Today we’d like to introduce you to Angela Withers.
Hi Angela, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I grew up on a cattle station (ranch) in Queensland, Australia, and met my husband, an architect from Atlanta, on a university tour to Expo 70 in Osaka Japan. After our marriage we lived in Atlanta, then moved with our children to Lakeland, Florida, then to Windermere in 2000. I became involved with Nehrling Gardens around 2003, after building our home in Windermere and joining the Windermere Garden Club. The historic property was the former home of renowned horticulturist, ornithologist, and writer Dr. Henry Nehrling (1853 – 1929) and had been rescued by garden club member Barbara Bochiardy and her husband architect Howard Bochiardy. After Howard’s death Barbara found it difficult to maintain the property but wanted it saved. Rollins College German Language Professor Nancy Decker was studying the German American community of Gotha and got to know Barbara. Soon the non-profit Henry Nehrling Society was formed to try to save the property and obtained its National Historic Register listing. However, it was a struggle to raise the funds to purchase the property, and there was danger it would be lost to development. I saw the tremendous potential of the beautiful though badly overgrown site as a community resource to preserve Nehrling’s legacy and share his knowledge and passion for plants, birds and the natural world.
I joined the Society and we all worked diligently through many setbacks until finally, we succeeded in purchasing the property in late 2009. Since then, it has been an extraordinary journey as we have worked to uncover what remained of the gardens and to rehabilitate the gracious old 1880s wood-frame vernacular home. Until a recent Florida Division of Historic Resources matching grant to repair and repaint the house, we had received no taxpayer funding and only hired our first part-time staff person two years ago. We have received extraordinary support from volunteers, individual donors, foundations and businesses as we bring Nehrling Gardens back to life.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Raising the funds to purchase the historic Nehrling Gardens site proved much harder than we anticipated. We learned that very few people could see past the badly overgrown condition of the property and envision its potential. Gotha is a historic rural settlement in unincorporated Orange County, and as such we had very little pull with government authorities. Much of Nehrling’s remarkable story had been forgotten since the property was sold after his death in 1929. The subsequent owners, Julian & Maggie Nally, became known for their own horticultural work but after their deaths in 1977, the property was subdivided. Fortunately, the Bochiardy’s, who purchased the remaining homestead site in 1981, also appreciated its true historic value and Howard designed the large garage wing addition to blend appropriately with the old home. Our challenge now is to make improvements to the unfinished wing and outdoor facilities so we can more effectively provide educational activities for the community. We have a wonderful part-time administrative coordinator but will need more staff to develop our programs.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am president of the nonprofit Henry Nehrling Society Inc. DBA Nehrling Gardens. As such I wear many hats since we are largely a volunteer organization, with one part-time administrative coordinator restoring and operating a historic home and garden that is open to the public.
I never imagined I would find myself running a non-profit dedicated to rehabilitating a Florida Heritage Landmark site! My only credentials were a bachelor’s degree in history, a love of gardens and the natural world, and leadership experience in other organizations from PTAs to art museum supporters to garden clubs.
Working to save Nehrling Gardens and bring it back to life for the community has been extraordinarily rewarding. I think that growing up in the outback of Australia, years of boarding school and university far from home, extensive travel, an amazing husband and children all have given me some ability to adapt, to accept challenges, and to appreciate and work with all the wonderful people who have helped grow Nehrling Gardens. I love art, and it has been rewarding to work with the local arts community to host plein air events and art strolls at the gardens.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
First, travel whenever you can. The new perspectives that travel brings will benefit whatever you are doing in your career and in life. And I think when there is an opportunity to do something interesting, even if it’s a little out of your comfort zone, you should always do it. I went to Expo 70 in Japan because I had college friends studying Japanese who talked me into it – and there I met my husband. At 22, I married and moved to Atlanta on the other side of the world, and here I am in Orlando! Every step along the way has been full of challenges and tremendous rewards.
Pricing:
- $5 per person suggested donation for Nehrling Gardens tours
Contact Info:
- Email: Angela.Withers@NehrlingGardens.org
- Website: www.NehrlingGardens.org
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NehrlingGardens
Image Credits
Susan Torregrosa – Studio T Photography (image of Angela in front of Nehrling Gardens house – Susan gave us the rights to this image.
