Spring has officially sprung at The Walled Garden, and you can feel it in the air. The temperatures are gently creeping up, the gardens are waking from their winter rest, and there’s a real sense of anticipation for the season ahead. It’s a lovely time to visit, so pop the kettle on, take a moment, and catch up on everything that’s been happening here in Moreton!

Our brand-new path, Dahlia Walk, has taken shape and recent visitors will have noticed the beds alongside it have now been dug. The EMA students have already potted up 85 dahlias which are currently thriving in the polytunnel. The path itself is open for visitors but in a couple of months it’ll burst into colour. It’s definitely one to watch and will make for a perfect photo up in late Spring!

At the end of March, we welcomed two sculptures (one returning!) by contemporary artist Isla Chaney into the gardens. They’ve already been wonderfully well received, and it’s so nice to have sculptures back as part of the landscape. One piece may look familiar to returning visitors, while the newer work, Part of the Whole, now sits in the Grass Border near the entrance to the Square Garden, offering a striking visual which is visible even as far down as the rose garden. As Isla explains, it reflects “the interconnectedness of all life”. 

Meanwhile, the Garden Team and the students have been busy preparing the Square Garden for summer. Obelisks are now in place across the central borders, and sweet peas have been sown and are growing on nicely in pots, ready to be planted out soon. Every year they bring such a beautiful burst of colour and fragrance, and we’re already looking forward to seeing (and smelling!) them when they take centre stage very soon.

There’s been a bit of change near the Bog Garden too. As Head Gardener Martin explains, “Our Western Cedar tree has been removed due to waterlogged winters – unfortunately the tree had died.”. With the help of a tree surgeon, the team carefully removed it at the end of March.

The good news is that nothing is going to waste. Martin adds, “We are going to make great use of the tree though. Some of the wood will be used to build some new plant beds in Animal Acre, while the rest will be turned into mulching chips which will be used on beds within the gardens.”

Close by, you might spot our new White Border, which is shaping up to be a really special feature this year. Visible from the Bog Garden, Dahlia Walk and Wisteria Walk, it’s already being planted with early additions such as white dahlias, cosmos and tobacco plants, with plenty more to come as the season unfolds. As Martin shares, “To get the season started, we will be planting white dahlias, white cosmos and tobacco plants to name a few, but there will be plenty more planted here later in the year.”

We’ve also had an exciting delivery of beautiful containers for the Container Garden. Over the coming weeks, these will be filled with a wonderful mix of plants from agapanthus and bougainvillea to nerium oleanders and even pomegranates. It’s all coming together to create a relaxed, Mediterranean feel that will be perfect for summer afternoons.

Over in the Kitchen Garden, the EMA students have been hard at work planting leeks and onions. Once they’re ready, they’ll be harvested and available to buy from the Student Grown bench in our Plant Sales area a lovely way to take a little piece of the garden home with you!

Spring in the Animal Acre

There’s been plenty happening behind the scenes in Animal Acre. We’re currently waiting (very patiently!) for a batch of Golden Bantam eggs to hatch, which are due on or around 8th April. Animal Expert Daisy says, “We’re really happy to have these eggs in incubation. They’re due very soon and will be a great addition to our Bantam family.”

You may also notice that Animal Acre is getting a bit of a refresh. Daisy adds, “We, with the help of EMA students, have made a start on painting the sheds, fences and enclosures in Animal Acre. It’ll be something we work on over a matter of weeks, but the area will look great once it’s been freshened up!”

In other news, our long-term resident male guinea pig, Rolo, has recently been castrated and will soon be joining the female enclosure so he’ll have plenty of new friends to keep him company.

The estates team have also been busy building a brand-new run for our tortoises. They’re not quite ready to make their public debut just yet, but once the weather warms up, they’ll be heading outdoors and ready to meet visitors. This is something we’ve had in the works for a while, and we can’t wait for it to be a permanent fixture in animal acre – enriching the animals, and the experience of you – our visitors!

What’s On!

We’ve got plenty to keep little ones (and grown-ups!) entertained over the Easter period. Our Easter Trail will be running throughout the first two weeks of April, maps are just £3, and egg-splorers can hunt for the hidden eggs to uncover a mystery word and answer fun seasonal questions along the way. And don’t worry every map comes with a prize, so no problem if you can’t answer a question!

If you’re visiting over Easter weekend, be sure to keep an eye out for our Golden Egg. Hidden once a day on both Saturday and Sunday, it gives you the chance to win either a private family goat walk or a bug and exotic animal experience definitely worth a look!

New Menu in the café!

As mentioned in our five reasons to visit in Easter – our new menu in the café is now live and you can find it here!

Thank you for your kind reviews recently!

“Excellent cafe, and the walk down to the river is idyllic”  – Rob, via Google

“Lovely dog-friendly gardens. All the plants are labelled so you know what you’re looking at. A few animals to see and a cafe with nice food and generous portions. Delicious vegan sausage roll!”  – Louise, via Google

“Lovely garden and great organisation” – Katrina, via Google

Coming up…

Dog Show Registrations now open!

Looking a little further ahead, our much-loved Annual Dog Show returns on Sunday 7th June. After last year’s heatwave cancellation, we’re so pleased to be bringing it back. It’s always a fantastic day out, celebrating our four-legged friends, and we’re proud to be supporting Staffie and Stray Rescue, with all dog entry fees going directly to their brilliant work.

Alongside the dog show, there’ll be over 25 stalls to browse, plus family-friendly activities including a bouncy castle, skittle alley and even axe throwing with Adventure Pirates. Our garden games will be out too and your dog show ticket includes entry to the gardens, so you can make a full day of it. Dog Registrations are open now! All the registrations are being handled by our collaborators Satffie & Stray Rescue Visit to their social media for more details.

We hope to see you in the gardens soon whether it’s for a family day out, or a peaceful stroll simply to take a breath of fresh spring air.