How about this weather, eh!? April treated us all to some beautiful sunny weather and it’s been wonderful to see so many of you enjoying the gardens. The Easter holidays were one of our busiest ever and we want to again thank everyone who stopped by to see us here in Moreton. There’s lots to talk about as we welcome May (and hopefully the sunshine continues – it’s a huge mood improver and we’ll take every ounce we can get please!).

Just Walled Garden garden things…

We are seeing new blooms popping up all over the gardens. Our Rhododendrons have been providing some striking colours, most of which can be spotted around Alison’s Woodland Walk and Acer Walk. Well worth a stroll if you’re visiting us soon. The Cherry outside the café, bluebells, lush foliage and more are bringing so much interest. If you head to the Square Garden, our Sweet Peas are growing fast, with many blooms appearing alongside them. Plenty of seeds have been planted and we are expecting to see growth towards the end of May as the square garden once again looks to steal the show. Our Wisteria is also coming into full bloom and the Bearded Irises are budding up! Take your time if you’re exploring, there’s so much to discover. Cue the photo montage…

The photos never truly do them justice. Visit and see for yourself!

Less flowery at the moment, but no less full of plants – The Bog Garden has really come to life over the past few weeks. Recent visitors will have spotted the huge Gunnera (our most Jurassic Park-like foliage!) and Royal Ferns providing some magnificent shapes and textures here. 

Praise the moths!

Early May will see the installation of a new Moth Trap! Head Gardener Martin said: “We want to find out which species of Moths we are seeing on-site, their behaviours and possibly even their population dynamics. We won’t be using the trap more than once a week, but we will be keeping a record of everything we find.” 

The trap uses a light to gently attract and temporarily stun the moths. Early morning, around 5am, the trap will be opened, and the moths will be collected from an egg tray which sits inside. Then, our team will log what they find and set the moths free shortly after.   

Student tips!

EMA student Kody provided some thoughts on the work happening in the Bog Garden, as well as some super advice! – “I really like working hard out here, and it’s good when the weather’s so nice. I’m used to this type of work too because I’ve also been helping a neighbour at home with his allotment. He grows all his own veg and says he hasn’t bought veg from the shop for 16 years! I’ve learnt a good tip for your own garden – if you plant peas or beans first, this will help increase the nitrogen in the soil, meaning other plants will grow better too.”

Martin added: “Our students have been working hard on the Bog Garden – the weeding is an on-going job but they’re really helping to improve it, as well as our Kitchen Garden which is really starting to take shape. We’ve already been able to harvest some Perpetual Spinach, Asparagus and soon we’re expecting to be able to pick some Broad Beans.”  

National Gardening Week (which is all year round for us…)

As we write this, it’s National Gardening Week, so we thought why not bump up the blog with another tip. Over to Martin again… “A useful tip for those starting out – for every pound you spend on a plant, spend the same on the ground. So that could include – compost, fertiliser, mulch, your time digging and removing weeds prior to planting, or watering until it is established.” We’ll dig out some more tips from him over the next few weeks. He’s full of them!

Adopt an Animal 

Followers on social media will have seen this big announcement! We are very happy to have launched our animal adoptions! A beautiful way for families and animal lovers to connect with the animals who call The Walled Garden home. Whether you’re an animal enthusiast, looking for a meaningful gift, or simply want to support the upkeep of the animals, this offers a brilliant way to make a real difference. Click here to visit our dedicated page to find out more.

What’s on?

Looking to fill your calendars? We have some special events this month!

Spring Plant Fair

Sunday 18th May sees the return of our Spring Plant Fair. We’ve teamed up with Specialist Plant Fairs for a second year and are hosting an array of nurseries and garden adjacent businesses, who will be here for you to browse for new products.  

Walled Garden Season Ticket holders gain FREE ENTRY to the plant fair.

During the day, our Head Gardener Martin will be hosting two garden talks at 11.30am and 2.00pm – free to ticket holders. Martin said: “Last year’s event was a great day. We wanted to add a little more to our offering this year, so I’m really looking forward to being able to give a talk to our visitors about our gardens, the recent works we’ve carried out and what’s still to come for 2025. We will also be happy to answer any questions you might have about The Walled Garden or your own outdoor space”

Butterfly Trail

The Easter holidays have not long finished, but we are already planning for May half term, and our signature trail will return! From Saturday 24th May, explorers of all ages and experience are welcome to join us at The Walled Garden for our signature Butterfly Trail which will run for two weeks! Collect your map, explore the gardens to complete the quiz, learn new facts and find all the butterflies to solve their mystery word. Then claim your prize at the end! All maps guarantee a prize so no need to worry if you can’t answer a question. Maps cost £3 but no booking is required, so join us for a family day out in the Dorset countryside!

May Half Term Bug and Exotic Animal Experiences

Returning for the half term – are your kids fans of bugs and reptiles? We’ve got the perfect half term activity for you! On Thursday 29th and Friday 30th May, we will be welcoming bug and exotic animal lovers to join Chrissy in the Bug Shed for an up-close meet and greet with some of the insects and reptiles who live here at The Walled Garden.

You will spend time learning about many creatures such as our Millipedes and Stick Insects along with the Bearded Dragons and Bosc Monitor Lizard to name a few. We will be holding sessions at 11am and 2pm both days so book your tickets now to avoid disappointment! Full details here.

Just a quick note…Dog Show Registrations! The event takes place on Sunday 13th July, but we will be announcing categories and opening the registration next week. Stand by…

And Finally… 

It’s our 10th birthday! Throughout May we are going to be celebrating The Walled Garden and EMA turning 10 years old. We want to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has visited or supported us over the years. We’re excited to see what the future holds and hope you’ll continue along the journey with us. Stay tuned for more, enjoy the sunshine, and we look forward to seeing you soon!

Formal gardens. Dovecote café. Animals. Play park. Plant sales. Free parking and dog friendly.