Visit Visitor information Visitor information Drought Click here to see how the Great Dixter Gardens have coped during the droughts and why our plants are thriving. Great Dixter Shop Our shop offers a selection of high quality gardening tools and workwear, tried and tested in the garden, as well as books by Christopher Lloyd and other authors, handmade and locally sourced products including pottery, knitted items, jams and chutneys, confectionary, greetings cards, post cards, and wooden products made at Great Dixter. Cafe The Spring of 2019 saw the completion of a new kitchen and catering improvements at the Loggia cafe. A home-cooked and hearty offering is available incorporating produce grown in the vegetable garden, alongside tea, freshly ground coffee and home-made cakes. Seating is located at tables in the shop garden and under the cover of green-roofed shelters. Picnics may be eaten on the grassy car parks where there are picnic tables Nursery Mail Order and Online Shop Your ongoing support is welcome and appreciated at this difficult time and we have extended Nursery Mail Order until further notice and you can now buy plants online. Our Online Shop will continue to operate as normal. Events As a response to Covid-19 we have introduced a series of online lectures which you can watch on demand on Vimeo. Information and bookings can be made here. Great Dixter House and Gardens is in the village of Northiam, which lies in the Sussex Weald, 9 miles from Rye and 12 miles from Hastings. Great Dixter is approximately three quarters of a mile off of the A28, which runs through Northiam. Follow the brown tourist signs once in the village. Google Map. To improve your visit, please take the time to browse these pages regarding planning your visit, as well as the the general information below. General information With the exception of guide dogs, no dogs are permitted in the garden. Please note that dogs must be kept on leads in the car park. Guide books are available at the Ticket Office, Shop and Nursery in English, French and German. Families We very much welcome families to Great Dixter. Part of the ethos of the place is dedicated to the nurturing of young minds with respect to nature and the beauty of their environment. We offer a family annual ticket (for 2 adults and 2 children), which can be purchased at the ticket office. Families with young children should be aware that pathways are narrow and use of pushchairs may be difficult in places. We recommend use of baby carriers. Pushchairs may be left in the Barn Garden under the barn at your own risk. Baby changing facilities are available in the disabled toilets and at Dixter Farm buildings. Our families page has details of activities that can make a visit to Great Dixter even more magical. Narrow Paths In August and September the garden is at its fullest and as a consequence some paths are narrow and difficult to navigate, particularly in a wheelchair or with a push chair. We cannot do much about this without a fairly significant change to the ethos behind the planting, so advise if this is likely to be a problem that these months are avoided. It should be said however that many parts of the garden are accessible in these months and we certainly don’t want to discourage wheelchair users and people with push chairs from coming during this time. Garden Map Download our garden map Health and Safety Information Great Dixter Charitable Trust works hard to manage risk to visitors both in the garden and the wider estate, through regular monitoring, and systems of incident and accident reporting. There are a few areas that visitors should be aware of: Paving Stones Paving stones in the garden may be uneven or slippery when wet. Please take care when walking on the paths. Poisonous Plants and Allergies Some plants are poisonous and some may lead to an allergic response if touched. Parents and carers should be careful to supervise children and dependents in the garden at all times. Open Water For your safety, please be warned that there are a number of unfenced ponds in the garden. It is not advisable to leave children or dependents unsupervised. The location of these ponds is shown on the garden plan and within our leaflet. Weil’s Disease Weils disease can be caused by contact with water infected with rat urine. Some of our educational activities involve pond dipping and care should be taken to cover any cuts or abrasions prior to taking part in these activities, and to thoroughly wash hands afterwards. Lyme Disease Lyme disease is transmitted by ticks which can be carried by deer and other animals, which are prevalent in the East Sussex countryside. Long trousers and sleeves are recommended particularly for educational activities where a visit to our woodland is included. Early symptoms can be a characteristic ‘bullseye’ rash and flu like symptoms. It is important to visit your doctor early if you suspect you may have Lyme disease as the symptoms can be serious if untreated. Meadow Cuttings Meadow cuttings will be available to collect for a limited period by appointment in August or September for those hoping to create their own meadow. Please contact [email protected] to register your interest.