The 2025 Elizabeth England Lecture

Fergus Garrett of Great Dixter will talk about “Designing with Plants” to Hardys and guests March 6, 1:30 to 4 at the Esquimalt Gorge Park Pavilion. Tickets are $20 via Karelo – the link to Karelo is here.  He will be talking about connecting to the countryside, how to combine plants using colour, shape, texture, repetition and punctuation, using Great Dixter and other gardens as examples.  

More on Fergus:
Fergus, the CEO and Head Gardener at the legendary Great Dixter garden started by Christopher Lloyd, is the winner of numerous horticultural awards and honours in the UK, including The Victoria Medal of Honour from the Royal Horticultural Society in 2019.

Fergus has held the position of Head Gardener for the internationally acclaimed Great Dixter Garden in Northiam, East Sussex, UK since 1993: It was from the charismatic gardener and writer Christopher Lloyd (1921-2006) and his unique gardening skills that Fergus learnt to keep the gardens of Great Dixter constantly changing throughout the seasons and to be adventurous in trying out new plants and plant-combinations.

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. He is also keen on woodland management and green wood working.
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