Great Dixter has had to cancel its Spring Plant Fair due to waterlogging
Great Dixter is the latest garden to have closed its doors due to the wet and windy weather this season after an announcement that the Spring Plant Fair has been cancelled.
The Plant Fair, which was due to take place this weekend, has been cancelled because the fields used for parking have been completely waterlogged.
You may also like
- Plants that will survive a flood
- How to collect rainwater
- 17 of the best plants for wet soil in winter
- Saving water in garden design
On Instagram Great Dixter posted: “It is with huge regret that we have cancelled this weekends Spring Plant Fair. The fields that we use for parking are completely waterlogged, apologies for late notice but we had hoped the weather would be kinder to us this week, instead we’ve had even more rain.”
Great Dixter’s Plant Fairs are a highlight in many gardener and horticulturalist’s calendars, and bring together plant nurseries including Avon Bulbs, Beth Chatto Plants, Wildegoose Nursery, Hardys Cottage Plants and Pelham Plants to sell to visitors.
Other gardens have had to close or delay opening for the season because of the recent wet weather, including Stockton Bury Gardens. At Stockton Bury the cafe and plant sales are open from 3 April, but head gardener Tamsin Westhorpe has had to delay opening the garden because of waterlogging.
Star gardener Monty Don shared images on Instagram of fields near his garden entirely waterlogged, while Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens had to cancel their Food Fair due to waterlogging and heavy rain.
The National Trust’s Alfriston Clergy House in East Sussex had to restrict access due to waterlogging due to extended flooding. Last year Storm Babet caused a trail of destruction to National Trust gardens and properties.
February was the warmest on record globally, while Met Office figures show that the last 18 months have seen a record amount of rainfall. According to provisional figures, 1,695.9 mm of rain fell from October 2022 to March 2024. The Met Office has also recorded that the winter of 2023/2024 has been the eighth wettest on record in the UK. The south of England experienced its wettest February since 1836.
Here’s how to make the most of rainfall