When we bought the house 19 years ago, the garden was an exposed sloping plot, frequently battered by salt laden winds that sometimes, exceeded 50mph! I’m sure this had something to do with it featuring on BBC 2’s Gardeners’ World in the Autumn of 2016 and being the smallest garden listed on the Great British Gardens website in 2017. It has also featured on both BBC SE Today and ITV Meridian News
during 2020 too, despite being closed due to Covid-19.
2022 saw the garden only open by arrangement and it was still very popular. In June, Geoff began a regular weekly full-page gardening feature in The Argus every Saturday. A photo shoot was conducted at Driftwood for a 2023 feature in Garden News magazine in 2023, to commemorate its 10th year of winning their “Gardener of the year 2012” award for small gardens. Trip Advisor awarded it a Travellers’ Choice Award, in recognition of its 170 plus, 5-star reviews. Two such reviews appear below:
“We visited as a group of 10 and were bowled over by the warm welcome from Geoff and simply astonished by the beauty of his garden. So much variety is packed in, yet it does not feel crowded and we very much enjoyed sitting together for delicious tea and cakes. There is plenty to please both plant experts and those who just love to look. Highly recommended - and knowing that the monies raised go to charity is a bonus. We managed to leave having indulged in a spot of retail therapy, too, as he has some wonderful garden sculpture for sale. Thank you and see you next year, Geoff.”
Rae Knight, Sissinghurst
“Wow what Pizzazz! A sensational gardening experience. If you don’t go to any garden you have to visit Driftwood. The flowers, the carefully thought out planting, the garden ornaments, for sale, not to mention Geoff’s excellent home-made cake and tea served on exquisite china. The bonhomie of its celebrated owner and his Partner who have worked so hard to make this a joyful experience for their visitors is renowned. Our third very pleasurable visit and most certainly not the last.”
Judy Spector Eastbourne
Alex Reece entitled her 8-page feature in Coast Magazine in August 2017, 'A feast for the soul. Geoff Stonebanks has created a garden full of innovative planting and original artworks – where he serves delicious tea and cake!'
Francine Raymond wrote a feature on the garden in the Sunday Telegraph and entitled it 'A garden by the sea – small and perfectly formed'. She closed her piece by saying, 'I was overwhelmed and charmed, and wondered how so many plants have fitted into such a perfectly formed space? Geoff’s enthusiasm is catching and he and his amazing garden deserve every visitor that makes their way up his enchanting garden path.' Francine also said 'it's not just the planting scheme that entices visitors to this Sussex plot, it's also the tea and home-made cakes.'
A Sunday Telegraph colleague, Jean Vernon wrote a blog in which she says 'Driftwood is a secret treasure on the coast of East Sussex. It’s the magical garden creation of a man fired by the glory of plants and passionate about life in general. What makes it so special she says? 'Lots of things; it’s not trying to be something that it isn’t, there are no formal lawns, double herbaceous borders or parterres here. Geoff has used his blank canvas to paint with his plants and the effect is an exuberant, intricate tapestry of ideas, textures, plants and so much more.'
So, come visit this exuberant yet immaculate seaside garden. The heavy, dense plantings with no lawn and no exposed soil, split into a number of mini garden rooms, create the illusion of a much bigger garden. It remains a very personal plot with plants and objects once owned by family and friends. Great teas and home-made cakes to enjoy in the garden too, all served on vintage china with teapots on trays. We look forward to seeing you this summer. Small selection of garden decorations for sale as well. Since 2012, Geoff has had a monthly spot on BBC radio Sussex’s Dig It, Sunday gardening programme, talking about National Garden Scheme gardens. Also, since 2012, there has been a monthly article in Garden News magazine about the garden, written by owner Geoff. Since December 2015 Geoff has written a monthly blog on The Garden Media Guild's award-winning garden website, Richard Jackson's Garden. Geoff also has a weekly gardening page in The Argus newspaper in Brighton, a monthly gardening column in Bournefree in Eastbourne and regularly writes pieces for local magazines on open gardens. Featured on both BBC2 & ITV, and BBC SE Today, plus extensively in local and national press in recent years. You can also read up to the minute reviews on TripAdvisor at Driftwood Garden East Sussex.
2021 saw the garden published, as a summer garden, in a book in the Netherlands called 4 Seasons. Driftwood was featured in Saga magazine in June too. Gardeners’ World magazine featured the garden in their subscriber only features in May. An online magazine, Sussex Exclusive ran 2 features on the garden in both May and July. Bournefree Magazine in Eastbourne, featured the garden in June also.
2020, despite being closed, saw coverage in April issue of Your Home, July issue of Sussex Life, August issue of The Lady and mentioned in July issue of Country Life plus short films on both ITV Meridian news and BBC SE Today. In August 2020 the garden was awarded a Trip Advisor Travellers Choice Award and in June 2019, the garden received its 3rd successive Trip Advisor 'Certificate of Excellence'. Visitors have travelled from as far afield as Austria, Sweden, Belgium, Netherlands, USA, Brazil, Japan, China and Australia to see the garden.
2019 saw an 8-page feature on the front beach garden appearing in a Dutch lifestyle magazine called Seasons.
2018 saw features in America in Flea Market Garden Style, a full page in the Daily Mail in August and an 8-minute film on BBC SE Today. In 2017 the garden had an 8-page feature in August issue of Coast magazine, was listed on the Great British Gardens website, featured in the Best of England Sussex Guide and on their website. The garden featured in Country Gardener Magazine in June 2017 too and Geoff was listed as an influential personality in the Sussex gardening world in Sussex Life Magazine. In 2016 the garden was featured on BBC2’s Gardeners’ World and was a finalist in the Gardeners’ World Garden of the Year in the small space category. It featured in BBC Gardeners’ World magazine in November and Period Homes and Interiors July issue. In 2015 featured in The Sunday Telegraph 23rd August, Daily Mail Weekend Magazine on 27th June
In 2014 featured live on ITV’s Good Morning Britain in July and in Garden Answers May, Etc magazine April, 100 Idees Jardin a national French gardening magazine in February and incorporated in an article in the Sunday Times in June. In 2013, featured garden in Mail On Sunday, Sussex Life and featured in 360° Panorama in 'Mail Plus', Weekend Magazine’s on line version. Holder of coveted Daily Mail National Garden competition blue plaque and winner of the Best Small Garden in the UK for Garden News magazine, both 2012. By Arrangement Additional Information
Discuss special small celebration visits with owner.
