Coates Wood

Wander through the trees of Australasia into South America in one of our most atmospheric woodlands.

A group of people walk a path through a dense forest

As soon as you step into Coates Wood, it feels like you’ve entered another part of the world.

Ochre red bark, silvery foliage and the menthol fragrance of eucalyptus transport you to Australia. 

Pass through the woodlands of Australia and New Zealand spotting eucalyptus, Wollemi pine (Wollemia nobillis) and southern beech (Nothofagus sp).

This area is home to the national collection of Nothofagus, a distant cousin  of our native beech (Fagus sylvatica), but exclusive to the southern hemisphere. 

Find Coates Wood at marker 24 on our Map of Wakehurst

Australia moves to Chile and one of the most dramatic landscapes at Wakehurst.

On a steep hill is an extraordinary planting of over 60 monkey puzzles, collected from Chile by Wakehurst horticulturists.

Endangered in the wild, monkey-puzzle seed cannot be stored (a trait know as recalcitrance) in the Millennium Seed Bank and can only be protected through living collections like Wakehurst’s. 

 

Explore our Tree Trunk Trek

Crawl, climb and get to know Wakehurst’s trees on this adventurous log trail in Coates Wood.

Children climbing on Tree Trunk Trek
Children on Tree Trunk Trek © Jim Holden

Woodlands of the world  

Wakehurst’s woodlands contain specimens of temperate trees from all around the world and carpets of wild flowers which provide contrasting colours throughout the year.

Our trees are grouped according to the areas of the world in which they grow naturally.

Known as a phytogeographic planting system, it’s an amazing way to travel the world from the heart of Sussex.

Explore more woodlands of the world