Who can believe it’s August already? After a long and very busy summer so far, there’s no slowing down, as we are jam packed with events and happenings here at The Walled Garden for the next few weeks! As usual, our blog is on hand to give you some behind the scenes, and all the details of what’s on!

A whole lot of sunshine…

The school holidays are in full swing, and it’s been wonderful to welcome so many families through our gates already! With long, sunny days and plenty of dry weather, it’s been perfect for a day out making memories, and catching up with friends.

However, the heatwave has been a little tricky for some parts of the garden. Head Gardener Martin Mellersh said: “The hot weather has really taken its toll on some of our flowers. We’ve had to remove the Sweet Peas and their obelisks from the Square Garden. They were off to a really good start and offered some wonderful scents and colours for a while, but unfortunately the drought had a negative effect on them.”

But here at the Walled Garden, if we have to remove something, we always replace it, and in the case of the Sweet Peas, their spot has been filled with some beautiful Dahlias. Do stop by and bask, the bees have been loving them!

The month of August is all about maintenance and keeping things looking their best. As the EMA students are taking a well-earned rest for the summer, it’s down to our core Garden Team to take care of the weeding and general garden maintenance through the holidays and to help the gardens to recover from the heat.

Despite the heat, there are still so many beautiful flowers in full bloom at the moment and we have received so many wonderful reviews of the wildflowers in the Square Garden, the local pollinators are taking full advantage too!

Behind the Scenes in Animal Acre

Over in the Animal Acre, it’s a similar story of keeping everyone happy during the heat – the pigs have been enjoying their wallow quite a lot – and we have a new pond which is about to be installed, along with our new tortoise enclosure. As students are off campus for a few weeks, Chrissy, our Animal Care Technician focuses her time on general upkeep and well-being of the animals and their homes, while also hosting our awesome animal events.

Chrissy said: “Our animal family has grown and changed so much in 2025 so far. We’ve welcomed new chickens, pigs and rabbits as well as a host of new insects. They’ve all settled in really well, so I’m looking forward to spending some time creating new enrichment for them. I can’t wait to introduce our newest bugs to visitors attending our Bug and Exotic Animal Experiences too. The first sessions have gone really well!…also, I don’t want to say too much but we have put plans in action for a brand new addition to the gardens which I’m very excited about it. We’ll have more to share soon…”

However, that’s not all… as just this week, we were excited to welcome the first of our baby bearded dragons! At the time of writing, just one has hatched, and is doing well, and we’re expecting a few more over the next week or so…

Get Buggy with It!

As mentioned, this summer we see the return of our Bug and Exotic Animal Experiences and our July dates went down a treat. There are still tickets available for our August though!

Chrissy will give brave explorers an educational and hands on meeting with our group of fabulous mini beasts such as the Ghost Mantis, Katydids, Stick Insects, Cockroaches and more. PLUS, you’ll meet the likes of Mishu and Sisu our Bearded Dragons and The Boss, our Bosc Monitor Lizard! We also have our Curly Haired Tarantula, and Vinegaroon Scorpion – and maybe a peek at our corn snake!

Space is limited and tickets must be purchased online in advance. All attendees – including accompanying parents require a ticket.

11am and 2pm sessions (Approx 30 – 40 mins)

August 5th, 16th, and 26th are the remaining dates, with limited tickets remaining!

Tickets available via Eventbrite.
£8.50 per Child
£5 per adult (your ticket includes your general admission to The Walled Garden formal gardens (usually £3)

Animal Keeper Club – NEW for this summer!

Do you have an animal loving child in your family? Do they find it hard to pass a goat without saying hello? Or are they already talking about becoming a vet or zookeeper when they grow up? Our Keeper Clubs are perfect for them!

This summer, we’re inviting children aged 8 to 15 to join Chrissy our Animal Care Technician for an unforgettable, hands-on learning and fun experience.

From the curious chickens and chilled out Kunekune pigs, to the cheeky Pygmy goats, playful ferrets and our family of reptiles living peacefully in the Bug and Reptile Shed, Keeper Club members will get the chance to care for a variety of friendly animals, learning what it really takes to keep them happy and healthy.

Whether they’re mad about animals or starting to explore future careers, these sessions are a brilliant way to build confidence, responsibility and real-life skills, all while spending some quality time outdoors.

Current available dates are 4th August, 7th August and 28th August. See our website for more details and prices.

Animal Keeper Club – for juniors and early teens! – Walled Garden Moreton

and don’t forget – The Dinosaurs in Space trail is on every day! Maps are just £3 and there’s a prize with every map!

We love hearing your feedback!

We wanted to take a moment to thank those of you who’ve left reviews, and filled in our feedback slips recently. We’re receiving positive comments every day and it really does make all our staff feel good! In the digital age, Google reviews go a long way for places like us, so please do consider dropping a few stars our way after your next visit or if you’ve been to see us recently.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐- “What an absolute gem this place is. The gardener apologised for the fact that he thought the gardens weren’t at their best due to the drought, but they were in our eyes beautiful. The young man who served us in the café was so polite and diligent. A real credit to the work of the EMA initiative. 5 well deserved stars. Oh and the apple cake with cream was divine.”

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “We recently visited, and my little one loved the Dino trail that you did he really enjoyed the tractors too.. Lovely wildflower section also, really nice day.”

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐- “We came because our friend treated us to a cream tea while we were on holiday, and it was all beautiful – lovely place. Would come again if we were in the area.”

Turning 10

A reminder! – 2025 is The Walled Garden and EMA’s 10^th birthday! To celebrate we are hosting a garden fete within the grounds of the gardens. We’re setting up a fantastic day out for all the family, with a selection of wonderful stalls, a bouncy castle, face painting, garden games and a winners’ ceremony for our Online Dog Show which replaced our cancelled Dog Show in July!

This is all included in your regular £3 entry fee. Season Ticket holders and under 18s are free to enter!

We can’t wait to see what August brings – and we hope you’ll be part of it. See you soon!

P.S. – a note for volunteers!

In the past we have received many emails asking about volunteering in the gardens, and we’re pleased to say we’re putting in place opportunities for enthusiastic gardeners to volunteer, should they wish to: