The Great Dixter Appeal

Great Dixter House & Gardens

Great Dixter was the home of Christopher Lloyd, known to his friends as “Christo”. The house dates back to 1460 and the estate is mentioned in the Domesday Book. In 1910 Edwin Lutyens and Nathaniel Lloyd, Christo’s father, restored and enlarged the house and designed the garden.

Over the last 50 years, the 57-acre estate, located in East Sussex, has been lovingly cultivated by Christo and his team of dedicated gardeners.

The head gardener, Fergus Garrett, has worked with Christo since 1991. The style of dynamic and innovative plantsmanship that Christo has championed, combined with the partnership that Christo and Fergus developed, means that the garden is now widely recognised as being one of the most important in the world.

In 2005, more than 44,000 visitors came to Dixter to see the gardens and tour the historic house. Christo was a long-standing and highly respected writer and his column “In My Garden” became an unmissable feature in Country Life Magazine which he wrote for 42 years without missing an issue. Dixter has always been shared, not only with his friends, but also with the gardening public. He especially welcomed horticultural students by giving them free access to the gardens.

Before his death in January 2006, Christo turned his attention to the future of Great Dixter so it could continue to inspire and teach future generations about gardening “The Dixter Way”.

The Great Dixter Charitable Trust

Christo recently formed The Great Dixter Charitable Trust. It was his wish that the Trust would own the Estate when he died.

The trustees, together with the highly committed team of gardeners led by Fergus Garrett, are determined to ensure that the spirit of Dixter continues to thrive into the future. Their aim is to secure continued public access to the house and gardens and to build a new educational dimension to stimulate the interest of people of all ages in horticulture.

On Christo’s death, his 40% share of the Estate passed to The Great Dixter Charitable Trust. The Trustees are now launching this appeal to raise approximately £3m. This is needed to help fulfil the Trust’s charitable objectives of maintaining, restoring and enhancing the house and gardens at Great Dixter. It is also the Trustees intention at some time in the future, if there are sufficient funds, for the Trust to acquire the remainder of the Estate and thereby secure it in perpetuity for the benefit of the visiting public and garden enthusiasts.

Your contribution will help us to look after and protect this truly unique horticultural gem and keep it open to the public.

The appeal’s success will ensure that Dixter offers:

• Public access to the House and Gardens
• The highest quality of gardening
• Education through garden and nursery workshops
• A residential apprenticeship programme teaching people how to garden the Dixter way
• A unique meeting place for gardeners and garden lovers to come and share their experiences.
  

The Friends of Great Dixter

As part of its appeal effort, The Great Dixter Trust is launching a “Friends of Great Dixter” programme. Its aim is to secure the support of individuals who will each make a small monthly donation.

In return for their support, this community of friends will enjoy:

• Preferential access to the House and Gardens
• Invitations to Friends of Great Dixter events
• A quarterly “Friends of Great Dixter” newsletter

A small monthly covenant means that individuals who believe in what Great Dixter and Christo represent can make a direct and very significant impact on helping us maintain this precious place for the future.

How to find out more:
If you would like an information pack please contact The Great Dixter Charitable Trust by sending an email to: friends@greatdixter.co.uk or calling the Trust on +44 (0)870 922 2830 leaving your name, address and telephone number.

If you would like to make your donation online then please click here

If you would like to talk to a representative of the Trust in person, please call 01797 252878

The Great Dixter Charitable Trust is appealing to anyone who is passionate about what Great Dixter represents. Join the Friends of Great Dixter now!

We need your active help to promote and support this appeal so that Great Dixter can inspire future generations.