Silk heritage woven into new Siam Gardens

The newly refurbished Siam Gardens, including a weaving structure and statue, have been unveiled as part of an official opening at Weavers Piece, in Sudbury.

Representatives from Babergh District Council, Sudbury in Bloom community group and Sudbury Town Council gathered at Siam Gardens in Sudbury on Saturday, March 14, to officially unveil the weaving themed dye garden.

Regeneration works include a new loom structure, dog statue named after the famous Talbot dog on the Sudbury Crest, wooden carving of a silk worker and seasonal dye plants used as part of the silk dying process.

The project has been supported by Sudbury Town Council and Sudbury in Bloom, and was funded by a Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Pocket Park Grant of £25,000. Officer time and project management by SB Surveyors, Sudbury Town Council and Babergh District Council make up an additional £7,500 of match funding.

The re-design pays homage to Sudbury’s rich silk heritage, and further connects the garden to other areas.

Designed, with the community, by Herbaculture CIC Contractors and various partners including John Moore Tree Services, Escar UK Bronze, ActivLives, A J and SB Surveyors it is hoped the garden will be enjoyed for years to come.

Chris Storey, chair of Sudbury in Bloom, said: “I’m very proud to officially open the newly designed garden at Weavers Piece, which follows months of hard work by the community, Sudbury in Bloom volunteers and our partners, including Sudbury Community Wardens.

“We wanted to be able to make this space more connected and entrenched in the town’s silk history by creating a garden which could be explored and enjoyed by all – with Gainsborough House, and the Sudbury Heritage Centre nearby we intend this to be an established part of the Sudbury visitor and tourism offer. I hope that the garden will be well used over the coming years and I’m sure it will feature as part of future Sudbury Silk Festivals.”

Derek Davis, Babergh District Council Cabinet Member for Communities, said: “It’s always exciting to open something we’ve invested in to inspire our residents to get outside and explore Sudbury’s unique history and connections to the silk industry.

“Supported by the Sudbury Vision Group, the garden forms an important part of investing in the town’s public landscape and creating a place for the community to explore and enjoy at any age.”