A Visit to RHS Harlow Carr

Jean and I were very sorry to miss the (highly successful) plant fair on 19 May but we did have a lovely visit to the fabulous garden at RHS Harlow Carr instead.

RHS Harlow Carr is a short drive or bus ride away from Harrogate, a very elegant spa town in North Yorkshire. The garden opened in 1950 with the intention of trialling and showcasing plants that would thrive in a northern climate as opposed to the possibly easier growing conditions of RHS Wisley.

The result is a beautiful garden made up of an extensive woodland area and a whole variety of smaller gardens and borders arranged on different levels and around winding paths.

In the woodland area there is a proliferation of copper beech and silver birch, but we particularly loved the huge rhododendron trees and shrubs in a range of colours. Our favourite was Rhododendron ‘Percy Wiseman’, a very delicate cream flower tinged with pink. Epimedium is used as a very effective border throughout the woodland. The bluebells were mainly finished but there was a lovely carpet of wild garlic.

The borders and smaller gardens contained many plants that we recognised from the Old Pond Garden. Geum ‘Totally Tangerine’ is clearly in favour this year! Often teamed with shades of blue. The deep purple of Iris ‘Draco’ took on a particular intensity in the afternoon sun. We loved the relatively new alpine area with some good ideas if you have the odd rock or stone bath lying around!

 Of course a visit to Harrogate and Harlow Carr is not complete without experiencing Betty’s Tea Rooms. There is a branch in the garden itself where you can fortify yourself with a hot chocolate before beginning your exploration and where you can recover with tea and scones at the end of the day.

 Definitely worth a visit if you are ever in the area (the garden as well as the tea room).

 Carolyn H