Discover Brighton's Hidden Gardens
Published 12th Jul 2007 by Lucy Brandram

It’s July and time for the 11th Sussex Beacon Garden Gadabout – Sunday July 15th and Sunday July 22nd will see 22 fabulous private gardens open in aid of the Sussex Beacon.

New for this year are several open garden trails around Brighton: the Kemp Town Trail, The Montpelier Trail and the Fiveways Trail. Enjoy tea and cakes in a beautiful setting, pick up some plants or maybe peruse the art on sale – whichever gardens you visit - all are exciting and unusual. Friendly garden owners are on hand to answer any questions. Why not take this opportunity to peek behind those normally closed garden gates? To join the event - pick up a copy of the Garden Gadabout Guide from venues around Brighton.

The Garden Gadabout is a series of private gardens in Brighton and Hove that are open to the public for two Sundays each year. Last year saw an open garden trail in Kemptown ranging from a small intensely

planted garden oasis to a large, romantic garden Regency

garden normally hidden behind the Regency

houses of Sussex Square. More than 200 people followed the Kemptown Trail last year – raising over £2,000 for the Sussex Beacon.  This year the gardens include some exciting artist’s gardens with sculptures hidden amongst the plants, a glimpse behind Clifton Terrace with a secret garden, a stone flagged garden room. Plus another chance to see an ultra modern gardeners delight in Kemptown, enjoy the Sussex Beacon’s own hilltop garden and see why small really is beautiful in Bevendean!

The Sussex Beacon is a national care centre for people living with HIV – it is one of only two in the UK. It is able to offer residential care while dealing with the side effects of newly prescribed drug therapies, and non-residential services such as innovative sleep clinics, health behaviour change clinics and clinics which help people to make informed and positive choices about their own health care. Increasing pressure from statutory funding cuts over the last couple of years have ensured that HIV charities such as the Sussex Beacon are now working harder and harder to survive. Supporting fundraising events such as the Garden Gadabout are an exciting way to help the Sussex Beacon.

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