1 Gardens Illustrated launches
The first issue of new magazine Gardens Illustrated hit the ne ands in April 1993 “in a flurry of excitement.” says launch editor Rosie Atkins. “Despite coming out of an economic recession, we assumed our readers had a garden (sometimes two), enjoyed travel and food, and cared about what they wore and what books they read. They were passionate about the environment and conservation, and I doubt much has changed.” At first, the magazine was published bi-monthly, going monthly in 1998. In the 30 years since that first edition, Gardens Illustrated has had only five editors, and has grown beyond the print publication to exciting new developments including our digital channels, and live and online events.
2 Christo rips out the Rose Garden
In 1994, when Great Dixter's owner Christopher Llo d and his imaginative new head gardener, Fergus Garrett, announced that they had ripped out the Rose Garden, designed by Edwin Lutyens, and were replacing it with an Exotic Garden, they shocked the horticultural establishment. The roses were not thriving due to rose replant disease, so they replaced them with plants that would give a tropical effect, such as dahlias, bananas and cannas. Christo died in 2006, and the garden is now run by a charitable trust, with our contributing editor Fergus at the helm, still pushing
