Palms trees in England? Although we don't generally associate Britain with tropical plants, the climate of southwest England is moderated by the Gulf Stream, a major current of warm water borne in the equatorial Atlantic. Much to the delight of gardeners, the air warmed by this current provides an insulating blanket along the southern English coastline, providing a refuge for a wide variety of cultivated plants including fan palms and tree ferns. Today we had a taste of this climatic gift at Trebah Gardens, near Falmouth, Cornwall. Located at 50 degrees north latitude,it's hard to believe we are at the same latitude as Calgary, Alberta, northern Newfoundland, or southern Hudson Bay!
Early this evening we had an opportunity to stroll through the beautiful gardens and watercourses at Trebah. The grounds are located along a natural drainage that slopes down from the residence of the owner, Major Tony Hillyard, to a beach along a quiet bay. This beach has an important place in World War II history. It was here, in June of 1944, that 6500 Americans of the 29th Infantry Division staged for the D-Day assault on Omaha Beach in Normandy. Today the strand is known as Yankee Beach, and many of us stopped to visit the small memorial at the site.
