Fergus Garrett’s Great Dixter

Great Dixter was the family home of the great gardener and writer, Christopher Lloyd. Under Fergus Garrett’s watchful eye the gardens have blossomed and each year tantalise our eyes as they become increasingly vibrant. 

Situated near Rye, Great Dixter is a stones throw from Tunbridge Wells and a must go to for all budding gardening creatives.

Our recent visit this May was with our great friends Suzy and Laurie - all the way from Panama. They are used to vibrancy in their gardens so we thought this garden would go down well and perhaps stimulate further discussion.

Well we weren’t disappointed, it was magnificent! 

It is probably one of the most exciting and constantly changing gardens I have ever been to. With the backdrop of the beautiful house, built in C15th and restored and extended in 1910 by Sir Edwin Lutyens. The gardens are punctuated by a series of walled compartments created by Yew hedging and topiary. This provides a backdrop to the kaleidoscope of colour, that seems almost random in some beds, but it works, like a carefully orchestrated meadow of constantly changing colour. 

It's absolutely stunning.

This year the Peacock Garden featured cow parsley, alchemilla mollis, evergreen ferns and some statuesque giant fennel (Ferula communis) with its beautiful yellow flowerheads. I’m trying to think how I can incorporate the fennel in our garden - we will see.

The mix of semi-tropical with traditional British perennials works so splendidly as you can see in the Long Border. 

Talking tropical the old rose garden has been lovingly converted into a tropical paradise by Christopher and Fergus, it still features many of Christopher’s mothers prize roses, but these now sit among banana trees, tree ferns and other exotic planting creating a tropical oasis its easy to lose yourself in.

Suzy and Laurie will be taking some great ideas back to their gardens in Panama.

Hats off to Fergus and all his team who continue to inspire us all.

You can find Great Dixter at Northiam, Rye in East Sussex. Check it out at www.greatdixter.co.uk