Geoff welcomed 410 pre-booked visitors to his multi-award-winning garden in Bishopstone through June and July this summer, having had to delay his published opening date of 1st June by a couple of weeks, to allow him time to recover from knee replacement surgery. Sadly, this meant visitor numbers and subsequent income was down a little on 2024, but nonetheless, he has been able to hand over £3401.95 to Macmillan Cancer Support and the Macmillan Horizon Centre in Brighton and £1381.00 to the National Garden Scheme.
Geoff has been raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support for the last 14 years, through events in his own garden and by organising the Macmillan Coastal Garden Trail for 10 years up to 2022 and in that time has handed over £123,606 to the charity. Since 2011 he has raised almost £35,000 for the National Garden Scheme and the balance of the monies raised for smaller charities.
Geoff tells us this year has been a real challenge for him though, just being able to negotiate his multi-tiered garden, dispensing trays of tea and cake to the visitors and keeping it looking its best. The garden was awarded a 2025 Trip Advisor Travellers’ Choice Award again last month too, placing it in the top 10% of similar attractions worldwide! With many 5-star reviews posted this season, this was just one of the complimentary reviews: “An amazing private garden that I have been meaning to visit for a number of years so myself and a few others visited today and wow! I have never quite seen a garden like it, the love and work that has been poured into it is obvious; so small but so large at the same time, great planting and interesting objects take up all available space without it being chaotic. Thanks too to Geoff, our lovely host, the tea/coffee and great cakes added to the lovely afternoon - highly recommended and all the funds collected go to a great cause.”
The garden has seen a range of foreign visitors as well, thanks to its listing on Trip Advisor. Back in June, Bev and family from Canada booked to visit while in Sussex. 4 friends and family from Australia knocked on the door one day, asking to see the garden and thankfully Geoff was in and could accommodate, including tea and cake too. Just before closing, David and his wife from Belgium booked a visit to see the garden as well. Geoff says; “it never ceases to amaze me the interest the garden has held for visitors from across the globe over the years, more importantly, the amazing feedback received from them too, it is incredible rewarding.”
The extremes of weather have meant some days have been quiet, as potential visitors choose the beach in preference to wandering around a garden in the baking heat. On the other hand, the stormy weather at times has created its own challenges with trying to cater for visitors enjoying tea and cake in the wet weather. There have been several days when visitors have had to huddle under a large garden umberella to enjoy their cake, like the Elite coffee group at the end of last month. Geoff moved all three large garden brollies in front of the open summer house to accommodate them all. Despite the rain the visitors thoroughly enjoyed their visit.
The garden gate is now firmly closed for another year and Geoff is planning on a well earnt rest but Driftwood will open again in 2026 from 1st June to 2nd August. See all the details at www.driftwoodbysea.co.uk
5. Contributed
Elite coffee group enjoy tea and cake under umberallas Photo: Submitted
6. Contributed
Canadian Visitors in June Photo: Submitted