Mostly the Walled Garden is a place of calmness, serenity, peace and – without being too “New Agey” – healing. But sometimes, and just sometimes, it is a hive of activity and oddness. Which I think strikes a perfect balance.

After an excursion to the Garden Centre to stock up on tomato plants and sweet peas following a spectacular failure of these seeds, I arrived at the Walled Garden to find Ms Can-Do looking very pleased with herself and brandishing her phone at me. It had upon it a picture of an English Springer Puppy that looked remarkably like Tonks of the Big House. Not too surprising that there was a family resemblance – it was her brother (Tonks’ not Ms Can-Do’s) called Razz, who Ms Can-Do bought last week. Welcome to the World of the Walled Garden Razz – more help with the digging then.

Ms Can-Do’s confidence then took a dip.  She confided in me that a film crew was coming at 3 o’clock to film an episode of “Put your money where your mouth is” to be shown on BBC 1 early next year.  She had been asked to buy a set of 6 chairs for the Holiday Cottages on film. This petrifies Ms Can-Do who says she would willingly dress up as a chicken for Mr BH but doesn’t want to be filmed as herself. The mind boggles.

Mr BH soon came along and confirmed the filming schedule and that your correspondent would also be required to purchase a lawn mower. I know I haven’t given much away about myself, but it is fair to say that I do not consider myself photogenic.

Much trepidation was felt.  As 3 o’clock approached, Ms Can-Do suddenly found a group of guests who needed a tour of the cottages. The film crew arrived, the presenter of the show arrived, Mr BH arrived and.… finished. I didn’t even make it to the cutting room floor. However, my garden is going to be on the telly!! How exciting.

Mrs BH has been busy transplanting plants from her garden to The Walled Garden, I wonder if Mr BH realises this appears to be the prelude to a re-designing of her own garden. I understand that The Babes with Spades are coming to assist me with the cutting of the box hedging next week. They are Mrs BH’s friends who periodically come and assist in the garden in return for coffee and cake, lunch, champagne, tea and cake. However, it will be great to have them back as they planted the box hedge in the first place, so it is only fair to let them help maintain it. One day I will tell you why I have left a two metre stretch of hedging that is a tad wonky to say the least. (Yet more intrigue).

Mrs BH informed me with some pride that the chickens would no longer be bothering me as she had clipped their feathers. When I pointed out that the chicken named Squashed Tomato Bum Face (named by Master BH, aged 7) was currently rootling around in the straw around the strawberries, Mrs BH told me that the chicken hadn’t yet realised she couldn’t fly and had made it out of her enclosure, but would wake up not remembering that once she could fly!!

So, just before I left last night, I shut up my shed, loaded my van, took a coffee to the bench and sat in the fading sun and watched the latest group of guests arrive, and allowed myself a little smile as I realised that the Garden is a little theatre, with a cast who come and say their piece and leave. And the garden just gets on with growing and making everyone who enters it feel a bit better….

Subscribers to previous blogs will know that I am drip feeding you information about myself – partly to try and make myself sound interesting, and partly because we all like a bit of suspense don’t  we?

So you now know I am a gardener married to DQ.  Today, I must let you know that I am very partial to a cup of coffee and a piece of the delicious lemon drizzle cake Mrs BH leaves for all new guests. Therefore you can add subtlety to what you know about me…

There is a new addition to Mr & Mrs BH’s family – Tonks … a puppy … an English Springer Spaniel puppy… Oh well. At least I will have some help with the hole-digging. Although having watched Ms Can-do’s brush being attacked by Tonks, I suspect help may not be the word I will be using.

One of the great things about working here is Mrs BH’s lightening reaction to any request I make for additions to the garden. I mentioned that one or two guests had commented upon a lack of mint in the garden. The next day I took delivery of 50 mint plants – ginger mint, peppermint, chocolate mint and berries and cream mint for heaven’s sake.  One walled bed is now dedicated to mint, so Mint Juleps may well be added to the drinks list at The Tiger, along with the new Summer ale from the Beachy Head Brewery – Lighthouse Ale. (One eye on the marketing at all times Mr BH – should I also mention the rare breeds sheep centre in the same paragraph as mint?)

Blossom is blooming, daffodils are out, tulips are flowering, radishes coming along nicely, get yourselves down to East Dean.

Oh, and don’t forget the lemon drizzle cake….

Stage one completed.

