Sissinghurst Castle garden and Great Dixter garden at Northiam are now open for visitors. But you will need to book for both of them, using their websites, and read the instructions carefully or you won’t get in!
There was an article entitled “the hidden gardens of lockdown” about the National Trust, Great Dixter and some other gardens in the Observer newspaper this weekend, if you are interested.
Feedback following the opening of Sissinghurst has been “overwhelmingly positive not just about the garden, but how the re-opening effort is well organised and implemented” according to Philip Barnes, the general manager.
I was lucky enough to visit Great Dixter earlier this week and if you are wondering how the garden is being managed safely, it has a one way trail marked out and stewards to supervise. The trail takes you comprehensively round the site, though you can only see the vegetable garden from a distance, if that’s your special interest.
The paths selected take you through the most beautiful parts and you enter and leave by different entrances. It was a joy to see and I hope the gallery below gives you some idea.
Do take the trouble to book and help these great gardens flourish for the future. We all know the National Trust, but Great Dixter is a charitable trust in its own right, has had to furlough many of its gardeners, and is really suffering from the inevitable income drop. I have to say the quality of the garden has most definitely not suffered, it is indeed glorious!
Image Credits: Gillian Roder .