Bucks &amp; Oxon


<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/ThePatch.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-165926" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/ThePatch.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/ThePatch-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/ThePatch-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/ThePatch-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Polish your parental halo, PYO could be the wholesome summer holiday day trip that negates any screen time during the six week break – and we know just the place. </p>



<p>Husband and wife team Joseph and Rosalyn Gurney opened The Patch on their farm near Milton Keynes in 2019 with a bang – PYO pumpkins. Despite venturing into the unknown, it was a huge success, so they branched out into sunflowers in 2020 to provide a welcome burst of outdoor colour in the pandemic, plus hundreds of varieties of wildflowers. The Fun Fields followed two years later and they’re now a riot of maize mazes designed to keep children of all ages entertained during the long summer hols.</p>



<p>Joe is a fifth-generation farmer who was raised on local North Bucks farms. Fun fact: the farm where his father was born (pre-MK’s 1960s building boom) is now the Milton Keynes Museum. Meanwhile, Rosalyn grew up in rural Lancashire and her family owned an agricultural machinery business, so she knows the drill too – although she jokes that you never&nbsp;<em>actually</em>&nbsp;know what you’re getting into when you marry a farmer.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/JoeandRoz.jpg" alt="The Patch" class="wp-image-166821" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/JoeandRoz.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/JoeandRoz-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/JoeandRoz-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/JoeandRoz-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>The couple are still active farmers at Mount Mill Farm (800 acres of wheat and barley are cultivated every year), so everything on The Patch is planted by them. The cycle for the flower fields starts in November, once pumpkin season is done, for Spring planting in plots the size of 24 football pitches.</p>



<p>Joe and Rosalyn plant the corn mazes in May too. It’s high-tech here:&nbsp;the paths are created by a tractor guided by satellites, which turn the drill on and off to create the design of the maze.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Once all the millions of flower seeds are in the ground, it’s a question of sitting back, scaring the crows away, and waiting for the sun to work its magic. This summer has got off to a soggy start, but – hurray! – The Patch is now set to open on 31 July. Here’s what to expect.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pyo-flowers">PYO FLOWERS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="752" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/TPMK_Sunflowers_200721-7-752x1000.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-166908" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/TPMK_Sunflowers_200721-7-752x1000.jpg 752w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/TPMK_Sunflowers_200721-7-602x800.jpg 602w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/TPMK_Sunflowers_200721-7-301x400.jpg 301w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/TPMK_Sunflowers_200721-7.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 752px) 100vw, 752px" /></figure>



<p>With over 75 million wildflower seeds planted each year, The Patch MK is the largest pick-your-own wildflower flower farm in the UK. Alongside 21 varieties of sunflowers (there are green, red and pink ones as well as the standard yellow), there are 200+ varieties of wildflowers too. You’ll need an entry ticket to the flower fields – but once you’re there, you can PYO bouquet at prices to make high-street florists weep. A bundle of six sunflowers starts at £1 per stem, or 6 for £5, or it’s £8.95 for a wildflower bouquet. Come back in autumn for an abundance of pumpkin and squash varieties ripe for Hallowe’en carving. Ros and Joe reckon The Patch is the biggest PYO pumpkin patch in Bucks and beyond. Any pumpkins and squash left after Halloween are sent to The Felix Project charity in London.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-outdoor-sculpture">OUTDOOR SCULPTURE</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/Snapinsta.app_224334694_4512499248781628_6805755793763847318_n_1080.jpg" alt="The Patch" class="wp-image-166826" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/Snapinsta.app_224334694_4512499248781628_6805755793763847318_n_1080.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/Snapinsta.app_224334694_4512499248781628_6805755793763847318_n_1080-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/Snapinsta.app_224334694_4512499248781628_6805755793763847318_n_1080-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/Snapinsta.app_224334694_4512499248781628_6805755793763847318_n_1080-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>The Flower Fields won’t just be bursting with flowers this summer, but also with giant handmade sculptures. *Cue insta photo ops*. Joe and Rosalyn work with talented local blacksmiths, carpenters, artists and steelmakers to create unique sculptures that are sympathetic to the flowers’ natural beauty. New for this year is a giant photo-frame the whole family can pose inside. There’s 15-plus more sculptures to discover too, including a vintage tractor and combine harvester, a pair of butterfly wings, an oak swing and a bridge. In autumn, there are Hallowee’n-themed photo-ops among the pumpkins: take a seat on the witch’s broom or the devil’s chair.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-maize-mazes">MAIZE MAZES</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/Snapinsta.app_367390590_2206720462860500_2334537771201224200_n_1080.jpg" alt="The Patch" class="wp-image-166827" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/Snapinsta.app_367390590_2206720462860500_2334537771201224200_n_1080.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/Snapinsta.app_367390590_2206720462860500_2334537771201224200_n_1080-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/Snapinsta.app_367390590_2206720462860500_2334537771201224200_n_1080-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/Snapinsta.app_367390590_2206720462860500_2334537771201224200_n_1080-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>The Fun Fields are the entertainment zone here. This summer, there are three maize mazes (try saying that in a hurry) to suit kids of all ages. For little ones, there’s the Music Maze: a sensory experience filled with hand-made instruments to play. No earplugs needed: they’re designed by a Hampshire company called Percussion Play to only make harmonious sounds.</p>



