The 2023 Appeal

As this year is expected to be particularly tight for money coming in, the 2023 Appeal was launched in April.The money raised will help fill the gap left by probable reduced visitor numbers; increased costs and at the same time allow Fergus to realise his vision for the place.A suggested minimum of £500 is invited and as a thank you, donors will be entitled to receive a complimentary linen panel (see front cover) which is in a limited edition of 200.

In the village of Benenden deep in rural Kent, next to the church,a masterpiece has been,and is continuing to be,worked on. It is a garden,but much more.

The house, originally the bothy in Cherry Ingrams’ vegetable garden, has an atmosphere similar to Dennis Severs’, for like him Charlotte Molesworth is an artist. Charm,beauty,eccentricity can be applied to Charlotte as much as to her garden,house and work.

The garden is full of topiary, the plantings are understated and perfect in their combinations, the pond is full of wildlife,the vegetable garden is organic,the field is awash with wild things.There are chickens and a donkey. Everywhere you look is beauty and chosen/planted/made with an artist’s eye.

Charlotte has drawn this wonderful image of Great Dixter and Rosie has made each individual screen print on the press in her studio down a country lane outside Salisbury. Rosie was artist in residence at Great Dixter in 2014. She drew beautiful images of the garden,taught classes on the art of plein air and generally was a spirit of grace and charm. Her mother came to a plant fair and cooked deliciousness in an iron pot, as she had seen done in Serbia where they lived as a family for some years.