Secret garden opens its gates to the public

A Brighton garden that cannot be seen from any road is to throw open its gate and offer a pop-up tea garden for one day - to raise funds for a small but important charity.

The garden at 1 Belton Close, off Belton Road, in the Round Hill conservation area - between The Level and Fiveways - is tucked away out of sight, but contains a hidden gem.

Steve Bustin and John Williams, the owners, are opening it to the public on Sunday (August 10) to raise money for MPD Voice (mpdvoice.org.uk), a small and little-known charity that supports those living with myeloproliferative disorders (MPDs), a rare group

of little-understood blood cancers.

They will be setting up a pop-up café in their garden, offering tea, coffee and a range of delicious homemade cakes, as well as selling homemade preserves and a selection of plants to help raise more funds. Entry to the garden is between 11am and 5pm; admission costs £2 (children free).

The garden contains tropical plants including banana trees, dahlias, gingers, cannas, olives and castor oil plants, plus lots of colourful sunflowers, climbers and annuals.

There is a kitchen garden and greenhouse, fountains, lawn - and resident chickens.