1st blog read, and approved by Mr & Mrs Big House (BH), Ms Can-Do and partial approval from Nancy Dancing Queen (DQ – otherwise known as the wife).

Why only partial from DQ? She thought opening conversation was a little hard to follow – fear not dear reader she only has to read it and I have much odder conversations with her on a daily basis – these will probably make their way into the blog over the coming months.

Mr BH wants the blog to be personal, so I guess that means I should tell you a little about myself. I’m a gardener – again more details to follow in the coming months, I don’t want to give too much away too soon.

What I am prepared to expound on at great length is the Walled Garden, a little oasis of calm and tranquillity nestled in the peace and quiet of East Dean which itself is tucked away in a quiet corner of East Sussex.

I like to think it is an integral part of the thriving Beachy Head Holiday Cottages in the village. Again more background to follow.

All this suspense being created in a picturesque Sussex village – must have something to do with Sherlock Holmes retiring to the cottage on the Green that now houses the Estate Office. There is even a blue plaque to prove it – much to the confusion of the tourists who I overheard debating whether to knock on the door and tell Mr BH that Sherlock Holmes is a fictional character.

As I always say – “We know about reality, don’t mess with the fantasy”.

Anyway, before I start drifting off and thinking about weird 80’s movies, I guess I should give a brief overview of what happened this week.

Chickens edging dangerously towards the Walled Garden from their enclosure – we have an unspoken agreement that Roast Chicken will be on the menu at The Tiger if the chickens attack my seedlings.

Mrs BH somewhat consternated that she had to buy potatoes from the supermarket this week – 1^st time in 10 months – memo to self – plant more over the next couple of weeks.

Peas, mangetouts and sugar snaps sown.

And, to satisfy Mr BH’s craving: 5 varieties of carrots sown – Purple Haze, White Satin,            (modern) Romance, (Simply) Red cored Chantenay,  and Yellowstone(Coming Home). Am I the only one to see musical references in veg.

Until next time….

The Times A good walk: Friston Forest and the Seven Sisters
Christopher Somerville Friston Forest and the Seven Sisters, East Sussex

Charleston is not only a fascinating place to visit, but offers a full programme of events including walks, talks, workshops and short courses. Events coming up soon include: Easter at Charleston 31 March – 1 April; Charleston Garden Weekend 27-28 April with Mark Divall Charleston’s Gardener and Will Vincent, Head Gardener at Firle Place Herb Garden; Painted Furniture Masterclass 20 April; Scent Workshop 26 April; Landscape Drawing with iPads 3 May; Botanical Drawing for a Gardener’s Journal 4 May; and Painted Lampshades 11 May.

The famous Charleston Festival runs 17 – 26 May 2013. In the course of the Festival there will be talks by an incredible range of authors and public figures including Audrey Niffenegger, Jenny Agutter, Julian Fellowes, Katie Derham, Juliet Stevenson, AN Wilson, Melvyn Bragg, Stephanie Flanders, Antonia Fraser and Jeremy Irons.

For further information on Charleston: www.charleston.org.uk

East Sussex was not only a meeting place for the Bloomsbury Group. The Surrealists and other major figures from the art world also came to this part of the world to Farley Farm House in Chiddingly, home of photographer Lee Miller and painter and biographer Roland Penrose.

Starting on Sunday 7 April Farley Farm House will open to the public every Sunday from April to October this year. Extended tours, led by Lee Miller and Roland Penrose’s son Antony Penrose or by their granddaughter Ami Bouhassane are also available for booking.

For further information on Farley Farm House: www.farleyfarmhouse.co.uk

Beachy Head is also conveniently located for world-famous performing arts venue Glyndebourne. The Glyndebourne Festival stars 18 May with Richard Stauss’ Ariadne auf Naxos running from 18 May – 11 July and Guiseppe Verdi’s Falstaff running from 19 May to 14 July. Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro runs 8 June – 2 August, with further operas being performed later on in the Summer. There is also a programme of concerts and talks.

For further information on Glyndebourne: www.glyndebourne.com

The Erudition, Kelly Richardson, 3 screen HD video installation, 2010
Image courtesy of the artist and Birch Libralato
Photo credit: Colin Davison

Eastbourne, which is a five-minute drive from the village of East Dean and Beachy Head, is more than just a pretty seaside town. It also boasts a thriving arts and culture scene.

