Fergus Garrett: Biodiversity at Great Dixter
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The 2020 biodiversity audit at Great Dixter has revealed how extraordinarily rich the gardens and estate are in wildlife. For example, within just a few acres, Great Dixter is host to over 40% of the UK’s bee species, including many rare and scarce species. Head Gardener Fergus Garrett gives the background to the biodiversity audit, uncovering the process involved as well as exploring the reasons for such diversity, especially in an intensively gardened flower garden.
The findings from Great Dixter can relate directly to other gardens large and small, proving how important a resource these spaces are for conserving some of our most threatened species. Collectively, along with roadside verges, brownfield sites, and urban and suburban spaces, gardens can play an important role in the future.
Biographical information
Appointed in 1993 as Head Gardener of Great Dixter by Christopher Lloyd, Fergus continues to keep the garden constantly changing throughout the season by trying out new plants and plant-combinations. Fergus believes in passing on his knowledge through national and international student- and volunteer programmes at Dixter and through worldwide lectures he gives every year. Fergus is keen on plant communities in the wild and especially plants native to Turkey. Among other honours, Fergus was given the Royal Horticultural Society Associate of Honour in 2008 and in 2015, the Veitch Memorial Medal for outstanding contribution to the practise of horticulture as well as the Victoria Medal of Honour in 2019.
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