Great Dixter House and Gardens with Naciim Benkreira

Naciim Benkreira was the first person I encountered at Great Dixter House this past spring. Noticing how awestruck I was, he said, “I know. It’s like the punk rock of English gardening.” And so it is. The 15th century manorhouse is surrounded by a garden that is as mouthwateringly beautiful as it is biodiverse. Naciim is the 2024 Ruth Borun Scholar and has spent the entire year learning nuanced methods of interacting with this complex, painterly landscape. He was kind enough to discuss his path in horticulture and his time spent in residence at Dixter. The following are excerpts from our conversation interspersed with photos of the garden in riotous bloom last May.

NC: Want to start by sharing your background?

NB: I'm one of six from a multicultural family in DC. Growing up in the nineties, DC was very liberal and progressive; it’s a very green city.