Great Dixter

Great Dixter stands in Northiam, a village in East Sussex. The house was created in 1910–12 by Edwin Lutyens, who joined an old 15th-century building with another brought from Kent and added his own designs. It is a Grade I listed building, recognised for its historic importance. The garden is also Grade I listed and has kept a long tradition of skilled planting. Three 18th-century oast houses and a 15th-century barn stand in the grounds, each Grade II* listed. The house began as a 15th-century home called Dixter, bought by businessman Nathaniel Lloyd in 1909. He moved a 16th-century house from Kent to the site and had Lutyens design new parts to make Great Dixter. The result is a romantic version of a medieval manor, with rooms like a great hall, parlour, solar and yeoman’s hall. The garden became famous thanks to Christopher Lloyd, a well-known garden writer and broadcaster, who shaped its arts and crafts style. Topiary, a long border, an orchard and a wild flower meadow form its main features. Fergus Garrett, who worked with Lloyd until his death in 2006, now manages the garden and has introduced new planting ideas. Visitors walk through a house that feels like a medieval manor brought to life. The garden shows bold experiments in plant form, colour and pairing, yet stays orderly. The oast houses and the old barn add to the historic feel of the place. Study days, workshops and lectures are held often to teach gardening skills. A charitable trust keeps the house and garden open and running, with student placements helping to pass on expertise. The garden’s planting remains lively and inventive, drawing people who want to see a living example of fine gardening.