National Trust - Overbeck's Garden — Attraction in South Hams

"Overbeck's Garden - where even snails feel like aristocrats"

When I got to Overbeck's Garden, at first I thought that I had accidentally been teleported somewhere to Italy: palm trees, exotics, a sea view - and all this in England! And then I realized that teleportation was not needed here, Sidney Overbecks just had a very good sense of taste ... and, apparently, a lot of free time.

The garden is made in such a way that each bush seems to know its place in society. Roses proudly hold their backs, palms pose for postcards, and lavender hints: "Take a photo of me, you didn't come here for nothing."

But the real surprise awaits closer to home - tropical plants grow there, which clearly mixed up the continents. It seems that if you stay here longer, you can wait for bananas right on the southern coast of Devon.

Advice: come here on a sunny day. The sea view together with this "botanical theatre" guarantees inner zen, and the photos will be such that your friends will think you went on holiday somewhere to the Mediterranean.

In general, Overbecks Garden is a place where you can feel like a lord, even if you came here with sandwiches...

Our drive to Overbeck was a true adventure... We drove up the hill with a big mobile home! Leaving on places just a few millimetres on both sides of the car but we made it all the way up to the small car park and even got a place where we could park! Even an elderly pair told us they thought driving up those roads was difficult, they asked us how we did it with a camper.

The house was really interesting with a lot of history. It was built to be a youth hostel so it doesn't really have a warm feeling of a house. It never was successful as a hostel as well because the railway never finished till the village of Salcombe because the railway company run out of money.

There is a nice collection of toys, doll houses and stuffed animals and bugs. If that doesn't interest you... maybe all the old different working music instruments spikes your interest.

The subtropical garden is a true paradise! Specially on a great and sunny day.

If you are in the area pop by and maybe have a nice cup of tea in the...

Oh dear what a huge tragedy. I have been visiting this property for 40 years and cannot condone the meddling reinterpretation of the property over the last year. The destructive removal of eccentric artefacts and sterilisation of the house now devoids it of its eccletic character. Imported furniture to give it an edwardian feel is of no interest as it is not the original so is just a fraud. It is so bland. Previously the provision for children was spot on for all generations.The special secret room was a real magnet for children as they could loose themselves in their own magic world. Now there is a so called quiz for children attached to a clip board....what a big let down.....

This was such a special place. The garden has evolved over many years and is awesome with the gardening team having a real flair. Sadly though those responsible for the interior have really messed up here. This really needs reconsidering as the house severely let's this asset down and overall now it really isn't...