Great Dixter House and Gardens

About

“Great Dixter – bringing together creativity, community and nature.”

Idyllically rooted in a quiet corner of Sussex, Great Dixter inspires, educates, and welcomes gardeners and visitors from across the world. 

‘"Scale, complexity, loveliness, welcoming.’"

Great Dixter nurtures a dynamic open community, educating, respecting past traditions, and considering the future by leading on horticulture, ecology, and artistic practices through sensitive communication whether to gardening beginners or world experts.  

"Beautiful, unspoilt, infectious, generous, timeless, innovative."  

In a fast changing, complex world, Dixter is a very special sanctuary where you can take a deep breath and just be.

Great Dixter was the family home of gardener and gardening writer Christopher Lloyd. It was the focus of his energy and enthusiasm and fuelled over 40 years of books and articles. 

Now under the stewardship of Fergus Garrett and the Great Dixter Charitable Trust, Great Dixter is an historic house, a garden of world renown, a centre of education, and a place of pilgrimage for horticulturists from across the world.

Facilities

Shop: Selling a selection of gardening products including tools, as well as books by Christopher Lloyd and other authors, pottery, gift items, clothing and knitted items, confectionery, greetings cards, post cards, and wooden products made at Great Dixter.

Café: Quench your thirst or satisfy your hunger at The Loggia Café with a selection of homemade items including scones, cakes, sausage rolls, barista coffee, tea, and ice cream. 

Picnics may be eaten on the grassy car parks where there are picnic tables.

Nursery: Opened in 1954, the nursery remains a small, personal and professional nursery. Open throughout the year, to everyone, not only house and garden visitors. No entrance charge to the nursery. See website for more detail.

Online Shopping: The Nursery and Shop also have online shopping websites.

Accessibility

Please visit the website for detailed information on accessibility 

Please note that some areas of the garden are not easily accessed by wheelchair users or pushchairs. 

An accessibility map is available from the ticket office on arrival at Great Dixter.

Staff will be happy to help you to make the most of your visit.

Education 

Learning has long been at the heart of the work of Great Dixter. As one of the most dynamic and complex flower gardens in the world, Great Dixter feels a responsibility to pass on the skills needed to garden this way. 

Visit the website for more information on our adult courses, lectures, symposia, and scholarships, as well as our weekly pre school group and school visits.

Events

The event programme includes a Spring and an Autumn Plant Fair, a Christmas Fair and a varied education programme including online lectures, workshops and adult study days and courses. Visit the website ‘What’s On’ page for more information.

Image credits: Carol Casselden