Foresters Development – Completion Less Distant

Visiting today showed much more groundworks coming on. Externally, the alterations to the pavements and the cable-laying is close to completion, inside, the Portakabin Site Office has gone, and the roof over the Electricity Sub Station nears completion, and many more external walkways have been screeded. Behind now the gardens are taking shape with the turf settling down.

The boiler room in the basement seems to be close to being finished. Upstairs many of the staircases are having the skirting finished and receiving a coat of paint, and overall much of the finished shapes are becoming apparent, and many more bathrooms are being fitted out.

Overall, the pace of change seems to have moved up a gear.

Hardworking Volunteers at Luton Hoo

Volunteers at Luton Hoo's Walled Garden Project do not shy away from either hard or dirty work, and it is true regardless of sex or age. The stalwarts I came across this afternoon before taking photos in the warmth of the Conservatory Marquee, were in the case of two ladies – barely above ground as they were in the void outside the front of the Boiler room that gave onto the windows from the cellar, digging out the accumulated soil of decades and filling several loads for the wheelbarrow.

Round at the rear at the bottom of the stone steps to the boiler room itself one man was on his knees and the other standing, as they tried to unblock the drain sump of greasy sludge, once again, hardly an enjoyable task.

I did pay a visit to the restorers of the handcart, but they were tackling a different task – that of repairing the projector stand for the upcoming Art Exhibition, so the hand cart was put on the back burner!

The 2nd Open Art Exhibition at Luton Hoo

Preparations are well under way for this year’s Open Art Exhibition being held in the The Conservatory, a semi-permanent Marquee within the Walled Garden at Luton Hoo. The exhibition opens on the 18th March, and continues till 20th. Full details can be found at: http://www.lhwg.org.uk
I went along to the gardens and to the former Mushroom House, but there was less activity in these areas than normal, partly due to my somewhat late arrival, and also the weather was far from conducive. Work upon the Boiler-House drains was being undertaken by two keen lady volunteers at the front, where the grilles above what I soon realised were windows from the cellar, were being cleared of several wheelbarrow loads of soil and stones! At the rear two men were at work trying to clear a sump at the bottom of the stairs, of several years’ worth of oily sludge.
Out in the gardens a lone female was later to be seen tilling the soil with a hoe.

In the marquee were numerous people hanging paintings, assembling the bar area, up ladders attending to the spotlighting, whilst around the schools exhibits children, their parents and teachers were putting the finishing touches to their chefs d’oeuvres. I have tried to capture the overall picture of the displays and some of those beavering away to make the show a success.

I look forward to taking a closer look in the evening at the Preview to which I have been invited.