As February continues to bring its winter chill, it’s impossible not to notice the beautiful signs of spring starting to appear around The Walled Garden.

While we’re still bundled up against the cold, many flowers are bravely pushing their way through the frosty ground. Along the riverside here in Moreton, and in some of the more wooded areas, we’ve been spotting the delicate hellebores and cheerful snowdrops raising their sleepy heads. More recently, the crocuses have begun to make an appearance, adding vibrant splashes of purple, yellow, and white to the greenery. It’s a much-needed burst of colour after the winter months!

Colours are appearing around the gardens

Last month, we shared our plans to give our beloved Kitchen Garden some well-deserved TLC, and we’re excited to update you on the progress. Over the past few weeks, our dedicated gardens team, alongside students from EMA, have worked hard to build several new beds, filling them with a variety of vegetables in preparation for the growing season ahead. With careful planning, we’ve implemented a three-crop rotation system, ensuring that each bed is swapped out annually to promote healthy soil and a diverse crop return.

images above showing the new veg beds installed a couple of weeks ago

This year, we’re focusing on a range of produce that will soon thrive in The Walled Garden. Expect to see rows of potatoes and beetroot, peas and beans, as well as cabbages and sprouts, to name just a few. There’s even a small herb bed that will provide fresh, fragrant ingredients for Head Chef Dave at the Dovecote Café, who’ll be able to add them to his seasonal dishes as he sees fit.

Head Gardener Martin Mellersh said:

“In addition to these outdoor efforts, we are nurturing shallots, planting them in 3-inch pots to give them a head start. They will go out once the soil has warmed up a little, probably early March. We have sown the first batch of sweet peas, which will follow on from the ones we planted last November. We will plant more, also in March, for a succession of flowers through the season. Also, we have chitted this season’s new potatoes, ready to plant after the last frosts.”

sweet peas and new potatoes are just some of the produce potted up in the polytunnel

The Grass is Getting Greener

Also in February, Martin and the rest of the team will be focusing their attention on the Grass Bed. The grasses are typically left to grow over winter, but now that the new stems are beginning to push through, it’s time to cut back last year’s growth. This essential task will help make room for the fresh, green grasses to flourish as we move towards warmer months.

“The new grass stems are starting to come through, so we, with the help of some of our EMA students, will begin to clear last year’s dead stems. It’s important to do this to give this year’s a good chance to thrive.” – Martin.

The Walled Garden, looking North towards the pavillion and square garden

There will be bugs galore around the gardens this month too, as our Gardens Team starts to set up our February half-term Garden Trail! We’ll be looking forward to welcoming visitors to Moreton to take part in the hunt for ladybirds and quiz questions for prizes.

We’ll also have our Bug and Exotic Animal experiences taking place in the animal area for pre-booked ticket holders (very limited space, so book today!). Animal Care Technician Chrissy will be showcasing our fantastic family of bugs and reptiles in a fun but educational event!

As we continue to prepare for spring, it’s a real joy to see our gardens come to life, and we can’t wait to have you join us.