As summer draws to a close, the gardens are beginning to take on a new rhythm, with the changing season bringing new plans, new faces and, of course, the return of our EMA learners.

A new academic year brings new faces, new routines and plenty of opportunities to learn, and here at The Walled Garden Moreton, we’ve been busy behind the scenes getting everything ready for a new season, and the return of young people ready to learn. We’ve had a busy summer, and September is looking like it’s going to continue the trend, so sit back, relax and get yourself up to date with what’s been happening across the site.

In the gardens…

As we previously highlighted, the heatwaves have had an impact on the gardens, but our team worked tirelessly to create conditions suitable for the flowers to survive in. Head Gardener Martin Mellersh said: “Our plants have really struggled with the lack of water this summer. We also found that our trees have shed up to half of their leaves as a way to reduce water loss.”

However, the gardens team and the EMA students will be spending a lot of September planning ahead for a (hopefully) more positive spring 2027. Martin said: “We’ve just received a delivery of some fantastic spring bulbs. The plan is for our students to spend some time over the coming weeks planting these up. Around 20 of these will be used to brighten up the café when they bloom.”

Late August and early September have brought a few much needed showers, and this week green is returning to much of the lawns, bringing some welcome contrast to the gardens. We’ve also been doing some trimming and tidying around the rose garden, bringing some shape back to the hedges which surround the space.

Animal Acre

The animals have been making the most of the summer weather, with plenty of tasty treats and enrichment keeping them very happy.. All the animals have enjoyed their vegetable snacks, and the chickens have been especially fond of watermelon! As well as being a treat, its high-water content has helped them stay hydrated during the warmer days. Some animals have enjoyed a spot of sunbathing, while others have sought shady areas and cool, damp towels to stay comfortable.

We’ve also had some special summer visitors, with barn swallows nesting in the goat house. They have now left their temporary home to begin their journey back to warmer regions for the winter. The goats have been very accommodating hosts, while keeping themselves happy and occupied with plenty of hay and snacks such as hazel, willow and bamboo. While the tortoises have also loved their new run we installed a couple of months ago, on particularly warm days they have chosen to retreat to the shade or cool off in their water bowls!

Our Animal Care Technician, Daisy, said: “It’s been lovely to see the animals enjoying the warmer weather and making their own choices about where they feel most comfortable. They’ve certainly made the most of all the extra enrichment and treats!

As we move into cooler weather, we’ll be carrying out physical health checks and weighing all the animals, alongside their daily visual checks. Enrichment will continue too, with the rabbits and guinea pigs enjoying puzzle trays filled with hidden vegetables. They quickly worked out how to solve them, so we’re now looking at planning some larger, more permanent enrichment features.”

With the new term approaching, students completing lessons in Animal Acre will be helping with paddock maintenance and preparing for the winter months. We’ll be gradually reintroducing students to the animals to keep everyone safe and happy, although we’re sure the animals won’t take long to get used to all the attention again!

EMA and the new term…

We’re excited to welcome our students back to the site (as well as our new students joining us for their first year!) Over the summer, our teams have been giving our courtyard a bit of an upgrade as new classrooms have been set up, ready for a fresh September start, and EMA’s Work Experience and Next Steps Coordinator Jack Elgar provided some insight on the plans ahead as the students settle in!

“We’re very happy to welcome our learners back to EMA for this year. They’ll be working alongside the team on site to support the upkeep of the gardens, the welfare of the animals, as well as customer service and food preparation within the Dovecote Café. With new students, we spend this early period getting to know them and make sure they’re doing what suits them best. They have the opportunity to gain real-life experience while developing valuable practical knowledge and skills and we can’t wait to get stuck in!

Over the next few months, they will work towards tailored targets that are specific to them through their work experience lessons. These will help to further develop each student’s knowledge and skill set, which we hope will support their future progression.

We will also be looking to find placements for learners outside of Moreton, so keep a look out if you see any of our students working within the local community. We are looking forward to a positive start to the new academic year and to seeing our learners showcase their many talents and skills.” – Jack

For more insight and stories about our students, you can visit the EMA website here.

A sincere thank you!

On social media last week, we shared a message to all our visitors who have supported us over the last six weeks, choosing us as a destination during the summer holidays. In case you missed it, we’d like to reiterate the sentiment here. We’re reflecting on what a wonderful six weeks it has been, with many new faces, and lots of returning visitors too. For anyone who stopped by, whether for our dino trail, to meet our exotic bugs and animals, enjoy the bouncy castles, burn off some energy in the play park, tractors and lawn games, experience the elegant performance of Sarah Small, or just to take in the beautiful blooms of the gardens and enjoy something tasty from the café – we extend a huge THANK YOU 💚. You are the people who keep us going, and your support for our little corner of Dorset has a huge impact on our teams across the gardens, café and all of EMA.

Coming up:

Our popular Afternoon Teas returns to the café from 12th September! The perfect way to indulge with friends for a catch-up, or celebrate a special occasion with loved ones.

Dorset County Show

Saturday 5^th and Sunday 6^th September, The Walled Garden and EMA will be attending Dorset County Show! We’ll be at stand H12 in the Fabulous Food and Farming area. If you’re attending the event, be sure to pop by and say hello – we’ll be giving out vouchers for the café to use through the autumn so don’t miss out! Daisy and Chrissy will be there with some of our fantastic family of insects for you to get up close and personal with – plus they’ll also be bringing Bounty and Babybel, two of our Pygmy Goats to say hello, and there might be a small free gift or two for children and young people who pay us a visit!

What have our visitors been saying?

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  “Such a beautiful place, my grandchildren loved it and really enjoyed the experience. We spent 5 hours here so much to do for the children. They love the dinosaur trail and also the animals.” via Google

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  “Stopped here for coffee and cake en route from Tyneham Village. We chose the lemon drizzle cake and the cappuccino cake which was gluten-free, a black coffee and an oat latte. We sat outside with our dog on the Terrace.The cakes were absolutely amazing and the coffee really enjoyable a really lovely atmosphere and really good value. Whilst sat enjoying the atmosphere was surprised to learn from on map that Lawrence of Arabia‘s grave was literally on the doorstep, so on leaving decided to do a whistle stop and take in a little bit of history at the same time highly recommended.” – via Trip Advisor

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  “Something for every age! It was an incredible place! Outstanding price for so much to see and do. We started off with breakfast in the Dovecote Càfe, good quality food and a very reasonable price. Lovely feel to the place and nicely decorated and finished. There truly was something to suit all ages. Beautiful flower borders and fully grow trees, ponds and fountains added to the tranquil surroundings. My Grandson will be 22 weeks old on the 27th of August. First I saw the tractors, then sandpit with buckets and spades provided to use. It didn’t stop there, the animal area also. Most certainly a place that kept on giving!” via Google

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “What a fantastic little place and lovely staff. I won’t spoil it for you but it’s well worth a visit. Food: 5/5Service: 5/5 Atmosphere: 5/5″ – via Google