Using examples from other gardens alongside Great Dixter in the UK and abroad, Fergus will look at what makes a successful composition. Read more
The garden at Great Dixter provides the perfect setting for students to learn about the art and craft of garden design. This innovative course will incorporate the fundamentals of garden design and is delivered through seminars, demonstrations and critical appraisal of the garden. We are now taking bookings for 2022. Read more
Richard Adams has woven his magic in the gardens of Dixter with a series of 12 paintings... Read more
This look behind the scenes takes you through the preparation and planning involved in getting a complex garden like Great Dixter ready through the winter for spring and summer. It will include the garden timetable, composting and soil preparation, weeding, thinning out of self-sowers, working off of boards, splitting, dividing and planting self-sowers, timing of seed sowing and pricking out, choosing annuals for adding to the display and a brief when and how to prune. All in all it’s an in Read more
Great Dixter is a renowned and innovative garden that depends on a high degree of craftsmanship to maintain and develop its year round display. This is an advanced course, exploring and teaching the skills necessary for establishing, developing and managing a garden in this style. Teaching takes place monthly through the year from February to January. Read more
In 2020 in response to the Coronavirus pandemic Great Dixter launched a series of online lectures on Zoom. These are now all available to watch online on demand on Vimeo Fergus will look at how the work is planned and prioritised over the Winter, and how the pressure is taken off the spring... Read more
Learn how to combine plants using colour, shape, texture, repetition and balance. The aim is to bring you closer to designing your borders and associating plants with ease. Includes slides and talks in the Great Hall, plus sessions in the garden. Read more
The magnificent Long Border will be used as an example of how to plan and put into practice a long season border using structural plants, underplanting and interplanting of bulbs, use of self-sowers, pockets of bedding, masking with climbers, and good maintenance. This intensive day will include slides, talks, and discussion sessions on the border. Read more
In 2020 in response to the Coronavirus pandemic Great Dixter launched a series of online lectures on Zoom. These are now all available to watch online on demand on Vimeo. Fergus will look at a range of pruning tasks in this first presentation on pruning... Read more
Miniature hurdles, made to a traditional Sussex design are used as plant supports in the borders at Great Dixter. Using a cleaving brake and shave horse, our resident expert Simon Johnson will guide you through the steps needed to make your own hurdles using sweet chestnut from our coppiced woodland. Read more
In 2020 in response to the Coronavirus pandemic Great Dixter launched a series of online lectures on Zoom. These are now all available to watch online on demand on Vimeo. Read more
In 2020 in response to the Coronavirus pandemic Great Dixter launched a series of online lectures on Zoom. These are now all available to watch online on demand on Vimeo. Fergus uses current examples from the garden to look at how layered planting at Great Dixter extends the season. Read more
The magnificent Long Border will be used as an example of how to plan and put into practice a long season border using structural plants, underplanting and interplanting of bulbs, use of self-sowers, pockets of bedding, masking with climbers, and good maintenance. This intensive day will include slides, talks and discussion sessions on the border. Read more
In 2020 in response to the Coronavirus pandemic Great Dixter launched a series of online lectures on Zoom. These are now all available to watch online on demand on Vimeo Read more
In 2020 in response to the Coronavirus pandemic Great Dixter launched a series of online lectures on Zoom. These are now all available to watch online on demand on Vimeo. Fergus looks at how self-sowers add an additional dynamic element to the layered system. Read more
An online webinar. Fergus will show the garden now in its spring glory and set the scene for the seasons to come... Read more
Discover the secrets of meadow gardening using the marvellous Great Dixter meadows as an example. You will be taken through the process of creating your own meadow and maintaining it. Includes slides and talks and practical sessions in the meadows. Read more
In 2020 in response to the Coronavirus pandemic Great Dixter launched a series of online lectures on Zoom. These are now all available to watch online on demand on Vimeo. Aaron will provide an insight into the history of the Great Dixter Kitchen, which is used to cater for house guests and Symposium attendees as it was in Christopher Lloyd’s time. Read more
In 2020 in response to the Coronavirus pandemic Great Dixter launched a series of online lectures on Zoom. These are now all available to watch online on demand on Vimeo Fergus will give the background to the biodiversity audit at Great Dixter, explain the process followed and will explore the reasons for such high diversity, especially in an intensively managed flower garden. Read more
In 2020 in response to the Coronavirus pandemic Great Dixter launched a series of online lectures on Zoom. These are now all available to watch online on demand on Vimeo. Fergus will study how to use annuals and biennials (including cannas, dahlias, and tender salvias) within the layered system to extend the seasons and add to your seedbank. Read more