<p>The Lost World, aimed at age three upwards, is full of fibreglass models of dinosaurs – it’s planted in the shape of a Triceratops’ head, so you can’t miss it. The dinos are almost lifesize (eek!): the Brachiosaurus is about six metres tall, and Triceratops measures seven metres from his teeth to the tip of his tail.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Older children can head to the Labyrinth of Illusions, containing over 37 different optical tricks. You enter the maze through a replica of a prop used in the original Charlie and the Chocolate Factory film (the famous shrinking room), then navigate through spinning optical illusions, mirrors, an anti-gravity room, and a mind-bending Vortex tunnel. Hats off to Dave, The Patch’s indispensable Mr Fix-It, for bringing much of the fun to life here.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-playtime">PLAYTIME</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/Snapinsta.app_366112366_669799344709138_2420687487191243984_n_1080.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-166829" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/Snapinsta.app_366112366_669799344709138_2420687487191243984_n_1080.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/Snapinsta.app_366112366_669799344709138_2420687487191243984_n_1080-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/Snapinsta.app_366112366_669799344709138_2420687487191243984_n_1080-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/Snapinsta.app_366112366_669799344709138_2420687487191243984_n_1080-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>There are more play areas than a grumpy farmer can shake a stick at here. Head through a maize tunnel to The Hub, an enclosed space where children can safely roam free, with the corn mazes and flower fields all around. You’ll need to trot up to The Patch to explore for yourself, but the adventure play includes nine holes of mini golf, a six-metre-high beehive with tube slides coming out of it, and plenty of farm-themed games. Muddy hears (rubber) duck racing appeals from ages five to 100, or there’s vertical golf, rodeo hoopla and tractor rides. (Warning: you may get wet).</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-downtime">DOWNTIME</h2>



<p>The idea is that The Patch has something for all ages – so there’s a shaded enclosed ‘beach’ area where weary parents and grandparents can sit and have a coffee while their kids burn off energy. Naturally, there’s a café too – it’s called The Grazing Shed, inside a marquee in case of inevitable wet weather. Buy yourself a sausage roll and some chips and take a moment to relax and enjoy the wildflowers. By this point, you’ve earned it.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/Snapinsta.app_355102685_583552037228385_2156953698272877687_n_1080.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-166830" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/Snapinsta.app_355102685_583552037228385_2156953698272877687_n_1080.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/Snapinsta.app_355102685_583552037228385_2156953698272877687_n_1080-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/Snapinsta.app_355102685_583552037228385_2156953698272877687_n_1080-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/Snapinsta.app_355102685_583552037228385_2156953698272877687_n_1080-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>


Flower power! Family fun blooms at The Patch MK

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