photo of the oasis gardens

The Oasis

The Oasis and Oasis Woods is a 15-acre nature reserve and education centre set within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Mid Sussex.      

A variety of different sections provide us with a wealth of training opportunities for our team members, something that is especially important before they work overseas. Visitors to The Oasis are frequently surprised by how much is going on.

The Oasis Gardens are stunning. An amazing collection of colourful perennials provides the main focus: there is a dedicated hosta bed with over 70 varieties, a gravel garden for those plants that need extra drainage, a "hot" bed full of the brightest colours, a daylily and geranium bed, and much more. There are also beautifully planted ponds, rhododendrons and azaleas. Wildlife loves the multi-coloured display of flowers, with great crested newts in the ponds. Our standards are high.

Oasis Woods provide a glimpse of what ancient forest looked like before most of it was cleared for agriculture and other human activities long ago. There are mass displays of bluebells in May, leading downwards to a beautiful woodland stream inhabited by trout and visited by kingfishers. Woodpeckers and owls are heard daily. Wild deer are commonly seen.

There's a large enclosure for meerkats at The Oasis. These fascinating animals provide an educational link to our work in South Africa.