Torbay Palms

I have been coming to this part of the SW for holidays since I was a young child in the 1960s.. In those days we stayed in Brixham, a small fishing town to the West of Torquay. We rented a one room chalet that had been built before the 2nd world war, They had a small calor cooker and it was expected that visitors would eat all their meals outside using the folding chairs and table. Strangely, it never seemed to rain.
I love the palms in Torquay and the fact that they are now offset by the Big Wheel. I always believed that they thrived in this part of the UK because of the wonderful micro climate here. However, I know that this 'palm' is in fact a lily (Cordyline australis), originating from New Zealand where it is known as a cabbage tree due to its edible young shoots. These trees also flourish elsewhere in the UK. It has even been suggested that the popularity of cabbage trees in Torbay is nothing to do with the climate but is as a result of Torquay being the first district to receive these palms. Sometimes it is better to be blissfully ignorant.