Spring has Sprung in the Blended Monkey Gardens

It's so important to smell the flowers occasionally and take in our surroundings.

Just sitting outside in the Blended Monkey gardens for a while on a spring day before heading into my next workshop, I listened to the birds - my app counted 7 different types of birdsong in just a few seconds of recording:

Listening to the Birds in the Blended Monkey Gardens

Our Blended Monkey Studios are set in idyllic 1.2-acre gardens featuring formal and informal elements, a large number of established trees, various different garden areas and two large ponds - one wild pond located underneath a huge willow tree in the main garden, and one raised nearer the house and studios, and containing fish.

We play host to a variety of flora and fauna. Some of the established trees include:

paulownia
tulip tree
robinia
twisted hazel
variety of willows
fruits trees (plum, eating apples, cooking apples, variety of cherry)
wisterias
magnolia
oak
lime
hawthorn ...

We also ensure that we have lots of wild areas and habitat spaces for all the insects and animals. Summer months include a lovely butterfly display, with regular visitors including:

fritillaries
skippers
common blues
hairstreaks
white admirals
red admirals
peacocks
painted ladies ...

Spring in the Blended Monkey Gardens

Simon and I enjoy sharing these surroundings with our guest tutors and students.

Our peaceful setting encourages a state of mindfulness and calm, allowing students and visitors to relax and unwind while they unleash their creativity - and it's the perfect setting for our creative therapy workshops, where Simon and I use our combined skills to offer woodturning, pottery, green woodworking & silk painting to help those rehabilitating from strokes and brain trauma, and to help people suffering with their mental health.

We have a large round marquee erected where students enjoy learning green woodworking, spoon carving, stone masonry, willow weaving and outdoor large-canvas painting experiences.

The Crafts Cabin accommodates a maximum of 6 students for small-group workshops - this ensures that everyone receives as much 1-2-1 tuition as they need and it's also the perfect group size for our tutors.

We don't believe in cramming in lots of people just to have "bums on seats" - students & tutors have come to love the relaxing environment, warm reception, the peaceful gardens & the generally warm and welcoming setting we provide here at Blended Monkey.

Simon's woodturning workshop is equipped for 1-2-1 or pairs experiences on the electric lathe, and my ceramics studio with hand building area and 2 potter's wheels can accommodate up to 4 students.

A Warm Welcome, Home-Baked Yummies & Peaceful Environment

In addition to our usual friendly welcome and home-baked refreshments (courtesy of Fanoggins Bakery), students enjoying a full-day experience here are also provided with a lovely lunch that caters to all dietary requirements.

In warm weather, lunch is taken outside in the gardens so everyone can enjoy the setting before heading back to their respective arts/crafts experience. During less clement weather, lunch is provided in our large farmhouse-style kitchen where we comfortably accommodate up to 10 people.