The town’s theatres offer a full programme of events, ranging from opera, to ballet, musicals and plays. Highlights for Spring include: Midnight Tango with Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace from BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing (Congress 13 – 16 March); London Philharmonic Orchestra (Congress 17 March); one of the BBC’s most popular sitcoms Birds of a Feather (Congress 19 – 23 March); direct from London’s West End, the award-winning Driving Miss Daisy (Devonshire Park 25 – 30 March); Charley’s Aunt (Devonshire Park 9 – 13 April); The Blues Brothers (Congress 10 – 13 April); multi-award winning comedy Noises Off (Congress 16 – 20 April); Shaolin Warriors Return of the Master (Congress 26 April); Agatha Christie’s Go Back For Murder by The Official Agatha Christie Theatre Company (Devonshire Park 22 – 27 April).

The above is a selection of what’s on at Eastbourne theatres over the next couple of months. For a full listing go to: www.eastbournetheatres.co.uk or contact the Box Office on 01323 412000.

Eastbourne is also home to the Towner Gallery, located next to the Congress Theatre. Towner is offering a full programme of events including exhibitions, talks and courses over the coming year. The following is a selection of what is coming up at the Gallery:

2 February – 14 April 2013, Kelly Richardson: Legion

Kelly Richardson is known for her stunning large scale video installations of hyper-real landscapes. The theme of a dystopian post-apocalyptic Earth runs throughout.

Friday 22 February Family Workshop

Workshop inspired by Olafur Eliasson’s The Forked Forest Path, which has recently been on display at the Towner. The event will focus on making a winter woodland scene with snow birds and forest creatures.

Saturday 23 February 2013 2.00pm, Artist’s Talk: Tom Hammick

Meet the well-known Sussex-based painter and printmaker whose large scale prints require vast presses and a team of 4 people to produce.

9 March – 28 April 2013, East Sussex Open 2013

Popular open exhibition showcasing the exceptional breadth of artistic talent from across the East Sussex region.

For further information and a full listing of events at the Towner telephone 01323 434670 or visit www.townereastbourne.org.uk

The brand new app involves Facebook users suggesting their own favourite experiences in England, with fans voting on their top choices to decide who should appear in VisitEngland’s ultimate bucket list of 101 things to do.

A Beachy Head adventure, which is already proving a popular choice for inclusion in the list, might include a clifftop walk along the Seven Sisters to enjoy the stunning scenery, or catching the surf and rockpooling – depending on the tide – down on the beach at Birling Gap. Then a pint of award-winning local ale “Legless Rambler” in front of the fire at the Tiger Inn in East Dean, situated just across the village green from the cottage believed to be the retirement home of Sherlock Holmes. The pub is also within staggering distance of some delightful holiday cottages to finish off the experience with a good night’s sleep.

The new app is designed to inspire the nation into taking more holidays in England, and will feature the very best experiences only on offer in this country.  With 60% of the population feeling more British after the exciting events of 2012, research also shows that 20% of the population plan to take more breaks in England as a result of the feel good factor.

The app includes six categories of Food & Drink, Arts & Culture, Health & Fitness, History & Heritage, Wildlife & Nature, and finally Because It’s Awesome!  Facebook fans can upload their own favourites to these categories, which once approved, will feature on a map of England.

Anyone nominating or voting will automatically be entered into a prize draw to win a weekend break away.

The app will be live until 10 March and a selection of winners announced during British Tourism Week from 16 – 24 March.  The full list of 101 things to do will be announced on St George’s Day on 23 April.

View the app at www.facebook.com/EnjoyEngland or visit www.visiteastbourne.com and follow the links online.

For further information on Beachy Head visit www.beachyhead.org.uk

This year saw an increase of 8% on the overall donation fund, with a total of £5,650 in donations being awarded to:

• Rotary Club of Hailsham
• Eastbourne Sea Cadets Unit
• Seaford Striders
• Eastbourne Voluntary Lifeguards
• St John Ambulance
• Beachy Head Ramblers
• HM Coastguard Eastbourne
• HM Coastguard Birling Gap
• Chestnut Tree House Hospice
• The Mayor’s Charity (Lark in the Park Charitable Trust)

Since the event’s relaunch in 2002 over £50,000 has been donated by the organisers to those local volunteer groups involved with the event.

A wide range of charities also benefit from the event through sponsorship of the individual participants, with sponsorship totalling in excess of £40,000 each year.

The Beachy Head Marathon returns on Saturday 26 October 2013 and entries are now open online at www.beachyheadmarathon.org.uk.