pm – 5pm):

·       Sunday 1st May 2016

·       Sunday 8th May 2016– the Stody ‘Kids for Kids’ family day

·       Sunday 15th May 2016

·       Sunday 22nd May 2016

·       Tuesday 24th – Friday 27th May 2016

·       Sunday 29th May 2016

·       Bank Holiday Monday 30th May 2016

·       Sunday 5th June 2016

 

Last chance to visit Stody Lodge Gardens this Sunday 31st May 1pm - 5pm

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On Sunday, Stody Lodge Gardens opens its doors to the public for the last time this May. Visitors will be amazed by the riot of colour that continues within the gardens thanks to this year's late flowering season. Many rhododendrons are just beginning to open their petals, particularly the more unusual varieties in soft corals, yellows and dark reds. Most azaleas and some camellias are still in flower and stunning drifts of colourful petals line the woodland walk ways below earlier flowering species. The 2,000 azalea mollis plants continue to blaze in Stody's 2 acre Azalea Water Gardens with much dramatic colour and interest for horticulturalists and photographers alike.

The Animal Art Fair Sculpture Gardens continues with works by South African Bruce Little such as his stunning sculpture of a leopard, entitled 'Down to Earth' (depicted above.) Three of Tom Hiscocks' 'Queens Beasts' are on display, which have recently been exhibited at Blenheim Palace. And Jamie Wild's stunning Sail Fish and delightful Roe Deer, whose life like energy bely the cold steel they are made out of, continue to enjoy their floral home at Stody Lodge.

Entrance is £5 (cash or cheque), children under 12 free. Delicious homemade teas will be provided by Heritage House. Dogs on leads are welcome. There is ample free parking and a plant stall.