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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.
An amazing collection of colourful perennials make up the
majority of The Oasis Gardens; there is a dedicated hosta bed with
over 50 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 is also a Japanese garden, rockeries, a rose
garden, beautifully planted ponds, a herb garden, rhododendrons and azaleas,
and beds full of different shrubs. There is a lot to see and admire for any
visitor interested in gardening, from the beginner to the keen enthusiast.
And wildlife loves the multi-coloured display of flowers.
Oasis Woods provide a
glimpse of what our ancient forests looked like before most of it was
cleared for agriculture and other human activities long ago. A gentle
walk through bluebells and primroses (in May) leads downwards to a beautiful
woodland stream inhabited by trout and visited by kingfishers.
Woodpeckers and owls are heard daily.
 There are large enclosures for meerkats and bat-eared
foxes at The Oasis. These fascinating animals provide an educational
link to our work in South Africa, where we also have nature reserves.
Visitors can see these animals close-up and learn about what we are doing
overseas. The Oasis also accommodates a breeding colony of the endangered
natterjack toad; many thousands of tadpoles have been released in sites
where the natterjack once thrived in Southern England.
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