Meet Eden in the Wilde

Having overcome adversity growing up in Manchester’s Moss Side area to own her own business, Natasha Nelson, founder of Eden in the Wilde, has now been revealed as the Start Up Loans Ambassador for the North West.

The business is a Manchester-based luxury floral hire enterprise, specialising in realistic artificial floral installations. She runs the business alongside being the manager of Timpsons-owned venue, The Nest in Wythenshawe.

Her journey to becoming an Ambassador has been unconventional, including significant adversity during her childhood and a recent neurodiversity diagnosis that contributed to a lack of confidence and feelings of unworthiness.

Natasha Nelson’s childhood experience was heavily impacted by being undiagnosed with ADHD and the challenges that came with having her needs misunderstood and unsupported. This childhood experience may be one of the reasons why it took her a few years to convince herself that she would be able to run a business. Natasha Nelson, Founder of Eden in the Wilde, said: “My undiagnosed ADHD significantly affected my confidence and self-worth. At the same time, I did not have access to the financial support from friends or family that many entrepreneurs rely on when starting a small business.”

However, she has been able to start the business after securing a £16,000 Start Up Loan earlier this year with support from Business Enterprise Fund. She used the funding to source stock from a supplier in China, develop her first collection, and create a professionally styled shoot with a photographer, model, and videographer, helping her bring her vision to life and establish the foundations of the business.

She has described entering the wedding industry as difficult, with barriers including the underrepresentation of Black florists and the highly competitive nature of the sector.

The idea behind Eden in the Wilde was sparked after Natasha was asked by a colleague to design and create a wedding arch that consisted of artificial and real flowers in May 2024. With no previous experience in floristry, the project sparked a passion and made her realise this was what she was meant to be doing. She spent the following years building her confidence, creating floral designs for family and friends, and overcoming the financial and personal barriers that made her hesitant to enter the wedding industry.

Now, she is challenging outdated perceptions of artificial flowers by creating realistic, beautifully styled designs that show couples they can achieve an emotional and luxurious look without the cost and limitations of traditional fresh flowers.