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So pleased to have been named one of the 500 Coronation Champions crowned by the King and Queen in April 2023, with an invite to a garden party at the Palace
I was thrilled to be named one of the finalists in Macmillan Cancer Support's Outstanding Supporter of the Year Awards 2023 with an invite to a glittering awards ceremony in Birmingham.
The garden was a finalist in the Daily Mail's national garden competition in 2012 and Gardeners' World magazine in 2016.
The garden won outright the "Best Small Garden Award", from 2000 entries, in the 2012 Garden News national competition.
Geoff also received an official invitation to a Royal Garden Party in 2018 from the Lord Chamberlain's Office for his charity work in Seaford.
Geoff was recognised by Macmillan Cancer Support in 2018 for his having made a significant difference to the charity and to those suffering with cancer!
Appearing on BBC Gardeners' World in 2016.
Featuring "live" on ITV's Good Morning Britain in 2014.
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July 2023
Featured as a garden to visit, amongst some illustrious company, in a new book on coastal gardening.
July 2023
4 page feature on the garden in the national gardening magazine, Garden News.
July 2023
Nominated, shortlisted then named one of the finalist's in Macmillan Cancer Support's The Thanks to You Awards 2023. The award ceremony took place on 1st June 2023 in Birmingham and I was one of 9 finalists in this category. A group of women from Northern Ireland were the ultimate winners. I received the certificate above in July 2023.
June 2023
Awarded a Travellers' Choice Award on Trip Advisor for 2023.
April 2023
Nominated and named as one of the 500 Coronation Champions in honour of the King's Coronation which took place on 6th May 2023. In recognition, invited to a Royal Garden Party on 9th May 2023.
June 2022
Awarded a Travellers' Choice Award on Trip Advisor for 2022.
June 2021
Saga Magazine's June issue had a feature on coastal gardening that focused on Driftwood which can be seen by clicking any image above.
June 2021
In June 2021, the Dutch magazine, Seasons created a book of gardens they had previously featured through the seasons. Driftwood's beach garden was included in the Summer section. Book published in the Netherlands!
We were included in the 2021 Gardeners' World 2 for 1 booklet along with an image of the garden.
Despite being closed for the year, due to coronavirus, TripAdvisor awarded the garden a "Traveller's Choice" Award for sustained excellent feedback, this was the 4th year of recognition from them!
On 14th March 2020 we received a certificate and garden trowel, in recognition of the 10 years we have been opening for the National Garden Scheme!
June 2019
There was a 8-page feature about me and the front beach garden in the July issue of Seasons a lifestyle magazine published in The Netherlands.
In May 2019 I was amazed to receive a letter from TripAdvisor, telling me I had been awarded a "Certificate of Excellence" for sustained excellent feedback for a third year in a row!
December 2018
How nice to receive a certificate for my nomination in the BBC Sussex & BBC Surrey 2018 Community Heroes Awards this month in both the fundraiser and volunteer catergories.
On 14th August 2018 I was impressed that to find BBC South East Today asked to come and make a short film about the garden which was shown on the early evening news. Click link to view.
On 13th August 2018, I was amazed to find myself and the garden on page 3 of the Daily Mail with a feature on the drought.
June 2018
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I found out this month that the garden had been shortlisted and was one of the finalists in the Lewes District Business Awards in the Tourist Destination of the Year Awards. The results will be announced on 19th July. We did not win but great to have been shortlisted and become one of 4 finalists, as you can see from the award ceremony brochure below. | |
In June 2018 I was amazed to receive a letter from TripAdvisor, telling me I had been awarded a "Certificate of Excellence" for sustained excellent feedback for a second year in a row!
May 2018
On 22nd May I was so incredibly humbled and honoured to receive the Don Mabey Award for "exceptional services to the Town of Seaford" from the Mayor of Seaford, Cllr Linda Wallraven at the Seaford Town Forum. Truly amazing. Thank you so much for this honour! It was awarded in recognition of the work done through the garden to raise money for charity.
April 2018
An American gardening Magazine, Flea Market Garden Style featured the garden in its April 2018 issue. There were 6 pages, including an interview with me. Several other pictures were included throughout the magazine too! You can read the whole piece here.
January 2018
On 7th December 2017, I received an official invitation from Buckingham Palace to a reception hosted by His Royal Highness, Prince Charles, for Macmillan Cancer Support. This had come about thanks to all the volunteer work I have done for the charity in recent years! The event took place on 31st January 2018. Read all the gossip here.
December 2017
How nice to receive a certificate for my nomination in the BBC Sussex & BBC Surrey 2017 Community Heroes Awards this month.
October/December 2017
On 7th October a whole page featured in the Argus newspaper that I had been nominated for their Community Stars Awards for 2017. In December I found out I was now a finalist and invited to an award ceremony at The Dome on 21st January 2018. Myself and 7 volunteers went along to the ceremony but I was not the winner unfortunately, nonetheless, wonderful to have reached the final 3.
In June 2016 the garden was shot for Coast magazine. The fabulous 8-page feature duly appeared in the 2017 August issue. We were mentioned on the cover too! Vintage tea by the sea! Click cover to read.
In June 2017 I was amazed to receive an e mail from TripAdvisor, telling me I had been awarded a "Certificate of Excellence" for sustained excellent feedback!
Sussex Life's January issue featured a list of the "influential personalities in the Sussex gardening world" and I was among them!
