As we approach the end of our first year in Dorchester, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on this whirlwind chapter in The Secret Garden’s journey. It’s been a year of challenges, milestones, and growth, and we’re so grateful to everyone who has supported us along the way. Here’s a little recap of our year so far!
January 2024 – New Beginnings
The year started with Barry and Emma (that’s us!) finalising the lease for our new home in Dorchester and rolling up our sleeves to give the premises the refurb it deserved. With paintbrushes in hand and a vision in mind, we prepared to relaunch The Secret Garden.
February – Doors Open
We officially opened our doors and welcomed our first customers. It was a dream come true to see our little café come alive in a new town.
March – A New Addition
March brought an unexpected challenge but also one of life’s greatest joys – the arrival of our baby, Elijah! With complications following his birth, Emma had to step away on maternity leave. The next six months were tricky. Reviews weren’t always glowing, and wait times sometimes tested patience, but we take full responsibility. Running a new café while navigating those early days of parenthood was tough, and we weren’t able to be as hands-on as we’d hoped.
April/May – Fresh Starts
Spring brought new energy. Shaun (Emma’s dad) and Barry got stuck into tidying up the courtyard, ready for warmer days, and we began restoring the beautiful listed windows that frame our space so perfectly.
June – Restoring the Garden
The garden turned out to be a much bigger task than expected! Two enormous fig trees had wrapped themselves around the gas mains, and a stubborn bamboo infestation meant serious digging was required. Thankfully, our friends at Xscapes Landscaping came to the rescue with their digger and helped us clear out the bamboo. Noggin (Neil) also came to the rescue and helped remove the fig trees before they caused more damage to the building and also lent a hand with various other aspects of the garden too 🙌. By the end of June, we finally had a blank canvas to work with.
July – Garden Ready for Guests
With the bamboo banished and tables built, the garden opened to customers. Umbrellas went up, drinks flowed, and it became a wonderful place for people to relax and enjoy the sunshine. The weeds and brambles, however, seemed determined to grow faster than we could dig them up, keeping us on our toes! There’s still a lot of work to do, but we’re saving the next phase for spring.
September – Emma Returns
By September, Emma was preparing to return to the café and take back the reins. Rebuilding our reputation was priority number one, and we worked hard to bring The Secret Garden back to the high standards our customers know and love.
November – Back to Normal
With Emma back in the kitchen, the café started to feel like its old self again. Things were running smoothly, the team had settled in, and we were ready for our very first Dorchester Christmas.
December – Festive Cheer
Our tree is up, the decorations are twinkling, and there’s a buzz of excitement as we head into the festive season. We even hosted our first Christmas wreath workshop with Floral Couture By Jay, and the café is now bursting with homemade cakes baked with love by Emma’s mum, Rosie. We’ve also added some delicious sweet and savoury pastries and expanded our vegan and gluten-free cake range.
However, December also brought a sad event for our community. On the 9th of December, The Gorge Café on South Street, just a few doors down from us, tragically burnt down. It was heartbreaking to see such a long-standing and loved business suffer, and our thoughts remain with their team as they navigate this difficult time.
Looking Ahead to 2025
As we share this article alongside the launch of our brand-new website, we can’t help but feel excited for what’s to come. After a year of laying foundations (and pulling up bamboo!), we’re so ready to embrace a much more “normal” year in Dorchester.
To everyone who joined us at The Secret Garden in 2024: thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Your patience, support, and kind words have meant the world to us during this transition. As we look ahead to 2025, we can’t wait to share some exciting new ideas (kicking off with Monday Parent Perks) and continue growing in our new home.
Wishing you all a very Happy New Year – see you in 2025!
Barry, Emma, Baby Elijah, and The Secret Garden Team
