RHS Garden Harlow Carr

One of the gardens of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). A 58 acre garden in an area called Harlow; Carr (or Car which is a middle English word, derived from Norse, meaning land reclaimed from bog). It was established in 1950 by Colonel Charles Grey as a showcase for northern gardeners and became part of the RHS in 2001.

It is at 550ft (167m) above sea level and set in a shallow valley divided by Harlow Beck, which forms the spectacular Streamside Garden. It's an exposed site although has a temperature range of between 11C to +30C but has an annual average temperature of +7C which means frosts sometimes can continue into early June. It's rainfall can exceed 1m a year, and this combination has added to problems of water logging which means that drainage is a constant consideration. The rock underlying the garden is millstone grit.

It is the longest streamside garden in the UK but also has a woodland, arboretum and a lake.

The highlights  of the garden include:

• Gardens through Time a collection of 7 small gardens spanning 200 years. Each garden displaying some of the most popular garden features and techniques of the period it represents. From the Regency period through to the modern contemporary garden of 2004 they show something different and how gardens have differed over time.

• Streamside extends the full length of the garden running along the edge of the woodland and is full of colour throughout spring and summer with the different plants here.

• Woodland

• Wildflower meadow & bird hide, where Cowslips, primroses and snakeshead fritillaries bloom in spring, whilst spotted orchids, ragged robin and knapweed can be seen in summer. The meadow attracts many birds and these can be viewed from the bird hide, and is good for butterflies and other insects.

• Arboretum

• Humus-rich Terraces

• Annual & perennial displays

• Alpine Houses

• Children's Playground & Model Village. This is next to the study centre and an added interest for children.

Further information Grid

Location:	RHS Garden Harlow Carr, Harrogate, North Yorks
Ceremonial County:	Yorkshire
Grid Reference:	SE281541
Map Link:	StreetMap
Aerial photo:	Google Aerial Photo
Route(s):
Best Times to Visit:
E-mail:	harlowcarr@rhs.org.uk
Website:	RHS Harlow Carr
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