Blooming fun for CBeebies fans at Marwell

Families have been enjoying his fun-filled one-man stage show featuring veggie stories, gardening games and catchy nursery songs to entertain tiddlers and parents alike. To sum it up in the words of a famous aubergine: “Let’s sing and dance and have some fun!”

Mr Bloom, who is played by Ben Faulks, an actor, musician and writer, will perform at the zoo’s summer show stage opposite the giraffe house at 1pm and 2.30pm on Saturday 18 August, Sunday 19 August, Saturday 25 August, Sunday 26 August and Monday 27 August.

The shows are included in general admission to the zoo and there is no need to book tickets separately.

Meanwhile on weekdays in August, don’t miss crazy botanist Dr Chris Anthemum’s live action puppet show featuring hilarious Marvellous Marwellous mechanical man-eating plant puppets.

Dr Chris tells the story of his travels to find a rare plant for the zoo’s new Tropical House, which has grown a little more than he bargained for!

Finally, artist Michelle Reader has designed and created 10 animals for a unique recycled sculpture trial which are on display at the zoo throughout August.

The distinctive sculptures, some which were created with the help of children during interactive workshops at Marwell Hall, draw attention to environmental issues, encouraging people to consider how items they would normally throw away can be re-used.

Michelle’s sculptures are often representations of the natural world – for example a jaguar made from satellite dishes and remote controls, a bumblebee with a gas mask for a face, or a bird with Venetian blind feathers and shelf brackets for a beak. Visitors can pick up their trail from the zoo’s Information Cabin and can even be in with a chance of winning an annual membership for a family of four to the 140-acre park, which is home to an incredible range of exotic and endangered species from ring-tailed lemurs to majestic giraffes, and curious meerkats, to stunning snow leopards.