A Cantabrian Collection par excellence

Ask a gardener for his dream location and he'll probably fantasise about a frost-free spot, gentle temperatures, 40 inches of rain spread evenly throughout the year, shelter from the prevailing wind, an interesting topography and a view of distant hills. Well, this garden in Cantabria, Spain has the lot – all set against the dramatic backdrop of a tidal estuary. But what to grow when you have the pick of the world's flora to choose from? How about endangered species magnolias and camellias from wild-collected seed, tender towering tree ferns and assorted rarities from every continent. All of which lends this garden a unique atmosphere, a world at one remove from its immediate environment, unconcerned with fleeting fashion, focused purely on the joy of growing and saving extraordinary plants.