Gardens of the Wet Sahara
"When
low tides drain the estuary gold
Small intersecting breakers far away
Ripple about a bar of shifting sand"
North Coast Recollections' by John Betjeman
 View over Morecambe Bay from Arnside Knott |
Morecambe Bay is the second largest bay in the United Kingdom - only the Wash is bigger. However, the 310 square kilometres of intertidal sandflats and mudflats within the Bay is the most extensive in the UK! The Bay is broad and shallow and as there is a large tidal range, up to 10.5 metres at spring tides, the ebbing tide can fall back an incredible 12 km. This reveals half of the Bay's total area as undulating expanses of sands, meandering channels and tidal pools.
Gardens that edge the sea are strongly influenced by the ebbs and flows - no more so than The Gardens of Cumbria and Lancashire.
Spend a day discovering the gem gardens around Morecambe Bay.
The Reginald Kaye Garden and Nursery, Silverdale - a recently restored woodland garden in a beautiful setting overlooking Morecambe Bay enclosed in an atmosphere of peace and tranquillity. A limestone outcrop containing thousands of Chelsea Flower Show Gold Medal hellebores, drifts of meconopsis and woodland plants.
Halecat Garden and Nursery, Witherslack - mixed shrub and herbaceous borders, terrace and sunken garden, daffodils and cherries in spring and over 70 varieties of hydrangea with a beautiful view over the Kent Estuary.
Bortree Style - the home of Chiltern Seeds, Ulverston - a stunning garden, under development, on the side of the Fell overlooking Morecambe Bay - this garden is full of wonderful plants grown from seed from the 26th catalogue (now containing 310 pages of seeds) of this Internationally acclaimed company. A visit gives an insight into just how millions of seeds are distributed throughout the world and how to develop a garden to show plants at their most sensational.
Next Ness Nurseries - Ulverston - unusual herbaceous plants, camellias and magnolias in a spectacular setting.
Holker Hall Gardens, Cark In Cartmel - magnificent formal and woodland gardens. Exotic trees, ancient oaks, beech walk with stunning displays of azaleas and rhododendrons, magnolias and camellias. National collection of Styracaceae. Garden festival - June.
Charney Well, Grange over Sand - Mediterranean Garden with panoramic views over Morecambe Bay. South facing and planted over 13 years to create a connoisseur's plant paradise. The only NCCPG collection of Phormiums on the UK mainland.
The ornamental Victorian seaside gardens at Grange over Sands
Combine
these magical gardens with
other interesting visits in the area
WRS Reclamation Services - Architectural Antiques, old and reproduction urns, statutory and planters. Fireplaces, surrounds and furniture.
Cumbria Crystal and Heron Glass Factory Shop and Tour
Artcrystal - famous
international hand engraving crystal studio - demonstrations, talk and
shop displaying a selection of work.
