Well Monday would have been the day I opened my garden to the public through until July 31. Indeed, we should have been open for the first of our five dates for the National Garden Scheme on Tuesday, June 2. It seems so strange not having to worry too much about the fine details in the garden.

Last year we raised more than £18,000 for charity through our openings and the Macmillan Coastal Garden Trail that should have been held at the end of July. We certainly are not going to be able to raise the funds we have done in the last ten years but I still aim to do my best!

So far, we have managed almost £2,000 raised for Macmillan Cancer Support through donations related to the two virtual tours I’ve posted of my garden and a birthday fundraiser I had on Facebook last month.

Sincere thanks must also go to the amazing volunteer team at Stanford and Cleveland Community Garden, one of those that was scheduled to open for the trail. At the start of the month they put plants out for sale in the garden and asked people to pay by logging onto the Just Giving site I have set up and raised just over £1,000 which was incredible. If anyone would like to help support our 2020 fundraising for Macmillan please go to my website and click on the Macmillan link at the top of the page.

The National Garden Scheme continues to publish some fascinating virtual tours of gardens across the county, filmed by the owners. Just go to their web site (www.ngs.org.uk) and follow the links to view them. June is normally one of the busiest garden opening months and it is looking possible some larger gardens that can enforce social distancing, may be able to open from next weekend, visitors having pre-purchased timed entry tickets online before the visit. There will be no refreshments. Listen out for my update in my broadcast on BBC Radio Sussex’s Dig It with Joe Talbot tomorrow about 1.30pm.

If, like me, you have some topiary in your garden then now is a good time to neaten it up. With fresh new growth on box balls and coniferous topiary why not give them a trim? Traditionally, Derby Day of June 4 is the date to trim your box but it’s only a few days away. Use shears on generous curves and straight lines but where the topiary is detailed, I have a large box squirrel in my garden, use smaller topiary shears or secateurs, the latter are also better for dealing with larger stems.

Read more of Geoff’s garden at www.driftwoodbysea.co.uk