FAR-OFF shores will seem distinctly closer for holidaymakers taking a stroll through Bournemouth's award-winning Pleasure Gardens.

For the UK's largest municipal rockery will soon be home to olive trees, date palms and Birds of Paradise plants.

Climate change has created ideal growing conditions for exotic species more commonly seen in tourist hotspots.

For the first time in more than seven decades the Grade II listed attraction will boast species such as King Proteas from South Africa and Comprosa, the Christmas Bush' from New Zealand.

Bird of Paradise plants are normally found in California, South Australia and Chile.

The striking transformation of the Lower Gardens rockery, created by the esteemed Vietch nurseries in a bid to entice holidaymakers to the seafront, has been inspired by the success of tropical planting at Tresco Gardens on the Isles of Scilly.

Chris Evans, experimental horticulturalist and manager at Kings Park nursery, said: "We have always tried to be innovative and pioneering with Bournemouth's unique gardens and this is another example of us taking the lead.

"The conditions resulting from climate change have allowed us to experiment with planting techniques and we are growing different species from various climatic regions.

"We have been simulating the cultural conditions for germinating Proteas and are now on the cusp of developing tropical, Mediterranean and South American species to introduce into Bournemouth Gardens.

"The tropical gardens in Alum Chine are home to some of the most unusual and tender tropical species and these are really thriving in our warmer climate.

"We are hoping that the Lower Gardens rockery will see similar results," he added.

Mr Evans stressed that growing perennial plants which thrive in drier conditions was more ecologically friendly as it cuts water consumption.

The Welsh limestone rockery is managed by council gardeners and developed by members of the Rockery Restoration Group who recently assisted in the assembly of Bournemouth's prize-winning floral display at the Chelsea Flower Show and attended a Royal Horticultural Society conference.

The event focused on how climate change has affected the type of plants which can be grown in the UK, particularly on the South Coast.

Rosie Barclay, a local volunteer working with the group for five years, said: "I've always wanted to work with plants such as the Bird of Paradise, olive trees and date palms.

"I never thought we would be able to have these in our rockery as the conditions have not always been right.

"These new plants will make it a really special place to visit," she added.

Local weather expert Charles Thomas said Bournemouth had experienced its fifth driest and eighth sunniest April since records began in 1879.

He said: "The earth has been heating up and cooling down since it began over 4600 million years. While climate change is not a new phenomena, the increase in CO2 emissions in our environment is speeding up the warming trend."