Butterfly & Fountain World

Butterfly and Fountain World was the first butterfly garden to be created by a garden centre and the 5th butterfly garden to open in the world! Now under new management, it will be exciting to watch the projects come to fruition following much development during the winter of 2019, to make Butterfly World a year-round attraction,

Firstly, you will be immersed in a hot humid jungle themed garden filled with free-flight butterflies and as you follow the meandering pathways, over streams, past the waterfall and around pools - you may even glimpse a fish, resident frog, newts or toads. There are plenty of sitting opportunities just to watch the butterflies flitting lazily from one flower to another or feed at one of the feeding stations. You may be lucky, and a large tropical butterfly may land on you, so plenty of great photo opportunities! Sharing the air space, you might also see some quails or small birds flighing through the branches.

The kids will love finding the Pupa Emerging area and, if you're lucky, you'll see a butterfly breaking free from its pupa, dry its wings and take its first flight. Spot the caterpillars too, reared in the garden, in either their tanks or on plants round about. The new Discovery Zone is being developed with activities for the younger visitor and meeting and learning about some of their invertebrates. Next for the kids is the Splash area, small jets of water they can jump in.

As you journey around the free-flight garden you come across more formally planted areas with pools and fountains. Leaving the butterflies behind you continuing through into the Japanese Garden where you can relax and reflect in tranquil surroundings. Finding inspiration from gardens all over Japan from the Zen gardens found around temples to those traditionally found around ryokan (Japanese inns). Wander around the Koi ponds and twice a day there are talks about the Koi with opportunities for feeding the large fish.

Exiting through the green house, where the gardeners grow and propagate some of the plants needed to keep up with the appetites of the hungry caterpillars, you may also find plants or gifts, within the Garden Centre, for friends or family or just a reminder of your visit.

Talking of hungry caterpillars – you can stop by it’s namesake for a bite to eat, light meals, snacks, cakes and drinks.