People
Photo: Richard Bloom – @richardbloomphoto Instagram
The team at Great Dixter is led by Chief Executive and Head Gardener, Fergus Garrett.
Fergus has held the position of Head Gardener for the internationally acclaimed Great Dixter Garden in Northiam, East Sussex, UK since 1993. In 2006, Fergus took over the position of CEO of The Great Dixter Charitable Trust.
Raised in the United Kingdom and Turkey, Fergus studied horticulture at Wye College, graduating in 1989.
- In 2008 Fergus was awarded the Royal Horticultural Society Associate of Honour.
- In 2012 he received the International Contributor Award from the Perennial Plant Association,
- In 2013 Fergus received the Longhouse Landscape Award and in the same year, the Garden Media Guild Golden Nisse Award.
- In 2015 Fergus was awarded the Veitch Memorial Medal for outstanding contribution to the practice of horticulture.
- On 8th April 2019, Fergus received the highest accolade the Royal Horticultural Society can give: The Victoria Medal of Honour (VMH).
In this section:
Fergus believes in passing on his knowledge and expertise through the national and international student and volunteer programmes at Great Dixter and via the many worldwide lectures he gives each year. He is a hands-on gardener and plantsman who has a keen interest in working practices. He is interested in ecology and how an ornamental garden and biodiversity interact.
Today, Fergus continues with his role as CEO and Head Gardener at Great Dixter as well as spearheading several projects including the greening up of urban and suburban communities, biodiversity related projects in towns and villages, and training students from all over the world in the Dixter style of flower gardening.