The Dowager Duchess of Devonshire has arranged for St Peter's Church in Edensor to bloom from December 5 to 11 in a Floral Fanfare to raise money for the fabric of the building, which is at the heart of life on the Estate.

The church will be decorated with fresh fragrant white lilies, roses, gladioli, carnations from South America, orchids from Holland and many more from all over the world, by award-winning Darley Dale florist Robert Young and his family.

"What is lovely is that it's in the winter. You come in out of a dark gloomy old evening and there is this fairyland of flowers and lights," said the Dowager Duchess.

And one of the speakers at a series of events to support the fund-raising is Adam Nicolson, who knows a thing or two about keeping stately homes alive, both for our heritage and our enjoyment.

Grandson of poet, gardener and writer Vita Sackville-West, he will give an illustrated talk entitled "Living with the National Trust" on December 8. Earlier this year he presented a BBC TV series on the garden at Sissinghurst which his grandmother created and is now managed by the National Trust.

"He's a most brilliant speaker and is very funny. He's absolutely all alive," said the Dowager Duchess.

Having members of the original family live in a stately home is of prime importance, she believes, just as Britain's importance as a tourist nation depends to a great extent on the world's fascination with our monarchy.

"The National Trust are very aware of that," she said. "They very much try to keep the family in the house, but of course it's not easy. Picture yourself in your own house with no influence on how it should look, how it should be run and all the rest of it."

Sissinghurst is a series of small private homes for Mr Nicolson and others dotted among its wonderful towers – as well as being an international tourist attraction.

"People come and see what are the most famous gardens in these islands, but you've only got to look through the windows and there's everybody having lunch!