October is here! After a busy September we’re fully embracing the autumnal weather and preparing the gardens ready for the big winter sleep, along with many exciting events!

There has been a noticeable chill in the air recently which has really brought the onset of Autumn about the gardens. Mushrooms and other fungi have begun to pop up in a few spots, and we’re clearing them away as we find them.

This month, our EMA students are focusing on helping the team to prepare the gardens for winter. In the Kitchen Garden the root vegetable beds are being dug up while the rest of the beds will be left.

Head Gardener, Martin Mellersh said: “The students are cleaning down all the veg beds. Once this is done, they will be laying down cardboard followed by a layer of mulch.

“The cardboard will decompose down and together with the mulch will create a layer to suppress the weeds”

Over the summer holidays, the gardens team installed a series of planters outside the student classrooms on site.

Martin added: “This will be another task for our students in the coming week or so. We’ve ordered a range of bulbs for them to plant which will bring us lots of colour in the springtime and enhance the classroom courtyard in a big way”

Recent visitors to the gardens may have spotted a new footpath being built close to the Rose Garden. For student safety we are installing a new access route for students only, so they can move between classrooms without walking along the roadside.

But this isn’t the only footpath we’re building over the winter months. Plans are in place to install a footpath leading from Wisteria Walk across to the Bog Garden. Along this path will be new borders which will certainly add to the beauty of this part of the gardens during the spring and summer months! Work is due to begin very soon.

Animal Acre

It’s not just the gardens being prepared for winter. Over in Animal Acre, Chrissy and Ruby are starting to monitor the tortoises ready for their hibernation period. They’ll be checking their health and weight regularly. Our vet will be visiting to complete their regular on-site check-ups when they will also vaccinate the ferret family. During this visit, the vet will also give the tortoises a thorough check over so we can get them ready for hibernation around November time.

Animal Expert Chrissy said: “The tortoises will be in hibernation for around 9 weeks. During this period, they will be kept in a fridge which has been adapted to keep them at a consistent temperature throughout those 9 weeks. But we will regularly check them while they are hibernating to ensure they are staying healthy throughout.”

NEW MENU in the dovecote café!

Launching on 4th October, our Autumn/Winter menu officially arrives, and we’d love for you stop by and sample. Baked Cheese Soufflé, Breakfast Burgers, and the return of a few visitor favourites from last year!… It’s going online tomorrow, for your first sneak peek before it’s available!

In case you missed it…

Firstly, a big thank you to everyone who joined us at our Garden Fete on 21^st September. Despite the chilly start, the day was full of fun and laughter – especially during our Dog Show Winner’s Ceremony! Pups of all sizes attended, and it was so fantastic to meet them all, and their owners too of course!

A big thank you to our friends Nurses Jenny and Sarah from SCBU at Dorset County Hospital, who joined us on the day to help hand out the prizes!

We are also, really pleased to be able to announce that Chrissy has been named as a finalist for the Unsung Hero awards at the Dorset Tourism Awards! We won’t know if she was bagged gold silver or bronze until the awards night on 16^th October, but her love and dedication to our animals, students and visitors is unmatched. To us, she is already a winner. Good Luck Chrissy!

Coming Up!

October half term will see our Bug and Exotic animal experiences returning. Tickets are currently available for 10am and 2pm sessions on Tuesday 28^th and Wednesday 29^th October. Children aged 5+ can meet the likes of our Bearded Dragons, Tailless Whip Scorpion Giant Vietnamese Stick Insects, Leopard Geckos, Cockroaches and more! Children under the age of 8 must be accompanied by an adult.

Tickets are available here via Eventbrite!

Also, from Saturday 18^th October our Autumn and Halloween trail is back! For £3 per map, spooky explorers can test their knowledge by answering the quiz questions and seeking out the friendly ghosts to discover the mystery word. But don’t worry if you can’t answer it all, every map is guaranteed a prize!

We’re also constructing out ‘autumn photo corner’ for The Walled Garden, stay tuned for the reveal, then stop by and snap a brilliant family photo!

We’ve just announced our Wreath Making Workshops on 22nd and 30th November, and make sure you save the date for our Christmas Market on Sunday 7th December!

Finally, stay tuned for our Christmas Toy Drive in aid of the Children’s Services at Dorset Count Hospital!

Looking ahead…

The festive season will be here before you know it… Our Christmas Market is filling up with amazing stalls and festive treats, and we hope to see you there on Sunday 7th December here in Moreton, Dorset.