Willow Pattern Garden

Blue and white pottery inspired this curious little garden near Great Yarmouth, though you'll need to hunt a bit to find it. The whole place recreates the famous willow pattern design that graced your nan's dinner plates - complete with ornamental bridge, pagoda, and strategically placed willow trees. It's proper twee, but executed with such earnestness that it actually works.

Families with young children will get the most from a visit here. The kids can play spot-the-story while adults appreciate the careful planning that's gone into making a ceramic design work as an actual landscape. Takes about an hour to see everything properly, though toddlers might stretch that if they're enjoying the bridge.

The garden sits well with a Norfolk Broads holiday - it's close enough to Clippesby Hall and Haven Caister-on-Sea Holiday Park to make an easy afternoon trip. After a morning on the beach at nearby California Cliffs, this makes a gentle change of pace. The willow trees provide decent shade on hot days, and there's something oddly soothing about wandering around what's essentially a three-dimensional dinner plate. Not earth-shattering, but a pleasant enough diversion that won't break the bank or the schedule.