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Norwich is full of architectural curios, but like an antique collector in a flea market, you need to know where to look. Unlike Bath or York, it doesn't advertise its assets, and its modesty is a big part of its appeal. It's packed with quirky and eccentric buildings, yet many of them are tucked away down blind alleys, or concealed behind bland modern facades. I'd been several times before, but until I went on a guided tour I'd never seen any of these discreet delights. It's these hidden gems that make Norwich such an intriguing destination.
My first stop was the Plantation Garden, created by a Victorian businessman called Henry Trevor. Buried in an old quarry, surrounded by lush foliage, if you weren't on the look-out for it you'd hardly know it was there. No wonder Sir Roy Strong called it one of Norwich's great surprises. It's just outside the medieval city walls, in the shadow of the Catholic Cathedral, yet its wooded banks make it a peaceful refuge from the workaday bustle up above. Trevor spent more...