Rainy Day Activity: Strolls Under Umbrellas at Overbeck’s Garden

‘Discover a world in a garden’ | Photo Credit: Andrew Northrop

Guest Blog Post - Overbeck's Garden

When skies over Salcombe turn grey and rain begins to fall, visit a rainforest on your doorstep. Rainy days transform subtropical National Trust Overbeck’s Garden into a magical retreat. With a new umbrella station stocked with National Trust brollies, you’re invited to enjoy a new way to experience this hidden gem just above Salcombe town, as you wander the garden’s pathways and terraces.

Carved out of the cliffs overlooking the Salcombe estuary, Overbeck’s Garden is a coastal sanctuary where subtropical planting is naturally designed for the wettest of weather. Watch the clouds go by as you discover viewpoints towards the sea across the canopy. Weave your way through enchanting terraces and footpaths, lined with exciting planting from every climactic zone. The garden’s vibrant greenery comes alive under the sea rain, revealing colours and textures that are often hidden during sunnier times.

Step into a lush landscape adorned with palms and ferns, each leaf shimmering with droplets of rain. The gentle patter of water creates a soundtrack of natural sounds, offering a soothing sensory backdrop to your ramble.  Gardener Chris Groves notes the transformative power of a rainy day at the garden. "The Garden's lush greenery takes on a unique vibrant hue under grey skies," he shares. “The muted light brings out the depth of colours in the foliage and blooms, offering a fresh perspective for plant enthusiasts.”

Nature is on full display as spiderwebs, ferns, and mosses glisten, each coated in a fine mist from the sea. Taro leaves and succulents hold pearly spheres of rainwater.

You’ll find seating in the Gazebo Garden, a glasshouse orange store filled with cuttings and  the Nature Nook filled with natural history curiosities. On Sundays and Thursdays the giant polyphon music box is played for visitors in the cactus Conservatory at 12pm and 2pm

Property Manager Ros Ryman encourages visitors to don their wellies and explore the garden’s unique sights, sounds, and the petrichor aroma of fresh sea rain on foliage. " Next time the weather forecast predicts rain, you’re welcome to visit us and borrow a brolly at Overbeck’s Garden. The Umbrella Station adds a new way for visitors of all ages to connect with nature here by the sea, even when the weather is less than perfect," she says.

The garden is open from Sundays to Thursdays, 10.30am to 4.00pm, until 31st October 2024.

Visit Overbeck's Gardens website here.

Follow Overbeck's on Facebook here & Instagram here.