Extremely pleased to receive a certificate from BBC Sussex for my nomination in the 2016 Community Heroes Awards in the "Fundraising" Category.
On 4th November 2016, I received a letter from More Radio to confirm I had been nominated and subsequently shortlisted for the Fundraiser of the Year Award. Then, at the More Radio Awards Eastbourne, which recognise everything from flourishing businesses, true community spirit, sporting brilliance and individuals with a heart of gold, I was named the winner of the Fundraiser of the year! On 2nd December if made the fron page of Seaford Herald too!
The garden was confirmed as the runner up in the Gardeners' World Magazine Garden of the Year Competition.
There were some lovely quotes from the judges too!
"I really like the way he's used the wider landscape." Adam Frost, RHS Gold Medal winning designer and Gardeners' World presenter.
"He has really clever planting with lots of bedding, which is a great idea when you're gardening by the sea. Martin Fish, gardening writer, TV and radio presenter.
The garden was filmed for the BBC2 Gardeners' World programme on 25th August for broadcast on 23rd September.
Great feature on coastal gardens in national lifestyle magazine Period Homes & Interiors July issue, with the main garden featured being Driftwood. Courtesy Editor, Period Homes & Interiors.
The garden was voted by the public as their favourite town venue in the Artwave Festival "Favourites" competition. We collected the certificate along with favourite artist, Keith Petitt and favourite rural venue Artists and an Orchard.
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Amazing feature appeared in Sunday Telegraph Living Magazine on the 23rd August and posted on line on 1st September here.
Great feature appeared in Daily Mail Weekend Magazine on the 27th June and also Mail Online. As tweeted by the journalist herself
My piece on @driftwoodbysea in today's DM (London edition only, alas) pic.twitter.com/bsKzlSpLli
— Constance CraigSmith (@Concraigsmith) June 27, 2015Listed as one of 25 "Secret Gardens" to see in Sussex in the May issue of Sussex Life Magazine. Listed as number 9 in the list.
Presented with Seaford Town Council Mayors Award for charity fundraising in the town on the 28th April.
Garden used as the backdrop on national UK television for live TV broadcasts by Good Morning Britain's weather girl, Laura Tobin, with live interviews with me during the programme.
Read the full details here with all the photos and gossip from the morning!
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In December I was invited to a glittering awards ceremony and was awarded this certificate for being a finalist in the BBC Community Heroes Awards 2013 for fundraising efforts, after raising over £32000 for various charities in the last 4 years. Amazing! There were 3 radio interviews on BBC Sussex with Allison Ferns on the 11th December here . One with Neil Pringle on the BBC Sussex Breakfast Show on Wednesday 4th December, here and one with Joe Talbot, on Dig It, here, which was broadcast on Sunday 17th November. |
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Martyn Cox, gardening journalist for the Mail On Sunday visited on Friday 7th June with photographer for a photo shoot and interview, see the published article that appeared in the paper on the 23rd June by clicking the logo!
The producer of "Love Your Garden" with Alan Titchmarsh came to see the garden hoping to use it in a programme this summer. Outline TV productions visited and were considering using it for a wildlife programme for BBC 1 this summer as well!
Invited by Thompson & Morgan to join their, invitation only, customer trials programme. This involved receiving new and exclusive varieties of plants not yet seen by the public to grow to the best of my ability in the garden/containers. I have provided written feedback and pictures which will be used on their website and catalogues and other sales literature. Their Product Development Manager, Michael Perry, visited to see the garden for himself!
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Invited by the Editor of Garden News to submit a monthly piece of 400 words and pictures to the national gardening magazine about Driftwood garden. Click here to read them all. |
National winner of Best Small Garden title in this papers national awards for 2012.
Hundreds of entries, shortlisted to final 15 then judged the winner!
Click here to learn more about the competition.
The garden was featured in paper 9th October 2012.
One of 4 finalists across the UK, in this prestigious national competition,
selected from over 1200 entries and honoured with a cast iron blue plaque.
Click here to learn more about
the competition and click cover above to see the feature in Daily Mail Weekend Magazine published on August 4th.
Click magazine cover to see listing bottom right of article
As part of the Lewes District Artwave Festival, in August and September, visitors post in their votes for their favourite Open House. Our venue was based on 7 artists and sculptors displaying their work with the garden as it's backdrop and we were voted the Best Open House by our visitors, for the second year running out of over 90 venues, having had over 600 visitors.
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The garden was entered in the Competition in 2010 and was judged to be the best back garden by the 3 judges and awarded the Stephen Newberry cup. Left, presented with cup and certificate by Mayor of Seaford at the awards ceremony. |  |
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The judges also decided that the garden was the best overall entry in the competition for 2010 and awarded it the Jubilee Cup. Once again picture being presented with the cup and certificate by the Mayor of Seaford at the awards ceremony. |  |
The County Organiser visited and agreed the garden was worthy inclusion in the 2011 Yellow Book for the National Garden Scheme. We were listed on page 539.
As part of the Lewes District Artwave Festival, in August and September, visitors post in their votes for their favourite Open House. Our venue was based on 4 artists and sculptors displaying their work in the garden and we were voted the best Open House out of over 70 venues, having had over 200 visitors.
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After much thought I was persuaded to enter the garden in the local competition for the first time in 2009 and was judged to have won 3rd prize in the best back garden section by the 3 judges. Shown here receiving the certificate from the Mayor of Seaford at the awards ceremony. |  |