“ The variety of plants in the Park is
extraordinary... The combination of exotic animals
and flora has achieved a near perfect balance.”Gardener Roy Lancaster, CBET
he Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens,
near Burford in Oxfordshire, is celebrating
its 50th anniversary this year and continues
to inspire future generations to appreciate
the beauty and diversity of the natural
world. The Park was the brainchild of one man, John
Heyworth, who wanted to rescue the decaying Manor
House and parkland he grew up in. With the help of
gardeners and keepers he turned a bramble-strewn
wilderness into a beautiful zoological collection. Over
the past five decades, millions of visitors have enjoyed
the beauty of nature at the park.What makes the Cotswold Wildlife Park stand out is
its glorious gardens, which were recently featured on
BBC’s Gardeners’ World. Presenter Adam Frost praised
the gardens and found out about surprising planting
schemes designed with animals in mind. Another fan
is renowned gardener Roy Lancaster who has visited
the park on numerous occasions and has donated to
the ever-growing collection of unusual and exotic
specimens at the park.Sponsored ContentThe gardens make a beautiful backdrop to the 260
different species of animals to see, from leaf-cutter
ants in the Insect House to the White Rhinos in their
huge enclosure in front of the Victorian gothic Manor
House. The parklands trees and imaginative plantings
blur the boundaries between the enclosures and
the paths, giving a natural feel to the wildlife park,
without large fences to obstruct your views. In the
summer months the Old Walled Garden is a particular
highlight for visitors, including the arid beds around
the Meerkat enclosure filled with succulents and
numerous huge cacti, which echo their natural desert
habitat. The Tropical House is a riot of exotic planting
with free-flying tropical birds, sleepy sloths, potoroos
and bats. This beautiful landscape is not only filled
with animals for all ages to enjoy, whatever the season,
but also a level wheelchair friendly site with excellent
paths and benches dotted throughout, from which to
enjoy the vistas and relax with nature.Contact:
01993-823006
[email protected]
http://www.cotswoldwildlifepark.co.ukWelcoming groups
for 50 years
- Left: White Rhinos make their home in front
of the Manor House. Below: The gardens
were featured on BBC Gardeners’ World.
Photo credits: Anna Fletcher.Photo credit: Tim Sandall.groupleisureandtravel.com April 2020 29
Cotswold Wildlife Park & Gardens