An interview with Evenley Wood Garden

Ready to Spring into action!

Set amongst the beautiful Northamptonshire countryside, Evenley Wood Garden is a 60-acre privately owned woodland garden containing a large collection of flowers, trees, shrubs, and wildlife. Hosting a number of themed events throughout the year, Evenley Wood Garden has something for everyone to enjoy whilst in the great outdoors.

Tell us a little about yourself and how your business originated?

Originally purchased in 1980 by Tim Whiteley who recognised the potential of the wood, he proceeded to apply his abundance of knowledge and experience by transforming the wood garden over the following 37 years.

Tim sadly died in 2017 and Nicola Taylor, Tim’s Daughter, took on the mantle of running Evenley Wood Garden. Although this was a huge task and an enormous challenge, she passionately believed that the Wood was her father’s legacy for future generations.

What is in store for the garden in the future?

This year has seen our team grow with the addition of a Wellness and Nature Connection Coordinator. She has begun to offer wellness walks, guided meditation, bushcraft, and foraging to encourage people to see the garden as a benefit to their mental health and wellbeing. After the testing times of the last few years, we all need to focus on our relationship with Nature.

But more importantly, how does our local community supports us? In the last few years, we have enjoyed huge support from Brackley and surrounding areas. We have a team of around 30 volunteers who give up their valuable time and knowledge to help keep the garden looking great, look after the birds, man the entrance hut, and complete maintenance jobs on site.

We believe that working sustainably, locally and in collaboration with other local businesses is part of why we have been successful.

How are you making a difference to the local community?

This year has seen our team grow with the addition of a Wellness and Nature Connection Coordinator. She has begun to offer wellness walks, guided meditation, bushcraft, and foraging to encourage people to see the garden as a benefit to their mental health and wellbeing. After the testing times of the last few years, we all need to focus on our relationship with Nature.

But more importantly, how does our local community supports us? In the last few years, we have enjoyed huge support from Brackley and surrounding areas. We have a team of around 30 volunteers who give up their valuable time and knowledge to help keep the garden looking great, look after the birds, man the entrance hut, and complete maintenance jobs on site.

We believe that working sustainably, locally and in collaboration with other local businesses is part of why we have been successful.

What makes you different from the competition?

I would say passion, although I am sure everyone says that! The team we have put together over the last five years are passionate and truly dedicated to the development of the garden. We also could not do what we do without our team of volunteers, who always give 100% even on a wet, freezing day in January! Our staff come with a variety of skills and experience, once you have found their passion it is just a matter of allowing them to flourish doing what they love. We are never complacent, diversifying and evolving keeps the garden exciting and fresh, we consistently have several projects on the go at one time. Gardens should never stand still, they are a living, breathing entity, they tell a story of where you have been but also the direction you are heading in.

What is on in 2023?

Along with our traditional events, such as Easter trails, Rare Plant Fair, Autumn Day, Halloween and of course, Enchanted Christmas, Gifford Circus will be joining us again for their new show, LES ENFANTS DU PARADIS. We will also be hosting our own version of Last Night at the Proms in September, The Wizard of Oz in the summer, and of course we have a lovely relationship with Brackley Youth Theatre who will be putting on a performance of Alice in Wonderland in July.

Evenley Wood Garden

Evenley Wood Garden

Evenley Wood Garden is open every day from 10am-4pm
Cafe open Tuesday - Sunday

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